Joules is launching into eyewear as it grows the licensing part of the business.

On April 30 the fashion retailer is set to launch a collection exclusively with Vision Express aimed at women and children.

The collection will initially consist of 32 skus in the prescription glasses range priced between £149 and £169, and eight lines across its sunglasses collection starting from £60. Joules plans to expand the ranges following the end of the exclusivity with Vision Express when the collection will be rolled out to independent opticians.

It has been co-designed with eyewear specialist Mondottica who also co-design the Ted Baker eye wear range.

A Joules spokeswoman said the range would be “quite extensive”.

She added: “We are a lifestyle fashion brand and the next step is eyewear for customers to accompany their outfit. It’s quite an identity tool. Glasses say a lot about people.”

The range features the brand’s signature colourful patterns and a petite range which have a smaller frame width.

Joules said it will sell the sunglasses range in store but not the prescription range.

Last month the retailer bolstered its growing homewares collection by launching an enamel homewares collection with home and garden retailer Garden Trading. Joules also sells a beauty range through Boots.