Ashley Benson and Matt Bomer announce joint capsule collection with Privé Revaux

Ashley Benson and Matt Bomer joined The Final Round to discuss their upcoming joint collection with Privé Revaux, launching on August 20th.

Video Transcript

MYLES UDLAND: Well, direct-to-consumer brands, they've been among the biggest trends of the last decade. And no part of that business has really had more success than what we've seen in eyewear. One of the companies enjoying this boom is Privé Revaux, and joining us now to discuss their latest collaboration, Privé Revaux co-founder Ashley Benson, along with Matt Bomer.

Guys, thanks so much for joining us. Ashley, I'll start with you. And if you can just talk a little bit about where the brand has come in the last couple of years and-- and what the last few months have been like considering sort of where everyone was six months ago. Things are a little bit better now, but certainly been a-- an interesting time for-- for everyone in the retail space.

ASHLEY BENSON: Yeah, look, we've had really great success these last two years. We worked really hard. And David Schottenstein, who created the brand, and then, you know, being-- having partners like Jamie Foxx, Hailee Steinfeld, it's just been a really fun project to work on the past couple of years in how it's developed. And then also being able to bring on different talent to collaborate with us and make their own lines and kind of show you what their favorite styles of sunglasses to wear are. And every time we've done that, it's worked.

So it's-- it's really exciting. And then to also now-- this is our first time doing a collection with two people. And being able to do it with Matt was so fun. I'm a huge fan of his work. And it's the first time that we're doing a gender neutral line, which has been really fun. But yeah, I mean, it's been-- you know, it's crazy times. We're all just trying to get through it. But at least we can kind of focus on, you know, create things like this and, yeah, trying to keep myself busy. But it's definitely a weird time for everyone.

MYLES UDLAND: Well, Matt, I want to ask about your involvement here. It's the Bomer and Benzo Collection. I think I have that correct here. Tell us a little bit about how-- how you got involved in this project and-- and what it's been like for you, I guess, getting a chance to design your own eyewear line.

MATT BOMER: Yeah, I mean, I was a huge fan-- am a huge fan of Ashley as an actress and a person. I think she has an amazing sense of style and effortless Hollywood cool. And so when the brand reached out to me and I saw that there was creative input and was going to be this great collaboration, and it really provided something in this space that I didn't have when I was, you know, in my early 20s working two jobs in Manhattan.

I couldn't afford the great designer frames. And what this company does is give you that incredible designer look without sacrificing any of the quality at-- at a price, you know, anyone can afford. It's $39.95 a frame. So when it was that creative collaboration mixed in with a company that-- in the direct-to-consumer market that I thought just fit the bill for so many people, I was really excited.

MYLES UDLAND: And then, Ashley, going back to, you know, some of the other, you know, celebrities you mentioned that-- that work with the brand-- Jamie Foxx, Hailee Steinfeld. You know, really the last few years-- and-- and I don't know if-- if I have this quite right, I'm not a Hollywood reporter-- but it seems like stars and actors are more involved on the ground floor of brands now than-- than they've been before.

And is this something that-- as you kind of got involved in the project a few years ago, is it something that to you makes sense on how you want to leverage your brand outside of-- of your work, you know, to do interesting projects, to not just be an endorser, but to actually be, you know a co-founder of a group?

ASHLEY BENSON: Yeah, I mean, and that's the thing that-- and, you know, David Schottenstein, again, he's trained me so well these last few years. And, you know, you never really know your next step in the entertainment industry, especially right now with how, you know, what's going on in the world. You don't know when your next job is going to be. So if I can kind of dive into stuff like this and also make it affordable, and-- and to make a platform where my fans-- because I've always had younger fans-- but just people in general are able to afford and be a fan of something that I really truly believe in, it's-- it's-- I couldn't ask for anything better.

And, like, there's other things that I want to try and dive into with David or Jamie, and we've really created an amazing platform to be able to do so beyond Privé. And yeah, I just-- I get to work with great people and, you know, make amazing different lines. And right now, it's just eyewear line, and we've-- it's just been one of the best times ever. So yeah, it's fun.

DAN ROBERTS: Guys, Dan Roberts here. While we have you both, you know, we are talking about selling this brand amid the pandemic and everything that's going on there. And both of you have acted. We've talked so much about how Hollywood is changing because of this time, how filming has been crimped.

We've had some guests on this show predicting that even once the pandemic is gone and the coast is clear, so to speak, whenever that is, that the filming of projects, whether it's movies, streaming shows, is going to be changed forever because of all this. I'd love to hear from both of you just briefly on-- on how you think things have changed in the last few months or what you expect for-- for Hollywood and how it will affect your acting careers.

ASHLEY BENSON: You want to go, Matt?

MATT BOMER: Well, look, as artists, we're always going to respond to the world around us. So I can't imagine it not having a profound effect on storytelling, how we tell the stories we're telling, and-- and how we produce the stories we're telling. As a business, Hollywood is always going to find a way to keep chugging along.

And if there is a silver lining, it's been being able to do this collaboration with Ashley, and to also kind of put things together in development so that when things are back up and running, we have-- we've had time to cultivate things to really get the story right and line up the right creative teams on a lot of projects. So I think people have really found creative ways within the industry to keep the wheels turning, even when it's been quiet on the actual physical production front.

ASHLEY BENSON: Yeah, and, I mean, at least for me too, because a lot of my projects that I was going to start filming this summer have been on hold, so I kind of took it upon myself to start writing and creating things. So I wrote two movies in quarantine. I think I'm about to start one, I think, maybe in the next month and a half if all goes well. But it's just kind of allowed me to be creative in a different way. I've also been, like, recording a bunch of music.

But yeah, I've-- it was my first time at writing, and it-- it's going really well. And I have two producing partners who do everything with me, but that's just been fun. I'm going to direct the second one that I wrote. So kind of just diving into that kind of scene and not just be an actor and kind of take it from all fronts. But it's-- it's been keeping me busy and, like, super motivated, so that's been a very nice thing to have when everything's kind of at a standstill.

MYLES UDLAND: Yeah, it's-- it's always good, Ashley, to hear that someone is thriving in quarantine. It's been--

ASHLEY BENSON: Yeah, one! [CHUCKLES]

MYLES UDLAND: --mixed on that front, I think, for some of us. But before I let you go, Matt, I-- I got to ask, three-- three kids at home during this period, is everybody all in one piece? How's that been? I know a lot of parents-- we've talked about it a lot here on the shows. School is coming up. Everyone is-- is kind of unsure what-- what's next for everything. How's that-- how's that been for your family?

MATT BOMER: Yeah, my heart goes out to all my fellow parents out there. We're so blessed. Our kids have been so adaptable and so great, you know? I would say there are different challenges for different ages. Our 15-year-old, you know, has different sets of challenges. He wants to be out right now socializing with friends, and he can't. And our twins kind of have each other. They're a little bit younger.

But they've been really incredible. I'm really thankful that they've had such a great attitude about things. And-- and we're all still in one piece, and, you know, we're going to-- we're looking ahead to a-- a school year that's going to be running around from room to room to Zoom class to Zoom class and figuring it out as we go, like everybody else.

MYLES UDLAND: All right, Matt Bomer, Ashley Benson. The Bomer and Benzo Collection coming up. Privé Revaux drops on August 20. Thank you both so much for taking the time. Best of luck going-- going forward.

ASHLEY BENSON: Thanks, guys.

MATT BOMER: Thanks, Myles. Thanks for having us.