When I was in Amsterdam I ran into this cute Japanese boy from Tokyo! I was so amazed about his colorful vintage/street style, perfectly matched together with a vintage frame. When I say frame this time I really mean just a frame. No prescription or window lenses on. Just a cool frame as a great accessory!
Apparently this is a huge trend in Japan I’ve heard, is it true? Does anyone know where it stems from? So interesting! Hope to see more of it in Europe soon.
If you’re looking for vintage frames and are in Berlin, you should sure pass by Eberswalder Strasse. At the same street you will find Blue Eyes and OptiKing!
Blue Eyes:
Here you find a lot of frames from the 80’s and 90’s. Also, you will find a basket full of vintage frames to special price. Pictures I took:
OptiKing:
Here you will get a great shopping experience! The store is designed in an American/Hollywood-style from the 50’s and the frames follows the same theme. Pictures I took in the shop:
The Classics are a great investment and will look good for many occasions and for many years. If taken good care of, a classic sunframe may be passed down to the next generation. If you find one of these in your parent’s drawers, take great care of it.
These classics have been inspiration for many many sunglasses and still going strong.
Randolph Engineering Aviator, an American classic seen on Don Draper in Mad Men
Ray-Ban Aviator in Arista Gold and G-15 Lens
Ray-Ban Caravan in Arista Gold and G-15 Lens
Persol 649 in Dark Tortoise and G-15 Lens, read more about Persol and this particular frame here.
Ray-Ban Wayfarer in Dark Tortoise and G-15 Lens
Moscot Lemtosh in Tortoise and Calibar Green Lens
The other week Jasmin and I found this gentleman at Berns Salonger in Stockholm. First of all he has a great unique style, that you don’t see often here in Sweden. Besides, he wore both a hat and a pair of glasses – two of my favorite accessories. A great looking gentleman!
Lately, we’ve seen a lot of frames in green nuances. It’s like a couple of years ago, when all the classic black frames became brown, and now they are turning into green. Green is the new brown?
Tom Ford 5197, col.096
Moscot, Ginger Moss
MYKITA “Walter”, col. 904
Barton Perreira, Caine Fern Gully
l.a. Eyeworks always has crazy shapes and colors. And now they have the craziest textures as well. It looks and feels like wood grain – feels very soft and natural – but its actual acetate!
Even other brands, such as Vasuma and Theo have made wood-inspired frames. What do You think? Bonocle loves it!
Photo from Colette
Photo from Opening Ceremony.
Jeremy Scott and Linda Farrow have once again teamed up for unusually shaped eyewear, this time in the shape of two hands! They also have other frames called “Cross” and “Wings”, looking exactly what they sound like. Can be bought here.
Persol is a very classic Italian eyewear brand founded in 1917 and several of their glasses feature the characteristic metal arrow hinges. The name is derived from “per il sole”, Italian for “for the sun”. If you find a pair of vintage Persol it says “Ratti” inside the temple and the quality is wonderful. In 1995 Luxottica took over the production of Persol.
One of Persol’s most important figures is definitely  Steve McQueen, who wore Persol 714 with blue lenses in the “Thomas Crown Affair” in 1968 (See picture below). Additional fun fact: the custom pair Steve McQueen wore in the movie was auctioned for $60.000! Steve McQueen also wore another very similar Persol frame called 649 in his every day life.
Steve McQueen wearing the Persol 714 with blue lenses in “The Thomas Crown Affair”. Photo from here.
Steve McQueen in Persol. Photo from here.
Marcello Mastroianni in “Divorce Italian Style” wearing the Persol 649. Photo from here.
Persol’s 649 (see picture below) looks exactly like 714 but is not foldable. The 649 was made in 1957 for tram drivers in Turin who needed large glasses to protect their eyes from dust and air. It was made famous in 1961 by Marcello Mastroianni who wore a black pair in “Divorce Italian Style” (See picture above). We really like the 649 in tortoise and green-gray lenses also known as G-15 lenses. Very classic frames, you can rarely go wrong when buying this one.
Persol sunglasses were James Bond’s only choice a few times, both Daniel Craig and Pirece Brosnan wore them as Bond. We could keep namedropping celebrities who’ve worn Persol but we think this is enough for now.
Bonocle.com couldn’t go to the Mido fair in Milano this weekend, but we are so excited about the new stuff we were told was shown there! Of course we’ll share everything new and exciting with you as soon as it arrives.
Meanwhile take a look at one of the things we’re excited about: Oliver Peoples Vintage frames. Classics such as the O’Malley and OP-505 made in Japan.
Earlier this week we stopped by Vasuma‘s awesome head office and showroom in Old Town, Stockholm.
Cute Boy Band Photo: Vasuma Inc.
Vasuma Inc. is a Stockholm based brand founded by the cool guys Jan Vana, Steffen Sundström and Lars Malmsten. In 2007 they had their first eyewear line. Their eyewear collection, which has both optical and sun frames, is unisex, young, large and cool.
Fun fact: The English bullies’ favorite phrase “Four eyes” is “Eyewear snake” (Glasögonorm) to the Swedish bullies’. Therefore all of Vasuma’s frames are named after snakes. This is the eyewear snakes getting their revenge!
At Vasuma’s office we talked about the process of making a frame. There are many steps to reach the final product. As for any product to hold great quality, fit, style all of the steps have to work smothly. Some of our favorite Vasuma frames.
Vasuma is pretty new in eyewear but has already managed to establish their style and quality. This spring they’ll be at Mido for their first time and Bonocle wishes Vasuma all the best!
Bonocle 