CURATING ORIGINAL VINTAGE
When it comes to our Original Vintage, we obviously cannot take credit for their superb designs and craftsmanship. However, we will take credit for curating only quality vintage and ensuring that it's never the sort you’d find in a flea market or some random online supplier of vintage eyewear.
We literally scour the globe and identify Original Vintage that we know our customers would love and guarantee they’ve never been worn. For nearly 30 years, our customers have relied on our persnicketiness (we were going to say fussiness, but persnickety is such a good word) to ensure they’re always getting the best of the past.
DESIGNING & CRAFTING CLASSIC REPRODUCTIONS
Let’s start with design. Before we begin the design process, we first identify history’s most famous eyewear. What makes eyewear “famous?” Sometimes designs are famous for their breakthrough design, but often they are famous for creating the signature look of legendary movie stars, political leaders and entertainers throughout the world. For instance, it’s hard to imagine John Lennon without round metal glasses.
Once we decide the frames we want to re-create, we then re-imagine them. Rather than just copying the original, our design goal is to identify the perfect combination of classic refinement with modern styles, creating something altogether new. That’s why say all of our Classic Reproductions are “inspired by” the originals, not copied.
Copying is boring. And lazy.
We believe there’s magic in inter-generational mashups to produce something new and different. Sometimes it’s a slight change to the temples (the sides), the bridge (the area above the nose), adding titanium nosepads instead of plastic, or whether it’s just the colors. For instance, Winston Churchill only wore dark round glasses. We decided to make them in seven colors.
We never focus-group our Classic Reproduction designs. We simply make designs we love. And then cross our fingers you’ll love them too!
Once we’ve finished our design phase, we then go into production. All of our Classic Reproductions are hand-finished in either Italy or Japan. We use only the best materials, be it acetate (plastic), virgin stainless steel or titanium. And sometimes it’s a combination of all three.
Our virgin acetates are made from all natural cotton and wood fibers and mostly derive from Italy and Japan. Acetate designs are handmade by forming layers into large blocks, then carefully slicing them into the designs we’ve chosen.
Once the frames are properly cut or molded, the semi-finished frame is put into a large oak barrel, similar to aging a good wine, only sideways and turned for hours. Only the best eyewear manufacturers make their better frames this way. Still, we go a step further. We use a proprietary “formula” in the barreling of our frames that give it, what European Optical Specialists call, a “Gallery Level” shine that stands out from even some of the best European made eyewear.
Finally, every single pair is meticulously inspected for flawless perfection 4 times over. If, for whatever reason, a pair of our eyewear accidentally slips through the inspection process and doesn’t meet your standards upon arrival, we hope you would contact us immediately. We’ll replace your frame immediately.
As you can probably tell, we’re sticklers for perfection. Because your satisfaction and helping you find your fabulous is what we do.
