A great pair of sunnies are one of the few things to make us go truly weak kneed and if you are anything like us, then our brand new list of boutiques will be right up your alley. Especially curated for our eyewear aficionados, read on to meet the local eyewear designers from the shopping hotspots of Europe.
Optik by Michele B
We love a good pair of sunglasses and we love them even better if they come custom-made! Say hello to Optik by Michele B. An eyewear boutique that retails a line of ultra chic sunglasses and spectacles, tailor made to suit your face as well as color and style preferences. All of the brand’s raw material is sourced from within France and made by a select set of craftsmen – making Optik by Michele B the ultimate of a local Parisienne shopping experience.
GOBI
Conceptualized on a train ride through the Gobi desert in Asia, founder and designer Koen Middeldorp was inspired to create GOBI Amsterdam after reflecting on the journey his own pair of vintage sunglasses had been through. The brand is passionate about sustainability and fair fashion and works only with manufacturers who adhere to their very firm policies on the subject. Made with unique materials such as Japanese acetate, a pair of sunglasses from Gobi promises the ultimate in quality, style and durability.
Timeshades
Say hello to one of our many favorite brands at AISPI (and a constant bestseller at our trunk shows all over the globe!) – Timeshades. An eyewear brand crafting sunglasses infused with the design aesthetics of a luxury watch (a first in itself!), the sunglasses are designed by Marco Mavilla, founder of the Toy Watch and an avid watch collector himself. Our glowing client recommendations are testimony to the brand’s quality and versatility and we definitely recommend you to pick up a pair from this one-of-a-kind designer.
Wires Sunglasses
Looking for a pair of sunglasses that are sustainable and stunning in equal measure? Introducing Wires Sunglasses – zero-waste sunglasses handcrafted from a single piece of wire – a true design innovation in itself especially considering that the eyewear industry is a $120 billion market in which plastic is the main source of raw material and sustainability is almost non-existent. What began as an experiment for designer Yair Neuman after he broke his original pair of sunglasses soon transformed into full-blown retail concept aided by entrepreneurs Lily Cole and Kwame Ferreir. We are in absolute awe of the brand that so authentically manages to merge fashion with sustainability and highly recommend a pair (or several!) from Wires.
Eyepetizer
Born out of three friends’ collective passion for color, style and a small island off the coast of Italy, Eyepetizer embodies a joy of living – all by the means of color. We love their one-of-a-kind sunglasses, crafted in a stunning mix of classic and modern shapes and exuberantly brimming with joyful color – reminiscent of an idyllic day spent frolicking on the beach with your closest friends.
All images courtesy of respective brands.
– Written by Soha Joshi
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