BEHIND THE BRAND: OLIVER PEOPLES
June 7, 2011
The Altman's design is inspired by images of Mr Jack Nicholson and Mr Martin Scorsese. Sunglasses were first made popular by film stars in the early 20th century, although it is disputed whether they wore them to conceal their identities from fans or their red eyes caused by the high-wattage arc lamps used during filming.
Oliver Peoples frames are not covered in logos as the brand's ethos maintains that the subtle discoverability factor of its craftsmanship transcends the fleeting appeal of a flashy name. Discretion characterises both its designs and its clients, who include Mr Steven Spielberg, Mr Bill Gates and Mr Brad Pitt.
The mineral glass lenses are sourced from Italian firm Barberini - the best lens manufacturer in the world. A variety of natural elements are employed in the creation of the lenses, including a non-reflective coating to eliminate distracting bounce-back glare and oleophobic protection to repel water, dust, oil and fingerprints.
Shown here in an exclusive coffee colour, the retro-inspired frame is handcrafted in Italy out of hard-wearing, bevelled acetate that features substantial temples and a solid, contoured bridge.
In early 1986, Californian opticians Mr Larry Leight and Mr Dennis Leight purchased an estate collection of vintage American-made eyewear. The assortment included thousands of skilfully filigreed metal and rimless frames from the 1940s to the 1960s, among which was nestled a receipt credited to a man named Oliver Peoples. The Leights devoted the brand they founded later that year in West Hollywood, Los Angeles to this mysterious figure. After all, Mr Peoples' collection inspired them to create frames that would soon earn them high visibility, including a pair Mr Andy Warhol wore for the cover of German Vogue in 1987. In 1989, customers around the world began asking their opticians for Oliver Peoples frames, causing one of the highest levels of demand for a brand the industry had ever seen. Mr Larry Leight soon became the first eyewear designer to be elected as a member of the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America), which cemented his reputation for being a visionary on the international design landscape.
OLIVER peoples IN PICTURES
