Boutiques

Majestic architecture, the river Danube and the backdrop of the Buda Hills make Budapest one of the most stunning weekend destinations in Europe. The city is also home to Hungary’s no 1 independent eyewear company Tipton Eyeworks, located in the centre of the city across the street from the historic Cafe Centrale.

A wide choice of inventive eyewear at Tipton’s showroom

Opened to the public in 2017, the showroom offers a wonderful peep at a team of industrious, highly skilled artisans finishing frames, and a buzzing retail space exhibiting the collection, where Zach Tipton’s first eyewear designs and some very special limited edition glasses – including the NVSBLE range and a tribute to Bob Marley, are on show. A highlight is the photo wall of famous faces, including Robbie Williams, Elvis Costello, Fred Durst and Elton John. “I started with rimless in early 2000, but soon moved into vinyl,” explains Zach as we toured the workshops and store. “Over the years we have perfected how we use the vinyl and we remain the only company who has pursued this direction with a growing global success in top-level boutique shops.”

Visitors to Budapest can arrange an appointment to make their own frame at the showroom, with expert artisans on hand to explain the process of assembling individual frame parts, personalising the frame with gold lettering, and, eventually cleaning and polishing the frame – ready to wear. In the background music plays from the vinyl archive on a retro ‘record player’: we play all the LPs we use for the frames, Zach explains, as he puts on a mysterious 90s ambient album that has come from a London warehouse. A current favourite is AC/DC, the focus of a collaboration using the 22 x multi-platinum “Back in Black” album.

Tipton Eyeworks has also achieved notoriety in the film industry in Budapest, producing frames for particular requirements on set, and as special commissions and gifts for the many actors and actresses visiting the city. This Spring, a Limited Edition design from the Cinematiq Collection was created for Antonio Banderas during the shooting of Genius: Life of Picasso. These unique sunglass editions are presented in a flat circular case similar to that used to carry old-school film.

Alongside the VINYLIZE collection launched in 2004, the new Cinematiq concept presents luxury acetate frames which make use of vintage 16mm film footage – perfectly aligned inside the temples where light illuminates the colourful action and characters within. And there is no stopping there. Whilst we were at the store, an ingenious, collaborative eco-inspired project was in production – a limited edition commission by coffee machine makers, Nespresso, recycling the aluminium coffee capsules into a chic run of co-branded sunglasses for Hungarian stores.

Eyestylist stayed at Hotel Rum, Budapest (www.hotelrumbudapest.com). Kind thanks to Tipton Eyeworks for a memorable first trip to their beautiful home city. Visit the company: TIPTON EYEWORKS, Iranyi  u. 20, 1056 Budapest www.tiptonbudapest.com / www.vinylize.com CN

True to its city’s exceptional focus on design, eyewear brand ic! berlin takes fashionable eyewear to exciting heights, and its flagship store is no exception. Located just next to Berlin’s state-of-the-art ADIDAS and close to its original place of birth in Max Beer Strasse, today the company’s retail HQ in Munzstrasse (Mitte) offers a wide selection of eyewear possibilities, highlighting the most comprehensive collection of ic! frames (over 500!) alongside limited editions and vintage collectibles.

Browsing is worthwhile and will allow a peak at the very latest designs and colourways that have just launched at the international eyewear fairs. Staff are on hand to explain the new colours, designs and materials with a special knowledge of the innovative state-of-the-art screwless eyewear for which the Berlin company has become known worldwide.

The industrial, gallery-like interior reflects style and design attitude, with details such as art works and floral displays that are immediately welcoming. At the back of the space is an area for high-tech eye testing, and should you have a creative streak, there is an option to design your own sunglasses choosing from an almost infinite number of frame and lens colour combinations. This service is unique to the shop and one that offers a particularly mind-blowing opportunity for combining frame and lens colours according to personal preferences.

ic! berlin brillen GmbH is a German company which designs and produces high-end, handcrafted eyewear in Berlin, and distributes it worldwide. The company was founded in 1996 by Ralph Anderl. 

Munzstrasse 5, 10178 Berlin – www.ic-berlin.de CN

Following the flagship in New Orleans, and a 6 month pop-up style residency, in Soho, New York, US brand Krewe has opened a permanent location at ​85 1⁄2 Spring St.​

The airy minimal interior has been designed “to cultivate an intimate experience with the brand while strengthening the ties between New Orleans and New York”. Utilizing flora displays, a modern white decor and New Orleans-based artisans to create interior finishings, the space has a close affinity with Krewe’s standalone storefront in the French Quarter of their city of origin.