Boutiques

Hello Glasses, Kyiv (Kiev)

25th July 2013 It is super to see  some new, go-ahead stores emerging right around the world, and with that thought, Eyestylist is pleased to introduce Hello Glasses in Ukraine.

Kyiv (Kiev) is a historic city with many special places to visit. Among them are the city beaches along the impressive Dnieper river, where temperatures can soar….stylish sunnies selected by Hello Glasses are therefore likely to be much sought after, but so too are their curated collections of fashion specs which the owners have selected carefully. They include Mykita, Vidal Erkohen’s RVS by V., Ksubi, Black Eyewear and a range of interesting vintage frames (Ray-Ban, l.a. eyeworks and very nice Anglo American examples), as well as famous mainstream lines such as Retrosuperfuture, Prada and Persol.

Set up in 2008, first with a vintage blog, and then a showroom, the Hello Glasses team opened to the public in June with its first specs store in an interesting location in the Vozdvizhenka district, a newly renovated historic part of Kyiv. The opening included an informal presentation by Mykita designer, Martin Guentert.

Eyestylist asked Sasha Anisin about the store concept: “We are a two person team – myself and Daria Bespalova. We want to give the city of Kyiv an opportunity to purchase high quality optics with a good, well thought-out concept. We are fully involved in the development of the business and the visual content, design, site development and store furniture which have all been created by us.”

See more on Hello Glasses at http://helloglasses.com CN

New found friends in a historic location

1st June 2013 I have got to know Carmen Cox of Monocle in Rome over the last three years although we have never met! We have similar interests in unique eyewear and we have come across each other many times through social media networks. For this reason, I was curious about the store where she works with owner Gabriele Vergerio.

Monocle is located in the heart of Rome on Via Campo Marzio near several prestigious boutiques and lots of other interesting shops. “We are surrounded by art galleys, handmade perfume stores, and alternative clothing brands, Carmen explains. “This is an area of Rome for Italians and tourists, looking for particular items to show their individuality.”

Monocle was opened on April 1, 2010 by Vergerio after 20 years working in a traditional family optical store, next to the Pantheon. “I created the new shop with the idea of giving people exclusive high quality design – eyewear, but also a full range of accessories including jewellery, hats, and readers,” he explains. “We have a minimal interior, perfumed with incense and completely white and uncluttered.”

“Today we sell only very high quality labels, and no industrial brands at all,” he explains. “Our selection includes styles by Ron Arad, Hoffman, Matsuda, Chrome Hearts, Kuboraum, Rolf Spectacles, Thierry Lasry, vue dc, Cutler & Gross, Brioni, Masunaga, Hapter, Rick Owens, and Lunor…and we are working on our own label to be ready for 2014. We also sell handmade silver jewellery by Manuel Bozzi and the stainless steel ‘butterfly’ pince-nez by Hoet.”

“Recommending glasses is more than choosing a shape for a face so we try to find a design that goes well with a person’s personality and style reflecting the way they want to be perceived,” comments Carmen. ” This summer we are expecting to do well with the round models and oversized frames. We are very excited with the new collection from Kuboraum which has been a great success for us. It is a label we like a lot and it resembles us…. a continuing evolution.”  www.monocle.it CN

Monocle Eyeglasses gallery/Eyewear/Accessories, Via di Campo Marzio 13, 00186, Roma, Italy

Anne & Valentin in New York and Paris

13th May 2013 French eyewear creator Anne Valentin’s two boutiques resemble stunning art galleries. The frames are displayed as works of art, which they are! The Toulouse based designer discusses with Eyestylist her shops in Paris and New York.

When did the Paris shop open? and New York City? “We opened the boutique in Paris…I think about 2001. In New York, we finished the shop just before the last MIDO. It is very beautiful and we are delighted with the result.” (above)

Both Paris and New York are frequent travel destinations for visitors and professionals worldwide. Did this influence your choice of location? “Why New York? Because everybody comes to this city. It is very interesting to come and confront the diversity that makes up the population. You know, for the entire world, this city in the US is a reference. It is full of contradictions and full of possibilities. Like all the French, I  love to wander in Soho in New York; it’s not very original I concede, but good! And the area always provides many surprises; with its organisation, but a neighbourhood where you can still find surprises. Also, it is charming, and then there are trees, flowers and birds – life is very bohéme. Our commercial proposition is a true proposition; it has a root identity, value and commitment. We are, in this way, a beautiful surprise for everyone, tourists or not. Our clientele is educated, curious, cultivated and sensible, whatever country they come from.”

Does Anne et Valentin have any plans to open additional stores in different countries? “Maybe……one day…..”

Any additional comments you would like to add? “I want to thank you for this interview, and I hope that our efforts for creating refined, fresh and thoughtful designs for life, permit our dear clients and opticians to have has much pleasure as we have in making them.”  Anne et Valentin 4, rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie 75004 Paris and 2 Prince Street New York, 10012 www.anneetvalentin.com JG