Boutiques

1st July 2012 I first heard about Brillenschneiderei a few months ago, and I am really a big fan of their whole boutique concept. They stock superior brands like L.G.R., Vuerich B, and Oscar Magnusson as well as their own label, Brillenschneiderei Yves. They offer a very carefully selected choice of good quality frames that they believe will “bring out the personality of the wearer.”

The store was opened in 2010 by the current owner, 37 year old Yves-Jens Leipe. Located in Berlin Mitte, Gormannstraße 8,  the interior is completely enclosed by glass, a point which Yves says helps customers see the colours and shapes of the frames he has quite perfectly. The photos we have show an eye-catching red female statue and a smaller figure in a pink dress in the window, the work of a local artist.

What’s the buzz around Brillenschneiderei? Located in a street nicknamed “FashionWeek Street”, its clientele are local and international and have an interest in great design. Designed by Michael Lange, the prize-winning interior is created from glass, cement and palisander (also known as Brazilian rosewood). CN

Brillenschneiderei`Yves, Gormannstraße 8 | 10119 Berlin-Mitte

www.brillenschneiderei.de

Cheerful Parisian Optical Boutique

1st June 2012 A lovely friend visiting from Switzerland introduced me to this delightful Parisian boutique – it’s always fun to discover something wonderful virtually on your own doorstep! L’Artisan du Regard is located in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, on a totally charming street, with the atmosphere and tempting shops of a little village. “I adore the 9th arrondissement, and la rue des Martyrs has the true spirit of the artisan,” explains optician and boutique owner Grègory Vissac, “and there are very few franchises in the street – which is more and more rare”. L’Artisan du Regard opened in 2008, and the architecture was created by Fréderi Tabary from Nantes, on the West coast of France. The environment is stylish and very personal with a warm ambience – uplifting orange, green plants – and most of all, gorgeous frames. To feel really at home, Socrate, Grègory’s four-footed friend, waits at the front door to welcome visitors.

Vissac’s philosophy is that glasses are something you carry with you and usually wear all day long, so it is important that frames permit the wearer to express their individual style. “We offer a large selection of frames with a variety of materials that are ‘avant-gardiste’. We feature Anne et Valentin, Thierry Lasry, Caroline Abram, Thierry Lasry, Masunaga, Design Natural, Paul Frank, Mikli and Starck, Pierre Eyewear, and Michel Klein. We truly want frames to be a pleasure, and for the client to really fall in love with something.”. L’Artisan du Regard, 35 rue Martyrs, 75009 Paris.  www.artisanduregard.com JG

11th May 2012 The Sunglasses Salon in Liberty’s was updated last year, and now features around 600 sunglasses, from 24 luxurious brands, many of our favourites! I am always popping in for inspiration and love the superbly curated selection. It’s one of the best places in central London if you want to pick up an utterly desirable design…. from Moscot to Lasry, a-Morir and Cutler & Gross to the Linda Farrow ranges, there are classics as well as trendy-focused designs for Spring/Summer ’12.

Chic Liberty print sunglasses are also on display, part of a collaboration with RetroSuperFuture, the trendy Italian sunglasses label. I like the Retro Lucia design in Pepper Liberty Print, which features quality Zeiss lenses for proper protection from UV rays. Available on the web at £130.00, www.liberty.co.uk CN

25th April 2012 Barcelona is one place I know like the back of my hand. But that was in the 1990s, and these days stores and bars and boutiques there are changing all the time…for vintage, my first stop today would be Wilde Store (www.wildestore.com), a very cool little place (there are two branches) to find quality vintage frames, from brands like Cazal, Persol, Lacoste and Silhouette, from the 1950s through to the 90s. The frames have been sourced across the world over several years. I have found them by chance through my brother, and I’m delighted to see what they are doing.

As well as its vintage frames, Wilde is also dedicated to the handcrafting trend…the store is launching its own sunglasses label this season, made on the premises by Carlos Azuaje and colleague Tepo, who have a passion for the artisanal qualities of traditional eyewear. Carlos explains, “The first Wilde Sunglasses collection is made by hand from Mazzucchelli acetate with metal accents. We are revisiting the old techniques of the 1950s, and producing in very small quantities per colour. All our work is done exclusively in our workshop in Barcelona, we are making our ideas a reality!”

As if this were not enough, the store has also created WSkin by Wilde, handmade felt and leather cases and covers (for iPhones, iPads and eyewear)  made with love and attention to detail. Their videos of the work they put in are superb, I’m a fan! CN www.wildeskin.com/showcase/index.php/fabricacion

Wilde Store, c/Joaquin Costa, 2, Barcelona 08001, Spain

Wilde Store, c/ Avinyo, 21 Barcelona, 08002, Spain

http://wildestore.com/