Eyestylist

1st July 2011 I am impressed by the number of beautifully designed new independent optical retailers that we are discovering (please write in if you have a shop in the making that you’d like to show us), and here’s one that I am pleased to have come cross in lovely seaside town Alicante, on the South East coast of Spain. With its minimal white backdrop, Optica no. 5’s pure interior elegantly showcases a wide selection of luxury frames and sunglasses…the philosophy of the owner is that there is a particular style to suit each and every one of us…so they will help you find it!

Open since 2008, the brands available  at Optica no. 5 include Mykita, Linda Farrow Vintage, Paul Frank, Anne et Valentin, Oliver Goldsmith, Marni and Cutler & Gross. Emphasis is on variety, so they don’t just stock the latest styles. They choose a wide a selection of lines to suit different personalities – and they cater to local customers and Spanish and foreign tourists visiting the area.

Owner Pablo Martinez Sanchez commented: “We are not satisfied by offering only the latest products. Our aim is to show retro and avantgarde, finely detailed styles and fresh shapes; and truly interesting products, from the most defined sleek model to the most daring chic designs.”

Clever lighting transforms daytime white interior space to fluorescent pink, blue, green or orange  on the walls if required in the evening, creating a vibrant and seductive mood.

“The design is really a very personal choice,” says the owner. “We see ourselves as pioneers in optical retailing in Spain. Our products are really different and we are one of just a few independent optical shops offering this level of service here. It works brilliantly.” Optica Numero 5, C. Teniente Alvarez, Soto no 5, Alicante, Spain CN

www.opticanumero5.com