Independent Eyewear Collections.
We are the first optical in Windsor-Essex to focus on independent eyewear, and we are the only optical that focuses exclusively on independent collections.
American Optical
American Optical has been creating classic styles since their inception in 1833, making them one of oldest eyewear brands in existence.
Popularized by United States President, John F. Kennedy, the Saratoga frame (featured in this image) is by far their most sought after piece of eyewear. After a decades-long pause in production, the Saratoga was recently reissued. The Saratoga stylings have undoubetedly influenced and inspired the eyewear industry, most notably seen in the design of the Ray-Ban Wayfarer. The shape and lines of the Saratoga make it a universal staple for many wardrobes, styles, and faces.
Andy Wolf
Andy Wolf handcrafts unique glasses in Hartberg, Austria. Founded by two friends Andreas (Andy) and Wolfgang (Wolf), they have been producing classic and contemporary frames since 2006. The Andy Wolf company philosophy is to bring the ''farm to table,' D.I.Y. mentality to eyewear. This has inspired a high level of craftsmanship, achieved by owning their own factories and handling everything from distribution to prototyping in-house.
Using high quality Italian acetate and morel metals, their classic and often unconventionally designed frames are stunning in their details and shapes, but also durable and sustainable.
Each Andy Wolf frame is made in their factories in Austria and France, and made with the skill of over 50 people and 90 plus working steps.
Blake Kuwahara
Blake Kuwahara is one of the best designers in the eyewear industry today. While Blake started out as an optometrist, he quickly became enthralled in the fashion and design end of the industry and left his practice to pursue a career in eyeglass frame design. With a wealth of talent and experience, his skills are much sought after. He has also designed for noteworthy brands like John Varvatos, Coach, Lucky Brand, and Converse.
In 2014, Blake Kuwahara launched his very own eponymous collection inspired by a unique and distinct theme: 'Frames within frames'. Handmade in Sebae by experienced Japanese craftsmen, the collection uses innovative laminating techniques to create frames unlike anything else. If you are looking for a frame with a great personality that isn't going to take over, Blake Kuwahara is a must try.
Caliber by Tipton
Zack Tipton of Tipton Eyeworks wasn't exactly sure how to go about making metal frames. He wanted to maintain the upcycled nature he had established with his other eyewear collection - Vinylize - but records didn't make sense on metal frames. Eventually he developed Caliber Optics by combining functional discarded bullet casings and timeless shapes to be worn as both dress and sunglasses.
Hand crafted using titanium and stainless steel, Caliber uses discarded antimicrobial brass bullet casings to counterbalance the frame on the face. Titanium temples have a compressed spring built into them (that will not break like a normal spring hinge). The added weight from the bullet will never allow Caliber to be the lightest frame on the market, but it may be the most comfortable.
Dandy’s Eyewear
Dandy’s Eyewear is 100% handmade in Italy using traditional style crafting, and premium Italian components and acetate. Creative freedom and experimention flow from this collection as it is manifest in countless limited release colours and ’rough cut’ frames (often limited to 20-100 pieces). This kind of creativity can only be enabled when your designer co-owns a factory that has been around since 1974.
Cementing its pride in craftmanship and quality, the GPS coordinates to the factory are stamped into every pair of Dandy’s Eyewear.
Etnia Barcelona
Etnia Barcelona founder David Pellicer comes from 3 generations of expertise in the optical industry, gained over the course of 70 years. In 2001, he took advantage of the knowledge his family had gained and put it into his own creative effort, Etnia Barcelona.
Based in Barcelona, Etnia’s eyewear designs embody artistic expression by using colours and shapes created by and for the artistic mind. While their acetates are cotton based, their sunglasses use Barbarini HD mineral glass lenses with anti glare coatings and a variety of colours. Barbarini glass lenses are considered to be some of the best mineral glass lenses on the market.
Germano Gambini Eyewear
Family tradition is a common thread when it comes to the independent eyewear industry, and we see it again with Germano Gambini, the namesake of this collection.
After a stint as a professional basketball player, Germano decided to follow in his father’s footsteps, who had been in the industry since 1912. With his sister already in the business, Germano started by designing frames for other companies. This included the first folding frame he designed for Pierre Cardin, which would evenually inspire Persol to create the Steve McQueen folding sunglasses.
As his career developed, Germano Gambini built on the familial foundation, creating his own lightweight 8mm acetate. Almost simultaneously, he was becoming more heavily involved in the manufacturing end, resulting in manufacturing partnerships to ensure the high quality craftmanship he had always believed in.
Today his daughter, Paola, carries the familial torch and manages the brand.
Kirk & Kirk
The Kirk family has been in the optical industry for over 100 years. After growing up in the family business, Jason Kirk and his wife started their own collection - Kirk & Kirk.
Steeped in traditional chunky British designs, Kirk & Kirk creates a world of unparalleled colour. Specially formulated Italian Acrylic collides with French craftsmanship to create this unique collection. The acrylic provides colors that shine like no other, along with a surprisingly lightweight frame that looks heavy.
Oliver Goldsmith
Family run since 1926, Oliver Goldsmith has always stuck to the same philosophy when designing frames. It is just three simple letters, “QEC,” which stands for “Quality, Elegance, and Comfort”.
One of the original fashion brands, Goldsmith found themselves pioneering multiple innovations in the eyewear industry over the years. While making the first plastic frames as well as over the counter sunglasses are noteworthy achievements, perhaps the Goldsmith’s most lasting contribution to the industry was turning a medical appliance into a fun and fashionable accessory. In the 40’s and 50’s they achieved this with their creative designs, as a roster of celebrities wore their frames, reading like a ‘who’s who’ of London, England.
Audrey Hepburn, Michael Caine, Peter Sellers, John Lennon, Lord Snowdon, and Diana Princess of Wales, as well as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis are just a few of the noteworthy Goldsmith customers.
Modern times see Goldsmith crafting original reproductions from their back catalogue. Handmade in Italy and Japan, many classic frames like the sunglasses worn by Holly Golightly in Breakfast At Tiffany’s, Harry Palmer’s thick plastic frames in The Ipcress File, and Princess Diana’s iconic white plastic aviator sunglasses are still available today.
Randolph Engineering
Randolph is an engineering and manufacturing company, with one main client - the United States Government. Since 1973, they have been crafting high quality eyewear in Randolph, Massachusetts. By using custom hand-built machines, they ensure quality unique to military standards.
While you may not know the Randolph name, you’ve certainly seen their Aviator before. It has been adorned by countless actors and musicians on and off the stage for its timeless style and unparalleled quality. And since their aviator and P-3 are built to military specs which rarely change, these shapes offer an authentic ‘period style’ that predates the company, and can be seen in the 50’s and 60’s when American Optical owned the contract.
SALT. Optics
SALT. Optics was founded back in 2006, just as Oliver Peoples and Oakley were being gobbled up by industry behemoth Luxottica. As two of the largest and most established independent frame designers were being gutted internally and philosophically, new opportunities arose for their former employees. With a passion for independent eyewear, and established contacts with third generation family owned factories in Japan, SALT. Optics was born.
In 2021, SALT. Optics is known for many things - but the most important of them are comfort and quality. Their classic and timeless Americana styles are updated with exclusive and natural colours, lending effortless California style and durability to their frames that pair perfectly with an active lifestyle.
Handcrafted in Japan’s Fukui Valley with 100% Japanese Acetate, Titanium, and hardware.
Tart by Raincoat
TART Optical is an American Heritage brand founded in the late 1940’s by Julius Tart and came to popularity in the 50’s and 60’s. Their styles are often associated with James Dean, who allegedly wore their frames on and off the set. Their most popular style, Arnel, is one of the most inspiring and copied frames in the industry and can be seen when looking at Moscot’s Lemtosh and Dolabany’s Arnold. Vintage pieces have been seen on celebrities like Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt.
Japanese manufacturer Raincoat has been making authentic high quality replicas of TART Eyewear in Sebae, Japan for over 10 years. High quality Japanese acetate, 7 barrel hinges, Japanese titanium and meticulous artisans make these styles some of the highest quality TART frames that you can find.
Vinylize by Tipton
It would have been hard for Zack Tipton to predict the success he would have with Vinylize when he made his first frame in his dad’s garage in Seattle, WA with an old Creedence Clearwater Revival record and a cigar box hinge. It was the year 2000, and anything was possible.
Today, Vinylize is making high quality acetate eyewear with upcycled record albums fused to the front of the frame. They have expanded the collection to include multiple colours, and have created many limited frames, including two special edition Motown frames in collaboration with the Motown Museum made with Sammy Davis Jr’s Hello Detroit. When Sziget music festival commissioned them to make sunglasses for their performers, it only added to the list of legends that wear their frames.
Vuarnet France
Known for having the best mineral glass lenses in the world, Vuarnet offers both classic and modern frame styles with their exclusive lenses. The original Skilynx lens is a super high contrast skiing lens designed by Roger Pouilloux in 1957. After gifting Jean Vuarnet a pair, he endorsed the brand, helping jumpstart the company while wearing it on his way to Olympic gold. But the Vuarnet brand is not just about premium lenses. Their iconic styles are handmade in France and have been key wardrobe pieces to iconic film characters. Some recent notable ones include Jeff Bridges as The Dude in The Big Lebowski, and Daniel Craig as James Bond. They have also been sighted on musicians Miles Davis, Mick Jagger, and Michael Stipe throughout the years.