The demand for bespoke eyewear seems to be growing. With names like Cutler & Gross, TD Tom Davies and E B Meyrowitz making their presence felt in this segment, others too are joining the fray.
In an age where commoditization has become commonplace in almost every category, fashion being no exception, it is no wonder that everyone’s demanding products that help them stand out from the crowd. We’ve all heard of custom suits, shoes and jewellery, but eyewear has been slower to catch on. Today, more than ever customers are ready for it. In our previous issue, we spoke about the novelty and demand of vintage eyewear – why do people love it? Because it is exclusive, hard to find the designs are one of a kind. Bespoke eyewear seems to be the next logical step with the bonus that it is fitted to inch perfectly to your face.
Bespoke usually connotes a lengthy, complex process; but thanks to advances in technology, the process is significantly simpler than you might imagine. One company pioneering the field of bespoke eyewear and demystifying the process is TD Tom Davies. Tom Davies, the designer, was inspired to start the company after learning the tricks of the trade from an eyewear company in Hong Kong. Upon his return to England in 2002, he started a bespoke eyewear service charging, what was considered extravagant,for an ‘individually-styled’ pair of glasses. Others like Cutler and Gross and E B Meyrowitz have been at it for a long time before this, but it was more a ‘word-of-mouth’ clientele and until Tom Davies came out with his service, there weren’t many who were aware about bespoke service in eyewear.
So how does one go about it? In the case of TD Tom Davies, first the customer works with the optician to choose their exact style and colour. The optician then takes their exact size and measurements and enters the data into the company’s proprietary online web portal ‘Super Tool’. The data is instantaneously sent to a trained designer enabling the customer to have his glasses ready in 1 month, complete with CAD designs and blueprints to show how it was made.
Normally most people might not feel the need for a ‘bespoke’ eyewear. If you have a ‘normal’ size face, the default factory sizes can work just fine. Couple that with the convenience of taking something off the shelf and at a lower price you would need a compelling value proposition to opt for bespoke. The demand therefore is from the customer who has a latent desire to want something different and is prepared to pay the premium. As the customization process becomes more efficient and less costly through technology, there is certainly scope to transition this service to an even broader customer base.
In the case of Cutler & Gross, history and an understated elegance plays a big role in their popularity. Started by Graham Cutler and Tony Gross in 1969 at 16 Knightsbridge Green, it was the atelier where clients met for a true bespoke consultation. Everything that was needed for the eyewear was done by hand. The designs were clearly eye catching but the brand didn’t use the clients eyewear to advertise the brand. Instead they chose to have the brand’s gold foil logo on the inside of each right hand temple. This added a quiet elegance and graceful classism to the product. Cutler & Gross has remained true to its tradition of handcrafting frames, producing in their own factory in Cadore, Italy. They are content with reaching out to the limited client base who is ‘an individual, craving the handcrafted feel of a bespoke pair of glasses, the tiny inaccuracies that give them character and make them unique to the wearer’.
E B Meyrowitz, founded by Mr Emil Bruno Meyrowitz, more than a 100 years ago, describe their service as ‘offering the finest acetate, buffalo horn and other rare materials, our made-to-measure spectacles are designed to a client’s exact expectations.’ With a promise to attend to a client’s every need, they guarantee that ‘from the initial consultation to the collection of the finished product, clients are expected to feel as proud as the Griffin, the emblem of Meyrowitz, as he resides over his own frame.’
While these companies are more focused on the bespoke service there are several other ways to change your eyewear to suit your more dynamic tastes. There are many whose tastes change frequently – so why not ‘bespoke’ your eyewear to your outfit or your mood on the day? There are number of companies such as Luis Porem who provide interchangeable pieces in different textures and colours. Optylux Inc is an interesting example of a company using customizable features from a set menu. Their collection allows you to add tattooing, cut outs and inset stones from 20 available designs and all the glasses are handmade. Perhaps the most unique idea seen in the market from a larger brand was Prada’s ‘PradaPrivate’ custom sunglasses. The glasses allowed the customer to use their own combination of letters, numbers and symbols on the arms of the glasses. It seemed to be quite a hit with eyewear enthusiast celebrities like Reese Witherspoon and Kate Moss.
So where next for the bespoke and customized? If the current demands are anything to go by, the trend for individual fashion is on the up. People want to make a statement with what they wear and stand out. And with technology moving at the pace it is, creativity might still come at a high price but it may just reach you quicker!
