NEW | Cateye Spectacles Eyewear - vintagedesign

The long wait is over !  Yes, the namesake  CATEYEspectacles COLLECTION   has been released!  It is received with critical acclaim by the Los Angeles eye-wear design community.  This anticipated collection derived from vintage glam has a timeless essence rooted in an intellectual aesthetic.

Wood Grain relief finish is rare but methodically used in this piece from the home collection to create a particularly casual and yet sophisticated look which is anything but ordinary.

It is SMART
It is FASHIONABLE, CLASSIC and ELEGANT
It is VINTAGE INSPIRED
It is TIMELESS
IT IS  CATEYEspetacles COLLECTION

 model CAIN has appealing beveled front facets and a ridge bisecting the temple incorporated into the form, in order to stylize the frame as distinguished in its level of design sophistication, yet utilizes the most certain forceful lines designed to cut the brow and create a complexity of masculine drama.

The design team for  CATEYEspectacles COLLECTION  consists of Artists and Opticians who have spent years accumulating, for their Boutique collections,  the most famous optical and sun-glass styles comprised of the very finest vintage eye-wear,  reflecting generational revolutions of aesthetic philosophies throughout Europe, Asia and the States.  The critically acclaimed collection is a result of years of focus on acquiring specifically important and pivotal styles of eye-wear, and it has been said, these years were spent, as pupils of the trade and its history, learning about  the design subtleties in eye-wear and sun-wear evolution.
 The particular brand of conditioning from this exposure, has developed, in them, the intuitive ability to design a classic and timeless eye-wear collection delivering shapes accented by time tested angles and cuts which compliment every face form and personal wardrobe style.   The effort has resulted in a sophisticated understanding, of timeless eye-wear fashion and trends,  advantageous to designing the CATEYEspectacles COLLECTION.

The highest level of Manufacturing standards are achieved with the use of top grade plastics and durable hypoallergenic alloys to create the simple hinges used to guarantee longevity.  The brand intent is for years of wear and enjoyment, serving to grow your eyeglass collections, for use not only as an object for clearer vision but as an 'obje´t de art' for the enhancement of style and the enlightenment to a fashion philosophy.

 Famously Talented  Musician,  Raphael Saadiq,  performs in one of the CATEYEspectacles house collection designs.  He counts the BOSS frame as a favorite among many in his ever expanding colleciton of designer eyewear both vintage and modern.

Please do Enjoy CATEYEspectacles COLLECTION eye-wear and sunglass-wear specifically   designed with respect for your discerning tastes.


Thank You from the designers of CATEYEspectacles COLLECTION, who are also the collectors who search tirelessly to stock our vintage boutiques, for your continued support of our particular brand of style!


The CATEYEspectacles Staff.

SHURON | Red, White and Blue | AMERICANA

Shuron has been an optical manufacturer since 1865. Shuron has survived almost 140 years within three centuries and two millenniums by producing quality, fashionable products that remain in style and demand. Very few companies in the world can make such a claim.

Today, Shuron remains a stable force in the ever changing optical industry by producing quality frames manufactured with the best raw materials. Names that have survived the test of time like the Ronsir, Icebreakers, Ronwinne, Freeway, Nulady, and many more continue the classic tradition of Shuron.

 The availability of Shuron's classic frames along with the new additions of the Regis collection, Convertible collection and the automotive division have Shuron poised to be successful in the new millennium.

Shuron will be proud to serve its new customers like it was proud to have been the primary source of optical products and machinery for independent and new wholesale laboratories in the 1920's, proud to have served the US Army troops in WWII by providing mobile optical units, and proud to have served the millions upon millions (ie, The Ronwinne-Rimway Frame had its 7,000,000th sale on September 3, 1946, while the Ronsir had its 16,000,000th sale on August 6, 1971) of previously satisfied customers.

Independence Day, 4th of July 2011

Limited Quantities avialable at the Cateye Spectacles Boutique.


 Shuron's success nationwide, as well as internationally, for over 150 years of 
the companie heritage,  is celebrated in this RED, WHITE AND BLUE special edition release of the iconic Ronsir model.....Experience the classics, or try the latest. 

Vue dc Eyewear

Sharing a passion of the beautiful hand made objects is often the occasion for an exchange of ideas and experiences. Past and future, antique and modern have been a source of inspiration in designing the Vue dc collection. The eyeglass is a reference to the object and the particular attention on this reference should be evolutionary “Tradition is knowledge”. In 2007, Yoma,Christian and Frederic, granted with their long experience in the world ,founders of Vue dc… wanted to focus on a simple idea : “Seeing the future by reflecting the past” . The love of authenticity and the knowledge of hand made craftsmanship transmitted through generations of artisans , were also the basic elements of the creation of the collection.
The selection of colors acetate, the choice of cutting the materials in a specific thickness highlighting the volume of the frame and the final hand polishing were the important elements contributing to the development of Vue dc… The purity of lines and the antagonism of the design created a collection defined as much by its creators than its wearers. All stages of the manufacturing process are entirely made in France, a country of great tradition in artisanal creation.

AngloAmericanOptical frame England

Anglo American Optical Company LTD was founded in London in 1882, with over 120 years of frame making experience. They pride themselves in manufacturing the highest quality zyl frames in the industry. The company started producing frames by hand and have perfected what is an art.

WHAT MAKES ANGLO AMERICAN FRAMES DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHERS:

All Anglo American Frames start out as a handmade frame. They produce a piece from an original drawing and inspect it to make sure the finished product is exactly what the designer had in mind. They travel the world to find the richest colors, and highest quality zyl on the market.

Anglo American Optical uses cellulose acetate.  Making the frames from this cotton based material makes each frame hypo-allergenic; as opposed to petroleum based plastic that may cause skin irritation and have a tendency to crack easily.

Anglo American Optical manufactures ophthalmic and sunglass frames.  All their sunglasses are ophthalmic ready and come with stock CR39 lenses that are UV400 coated.

Anglo American Optical metal frames are manufactured with different alloys such as nickel, stainless steel, titanium, and copper. All the frames are light, durable, and comfortable to wear.

Andy Wolf Eyewear Trunk Show

 Andy Wolf Eyewear Trunk Show

ANDY WOLF Fashion Gmbh
Am Ökopark 21, 8230 Hartberg
Phone: +43 3332 61352
Fax: +43 3332 61352-50
ATU 62848912, FN 282827y
hello@andy-wolf.at

  

Austrian hand made eyewear is produced with impeccable quality and design value.  The reputation for frame manufacturing excellence has been taken very serious in this region for many decades by the artisans who have come to master this specialization.  Andy Wolf frames are created through delicate processes improved upon year after year and passed down from one craftsman to the next.  

Artististry in design philosophies are always reminiscent of the Austrian culture reflecting elegant yet modern Germanic tones of a utilitarian approach.  The lines are strong, defined and hard  yet seem to thin out and disappear when it is necessary for them to do so.   Rigid yet soft qualities have become a sort of trademark, identifying Austrian design which is repeatedly visible in  the compounding number of notable pieces released over the past decades from this region.  Remarkable is this school of eyewear design and it has found incredible success.  Andy Wolf,  Vienna line,  Silhoutte and others have built a reputation on a distinctive design quality grounded in impeccable manufacturing and this has been increadibly well recieved by critics world wide for decades now. 

Andy Wolf eyeglass frames are sold only at exclusive boutiques and are purchased by discerning wearers of timeless, incomparable and distinctive eyewear.

Join us at CATEYE SPECTACLES BOUTIQUE for an amazing showing of some of the most exciting new styles from the ANDY WOLF EYEWEAR  collection and enjoy a special 10% off discount on purchases made from the the Trunk Show which will be held on Saturday, May 21st from 1 - 7pm and Sunday, May 22nd from 1 - 5pm. 

Come early for first dibs on an exciting collection shown by an Andy Wolf Representative who will be answering questions about the design philosophy behind the brand and the colorful history of the company's artists who collaborated to conceive and build the brand.

CHECK OUT   Andy Wolf handmade has something to show YOU on YOUtube.

Randolph Engineering Eyewear quality you can see and trust!

Randolph Engineering, Inc., A.K.A. RE, was founded in 1972 by two engineers, Jan Waszkiewicz and Stanley Zaleski. Both worked hard to transform their American dream into a reality. At inception, the company focused on designing and manufacturing optical tools and machinery for the trade. The vision of the cofounders was to build the cornerstone of the business on advanced engineering principles. In time, the company turned its attention to making its own eyewear, using the tools and machinery designed and manufactured by the company itself.

In 1982, RE became the prime contractor for military-style aviation flight glasses for the U.S. Department of Defense. During this decade, we solidified ourselves as the lead vendor to various U.S. Government Agencies for sunglasses, ophthalmic eyewear, and certain niche optical products. By the early 1990’s, we expanded our sales to offer commercial lines of premium products: sunglasses, shooting eyewear, and prescription frames. Today, Randolph Engineering, Inc. has evolved into a full service commercial business with highly skilled engineers and experienced staff. Manufacturing operations are performed at our headquarters located in Randolph, Massachusetts.

Theri eyewear appeals not only to military pilots and active outdoor enthusiasts who favor the performance of our products, but also to those who appreciate our distinctive quality.

EK Emmanuelle Khanh PARIS, FRANCE

While Mary Quant was revolutionizing fashion in England at the beginning of the 1960s, Emmanuelle Khanh was at the vanguard of the young French ready-to-wear movement. From the French pronunciation of the Beatles' "Yeah, yeah, yeah," the emerging clothes were known as yé yé fashion.

Khanh began as a model for Balenciaga and Givenchy. In 1959 she realized that haute couture was appealing only to a small portion of a larger potential audience. She believed the time was right for rebellion against the strictures of haute couture, and she was not alone in this thinking—during this time, Daniel Hechter created a style between comfort and sportswear, Cacharel redesigned its shirts, Michele Rosier began to create a cosmic line of windbreakers and anoraks, Chantal Thomass created her minidresses, Elie and Jacqueline Jacobson created Dorothée Bis, and Sonia Rykiel launched her knitwear line.

Khanh began to make attractive clothing for the masses. Her individuality quickly caught on in France, where she modeled and sold the clothes herself. In 1960 the magazine IT carried an article about Khanh and her work and her modern fashions soon reached the U.S. and were in demand in major department stores. The clothes Khanh had been making for herself, with the help of her husband, Quasar Khanh, were then noticed by Elle magazine. This exposure led to Khanh's collaboration with another ex-Balenciaga model, Christiane Bailly, to design their own groundbreaking Emmachristie collection in 1962.

 
Khanh criticized haute couture for hiding the beauty of the body. For her own designs, she emphasized femininity by cutting clothes along the body's curves, to follow the movement of the body, unlike Balenciaga's gowns, which could practically stand alone regardless of the woman's body within them. Khanh created an architecturally classic mode with a twist: careful seaming, narrow armholes, a slim, close to the body "droop" silhouette. Her suits had the surprise element of skirts that were actually culottes.  Innovations included dog-eared collars, long fitted jackets with droopy collars, and blouses and dresses with collars consisting of overlapping petal-like shapes along a U-shaped opening.

Khanh also had a democratic approach to fabric. She used denim and tie-dyeing, chenille, and plastic. A characteristic evening top in 1965 was made of crépe appliquéd with fluorescent plastic circles. Khanh often used Shetland wools and Harris tweeds long favored by middle-class French women. In the late 1960s, she introduced ready-to-wear furs and tulle and lace lingerie. In cooperation with the Missonis, Khanh made fashions from Italian knit fabrics. The results of her work for the Paris ready-to-wear house of Cacharel, and her work with designer Dorothée Bis, resulted in dresses with a long, slim, flowing 1930s feeling. The use of Romanian hand embroidery became a hallmark of the clothes Khanh produced under her own label.
Keeping pace with the ethnic trend of the 1970s, Khanh created short, loose, peasant-style dresses out of colorful Italian gauze fabrics. Feminine blouses were be trimmed with scalloped embroidered edges, short skirts were frilled, and lace was used to trim soft linen in her designs of the period. Khanh also joined the likes of Guy Paulin, Anne Marie Beretta, Karl Lagerfeld, Luciano Soprani, and Jean Charles de Castelbajac designing clothing for Max Mara. Later in the 1970s Khanh turned to designing knitwear and skiwear. A casual summer look consisted of a wide, striped cotton skirt, buttoned down the front, worn with a matching halter top and wedge-heeled shoes of matching fabric. The matching shoes were a couture touch for ready-to-wear.

During the next decade, Khanh continued to freelance, making soft, individualistic fashions, bouncing creative ideas off her engineer, inventor, and interior-designer husband. Her signature line of boldly-rimmed glasses (á la Drew Carey) is one such example. She often tells her favorite story about how her glasses line came about: "I had always refused to wear glasses because I thought it was ugly and, as a consequence of this whim, I have experienced quite a few annoyances…But most embarrassing…as I was waiting for a taxi to pick me up some place, I got inside the personal car of someone I never met before!" Ever since, Khanh—now never seen without her own pair of glasses—admitted glasses were an essential accessory to her daily life.

 This fabulous EK sunglass is available at Cateye vintage eyewear boutique.  Only one in stock.

Khanh is well known for her original eyewear designs and especially in her innovative use of genuine lizard, snake, ostrich, crocodile, and shark skin on the frames of her handmade "EK"-initialed glasses. Khanh's clear plastic umbrellas have also been successfully marketed around the world.
In the 1980s, her clothes had a retro feeling about them, with extended shoulders and cinched waistlines that flattered the figure. One outfit featured a very long, very loose camel hair coat falling freely from the shoulders, caught about the waist by a narrow leather belt, worn over a soft, dark brown, wool jersey jumpsuit. In 1982 Khanh released a line of clothing under her own name and, in 1987, created Emmanuelle Khanh International. Some 150 boutiques around the world attest to her lasting popularity.
Khanh continued to be active in the 1990s. For Jet Lag Showroom in 1990, she designed a suit consisting of a waist-length, tightly fitting jacket, worn with a long, full flannel skirt. She continued throughout the decade to create comfortable simple jackets and coats for special orders from the firm. Indisputably, this successful woman was one of the pioneers of ready-to-wear fashion of the 1960s and hopefully will continue to amaze the fashion world in the future.

This vintage Emmanuelle Khan frame made in Paris France is available at the Cateye vintage eyewear boutique.  Only one available.