July 2008

PAUL SMITH SPECTACLES

Paul Smith and Oliver Peoples first became acquainted in 1989 when the Paul Smith retail store in London began carrying the Oliver Peoples eyewear collection.

Wanting to expand its collections, Paul Smith Ltd. eagerly sought an eyewear license.  Based on their prior working relationship, Paul Smith decided that Oliver Peoples would be the best fit to produce and market their eyewear line, using the highest quality materials and an exclusive marketing philosophy.  When Paul Smith approached Oliver Peoples with the idea, they welcomed the opportunity to create a collection for this designer, whose work they respected and admired.

In 1994, Oliver Peoples entered a licensing agreement with famed British clothing designer Sir Paul Smith to design Paul Smith Spectacles.  The collection combines the whimsical yet classic designs and attention to detail synonymous with Sir Paul Smith, along with the outstanding craftsmanship and optical expertise of Oliver Peoples.  Sophisticated yet edgy, Paul Smith Spectacles are designed by hand of the highest quality materials, which reflect the offbeat and sometimes peculiar style of Sir Paul Smith.  Its roots are clearly English, with styles often reflecting the forms and shapes inspired by 1960’s and 70’s London.  In contrast, the colorations and treatment of the materials found in the collection reflect the offbeat, and sometimes peculiar style of Paul Smith clothing.

In keeping with the Oliver Peoples collection, Paul Smith Spectacles are handcrafted of the finest materials and the designs are precisely engineered to offer the most comfortable fit to each wearer.  At the heart of the collection is color.  Whether a vibrant jewel tone, an interesting metal, or a multi-layered laminate, color is always the central theme.  Though the collection has several outstanding metal designs, Using an unprecedented design perspective, Larry Leight developed a multi-layer color lamination process that altered the direction of the eyewear industry and popularized a trend in plastic frame coloring that remains true to this day.  Paul Smith Spectacles is credited for the revival of plastic frames and has become known in the industry for unique plastics, particularly laminates.

Often seen on the Paris runaways and in high-end fashion magazines worldwide, Paul Smith Spectacles has been the eyewear of choice of creative and eclectic individuals for over a decade, including Gwen Stefani, Kate Moss and Jaime Foxx.  The Paul Smith Spectacles collection is available through the Oliver Peoples network of fine optical and specialty boutiques on six continents in over 60 countries and territories.  Oliver Peoples has retail stores in Los Angeles, South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, New York City, and Tokyo and maintains showrooms in Los Angeles, Wiesbaden and Tokyo.