Designer of Lust: Graz

Graeme Mulcahy AKA Graz is an enigmatic and wonderfully eccentric character who knows how to create some wonderful eyewear designs. Producing collections for Chronicles of Never as well as his own frames (currently all sold out sadly) and bespoke pieces Graz is steadily becoming the must-have designer for eyewear. Personally when I get a few bucks I'm going to ask him to do me a bespoke frame for my newly prescribed glasses. Buy Chronicles of Never collection online at Pitbull Mansion or for bespoke contact Graz via his site. Also look out for a new collaboration with Monster Children...I can't wait!

Emergency John Hughes Tribute Post

So I just heard the director and writer of some of my favourite movies, John Hughes, has died at the age of 59. Wearer of some classic glasses himself, I decided to do a tribute the only way Frame Freak knows how and take a look at the frame style in some of his most iconic films...


Sixteen Candles (1984), these were a big craze in the 1980s, known as robot or Devo (they were sported by the influential band) glasses, they appear right at the beginning of classic Sixteen Candles starring Molly Ringwald.

Try these from Mack Daddy for a modern twist on the look.




The Breakfast Club (1985) is an undisputed classic and the moment Brian Johnson the brain/geek of the gang dons a pair of sunglasses inside and takes some drags on a funny cigarette is the moment a world of geeks knew they could be cool, if only they put some shades on and chanced upon hanging out with some cooler kids.

Check out Ray-Ban 4140's for a similar unisex style. Available from Sunglasses UK.





Pretty in Pink (1986), an awesome film if only for the best character Molly Ringwald should have got with - Duckie played by Jon Cryer. A style icon and the coolest, don't-give-a-shit kid in town Duckie sports the classic round John Lennon or 'teashade' style frame.

Update the look with the previously posted about Anon Wizard.





Ferris Buller's Day Off (1986), the ultimate cool kid movie, Ferris and his gang were not short on style when it came to sunglasses. Ferris himself rocks Clubmaster style shades, while his best friend Cameron goes for an aviator style. Sloane, Farris' girlfriend, dons oversized glasses.



Bite Cameron's style with David Yurman
aviator style sunglasses.


Update the Sloane style with Alain Mikli Seduction shades.

Vintage Style: 1968

This is the cover of Vogue April 15 issue 1968 (back when they published two a month in April) The glasses are Oliver Goldsmith a legend in classic eyewear if ever there was one. These were proclaimed by Vogue to be the 'Sunglasses of the Summer' and I love the bold colour. I've always been slightly wary of sunglasses where you can see pretty much right through a light coloured tint (Bono - you have corrupted my mind and burnt my eyes with your existence) because I think they can look creepy but here they totally work.




Incidentally Oliver Goldsmith has an original vintage collection and many of their current designs are based on classic originals, although the pair on the Vogue cover doesn't appear to have been reproduced. Check out the glasses above I nearly freaked when I saw them...drool.




Inside the magazine there is a nine page illustrated fashion spread (I can't imagine Vogue doing such a thing now) but I just wanted to post this image because it's so vibrant and the girls are rocking the glasses on top of that bike..don't you think it looks modern?

Alexander Hi-Tek

I've been a terrible blogger for not updating more regularly and I have a long backlog of glasses related things to post about I promise I'll be more on top of things from now on... So I'll start with my favourite recent discovery Alexander Hi-Tek, who is maybe better known for his industrial looking watches popular in the 90's (which we all know is back in a big way, thank you recession) But he has created a collection of glasses worthy of any high fashion brand.




I found out about these when I saw them in the window of Cop Copine in Upper Street, Islington, London. I am reliably informed by the lovely girls in the shop that they are the only stockists of the collection in the UK! They have two other branches in Hampstead and Richmond. Another fact I picked up from the girls is that Alexander did the accessories for the movie Demolition Man, which you can see reflected in the slightly more madcap designs.





I particularly like the bridge shape on the rounder plastic frames in the collection, almost like the shape of a mosque, and the flattened top design I think is a trend that we'll be seeing in more glasses in coming seasons.

Some of the styles are available online but I also saw other really great styles in Cop Copine that are not available online, so if you happen to be in the London area it's well worth dropping into the store.

Sunglasses Out and About

So I have been planning to post pictures of people that I see in their sunglasses for a while but given I've been so busy, it's been hard. However last weekend in London was beautiful which in turn always brings out the beautiful people...Here are a couple I snapped.


This guy was effortlessly cool and topped off his look with these shades from uber chic designer Dries Van Noten. Love the round lenses and keyhole bridge coupled with unusual frame colour.



Combining your leopard print headscarf with clashing almost tortoiseshell framed sunglasses, good style choice? YES, YES and YES. I think the sunglasses on this lovely lady are Miu Miu but by this point I'd had a couple.

If you have pics of yourself or friends in glasses/sunglasses you think I'd like please do send them to me.

Clash Magazine & Oakley present Sunglasses at Night

Oakley have been continuing their return to the forefront of cutting edge youth culture (see Frogskins) by sponsoring and collaborating on various events recently.

The highlight of this Clash magazine and Oakley night for me has to be The Phenomenal Handclap Band whose eponymous album has been on heavy rotation on my iTunes for a while now. But there's also highlights Whitey, Youves and the Greco Roman Soundsystem to enjoy.

A combination of music and sunglasses? Yeah, I'm in...

And as Clash themselves put it: "The dress code - sunglasses of course!"

Sabre X CTRL

Sabre Vision are doing some great stuff at the moment and these glasses, the result of a colab with CTRL just further prove that. Slightly 80s, somewhat 70s and a touch original gangster - keep an eye out for more info about when they and where they will be available.