Sunglasses are made all over the world, and for bigger brands their origins are usually forgotten as they become sold internationally. But today, I want to dedicate this post to some brands of glasses made in the UK, and to have a look at some of the exclusive products that come out of this country. The three British brands that I will look at are Fan Optics, William Morris, and RockOptika.
These three brands are very different in style, and range from being described as handmade eyewear, to designer reading glasses and 'cult brit eyewear'. So let's take a look at these exclusive glasses made in the UK...
The first brand of glasses made in the UK that I want to talk about are Fan Optics. Created in 2010 by graphic designer Sarah Coburn and product designer Guillaume Furminger, the brand has a clear target market: the frames are 'intended for everyday use by individuals with an eye for creative detailing and for those who are fashion conscious.'
Fan Optics products, as the website says, are 'based around a philosophy that believes in modern British design and contemporary styling.' The glasses are designed, developed and hand crafted in England, and to ensure the highest quality, there are only a maximum of 100 frames produced in each collection.
William Morris is a distinctly London-based brand founded 15 years ago, that makes prescription frames. This very 'English' brand aims to offer 'designer glasses to every audience', and has a true passion for producing high quality products.
William Morris eyewear designs are based on a clear understanding of what people living in London want from their eyewear. The founder, Robert Morris states:
"London men and women are fun loving individuals. Their views on eyewear are that specs are an accessory and not a necessity. They love colour as much as design and certainly don’t want to just ‘blend in’. They are free spirits who are always looking for something different in all aspects of fashion and styling."
Describing itself as 'cult brit eyewear', RockOptika glasses are designed by British designer Tom Herrington. The handmade pieces are designed in England but actually produced in France, and made with the finest organic grade Italian acetate. However, the brand can still be considered a brand of 'glasses made in the UK', because the very spirit of the designs are inherently British - the brand is even described on the website as reflecting 'good old fashioned Britishness', and has been called 'the first serious luxury eyewear collection to come out of Britain in over a decade'.
Tom Herrington said about his designs:
"Today it seems everyone is 'cool'. We all rock our own strong identities reflecting our lifestyle choices. When designing for RockOptika I want to indulge that strength and passion for personal choice and freedom of expression."
