Oliver Goldsmith '07 collection preview

Vintage styles, luxurious acetate and modern hardware...What can be better for your eyes?

Here are some of the models we are ordering for our shop.

Orgreen Buffalo

Modern shape, sophisticated colors and sleek temple design.



Adam, an Englishman studying product design at Stanford, chooses Orgreen's Buffalo in petroleum and red.

Goggles by Oliver Goldsmith

Got wood?

Orgreen's classic styles - Wood M and Wood D - in Titanium/Wood combo are in stock.


Also new!

Brilliant Low Rider is joined by no less impressive partner - Magnum.




Magnum, temple detail.

Cool guy, excellent specs.

Alex wears new style from DeromeBrenner - Jacky 4 in black.

EVE and BOB: 2 aviators.

The guys at MYKITA collaborate with Uslu airlines, cosmetics highflyer, to bring you more cool bang for your Euro.
Philipp Haffmans of MYKITA comments on the collaboration: "Both our brands and companies are about beautifying faces with colours, shapes and surface textures. Uslu airlines' new view of beauty complements our design approach and puts us on some very interesting style avenues."

Check these out.

M.A.D.E.

They've M.A.D.E. it!




M.A.D.E. spectacles are handmade in Denmark from 5 types of fine wood - Ash, Zebrano, Bubinga, Walnut and Ebony.

Trentemoller performing live @ P3 Guld in Denmark

Henrik Vibskov on drums.

Stuntastical!!

If these guys at Self Edge keep buying DeromeBrenner frames the way they do, soon they'll have more frames among them than my shop.
The mini Superfture meet up at Spectacles For Humans produced this. Stuntastic rocks this town in his new DeromeBrenner Gob7 in Gris Metalisee.

Orgreen Pussycat

Orgreen's Pussycat frame is one of the most intriguing and well designed (looks hot too!) frames I've ever seen. This girl came by the store yesterday and tried one on. In black and pink combo, this frame is fantastic on her.





The front of the frame is based on sleek curves of a Porsche Carrera 4S, while temples draw inspiration from a '56 Corvette. Old and new design elements come together to create one fast frame for chicks!

Battle of the hinges

ic!berlin : the original

I've assembled ic!berlin frames several times and I always admired them for their design, but I never really wore one myself. From conversations with people who owned a pair, I do know however how these frames function long term. They are ultra light, durable and forgiving and can take serious abuse. I can't think of too many complains about the frames and everyone I talked to gave ic!berlins nothing but praise, but hinge design and specifically its habit to come undone in stressful situations did bring forward several modification suggestions.




MYKITA : the improved


These suggestions were obviously heard.
The hinge in MYKITA frames is quite different. Instead of a 3-prongs type apparatus, we are faced with a temple with a coil-like mechanism which fits into the frame and never leaves its place. Well, almost. Once the temple is inserted, it remains in position no matter how much pressure your typical wearer applies. In fact, to get it out is quite the trick. The pressure must be directed toward the front of the frame and only on a certain angle. It's a bit bulkier but this construction guarantees the frame will stay in tact even in most punishing positions.

Meyer : the new kid






While both ic!berlin and MYKITA deliver frames in Stainless Steel, Meyer frames are produced from pure 98% Titanium.

As a result the frames are ridiculously thin, very springy and durable. The temple is quite different too. There are no "prongs" or "coils". Rather, the end of the temple and the end sides of the front of the frame are rolled into a tubular shape. Once these two parts are aligned, they form one continuous hollow tube like structure into which a notched stainless steel cylinder is inserted creating a secure lock. Once in, the cylinder stays in place and needs virtually no maintenance.

Self Edge's Kiya

When Kiya told me SF Chronicle people had made him breakdance in the alley, I did not expect much, but this is actually a great shot. And while I can't (yet!) tell what type of denim he's wearing, on his face, he's got a pair of Reiz frames. I find it very fitting that the man who is rocking this town with hard to find denim wears an impossible to find pair of specs.

New Onkel's

More styles are in! Fresh off the UPS truck!!



I love ONKEL cases. They are so PLASTIC! Each comes with a microfiber pouch though which doubles as a cleaning cloth. Clever.
Model Fizz, a medium size men's frame. It is as bold as it is well constructed. All ONKEL frames are a rare combination of acetate front and Aluminum temples.

Temple detail. Barrel hinge, one side of it is sucked into plastic, is riveted into Aluminum temple and is there to stay.


Temples have grooves on the inside to add extra traction. Looks cool too, if you ask me.

Another look, but from the outside. As you see, rivets are shaved off clean and become an element of design with nostalgic overtones. Back in 40's and 50's and all the way into 60's Aluminum was prefered material for eyewear due to its lightness and durability. With Titanium entering the scene, Aluminum has been all but fazed out from mass production, but it remains a favorite among many eyewear designers.
When it come to colors for acetate, these are chosen not to counteract the metal, but to compliment. In this case, the front is a laminate of black and grey, with grey being a transitional color which anchors darker Aluminum and creates an appealling look.



My favorite part. From this angle you can see raw aluminum. The designer left it this way specifically to emphasize the integral part Aluminum plays in his spectacles.

Tamy, Fizz and Ozzy below.

Ozzy.

'07 arrivals

The last word is AlekPaul's are definitely shipping this week and sold out and brand new shapes from Onkel are in Oakland already and will be in the shop this Monday.

Jen Mood accessories are also on their way and will be here in a week. Not much for guys in this one, I must say, but girls will find exquisite handmade acetate jewelry that also functions as eyewear chains ... and belts. Hot, hot, hot!

New Andy colors from Vibskov and 17" Piggysan laptop covers are promised as well. I am not holding my breath on laptop skins though, those sell out before they are made. Book yours now.

We are finally looking to get our hands on 6 pairs of all wood frames from M.A.D.E. and while this is a new parnership for us, you better keep a close eye on these 'cause I know, they won't last, even at $695.00 a piece.

February is practically around the corner and it will bring us brand new styles from Reiz Augenspiel and new sunglasses from Blinde.

Haven't talked business with Meyer guys, except for quick merry xmas and all that, but the Silmo order of brand new styles and new fine wood temples is set for mid February as well.

Everything is in order... Except for MYKITA's Bruce sunglasses style and sadly I have 3 people still waiting for their Christmas gifts. Unfortunately that's what happens if you want the best shape in the newest color. Sorry guys, I am working on it....Well, not me personally, but wheels are in motion and with holidays behind us we should be getting them soon.

Way to go Self Edge!

If you live in San Francisco, or anywhere else in Bay Area for that matter, and don't know who they are yet, you need to tune up your coolness radar. These denim heads bring the hottest denim from the most obscure, quality obsessed manufacturers in Japan into their new Valencia street shop. Just a few months ago they took over the old Leather Toungue's space, stacked it ceiling high with most amazing, impossible to find jeans, added hip hoodies and t-shirts and opened doors to rave reviews from both connoisseurs and novices alike.
SF Chronicle featured Self Edge in their Style section this week, and I suggest you dig up that article and memorize few proper words before you head on over to the shop. You will look just a tad less dorky if you drop "selvege" or "flaheads" now and then. But if you are reluctant to spend time to hone your denim lingo, drop in anyway. The staff is ultra-friendly and helpful and will guide you through all their products with ease and patience, and when you're ready to drop a few bills on that unique pair of Samurais or Iron Hearts, you will be doing so with confidence, knowing you're buying the best. Check it out for yourself!

Some pictures from last night opening party.

Kiya, in the middle, one of the proprietors of Self Edge, is wearing one of the coollest frames from Reiz Augenspiel - model Taiwan in faux-wood finish. Minya is seen sporting Vibskov's Piggy San black scarf.



Iron Heart biker jacket I want.


Party scene.
Iron Heart label in the mist of the party.

My new Flat Heads - slim fit 3001 with some kind of deadstop zipper. I totally don't know what it means, but I want it. These pants are so stiff you can literally stand them. Anyway, I better go on a diet and lay off duck confit and Burgundy for few weeks to fit into these.
Thanks guys!

Linda Farrow Vintage

Also in the news today.
I finally tracked down the guy in charge of Linda Farrow Vintage for US. It wasn't bad, and it only took 3 months to catch up with him. Anyway, he was cool and we agreed to meet in LA sometimes in the next couple of weeks.

Now I don't know how many of you familiar with Linda Farrow Vintage. In short, the company, one of the staples in eyewear in the '70s and 80's, is being resurrected by the son of Linda Farrow and with style. LF Vintage brought back the coolest shapes from party days, but that wasn't enough. The results of collaborative efforts with most forward designers of today are even more brillaint and stunning. As of today, LF Vintage produces eyewear for following design houses:(take a seat) Matthew Williamson, Veronique Branquinho, Luella, Eley Kishimoto, Buddhist Punk, Bernhard Wilhelm, Jeremy Scott, Sophia Kokosalaki and Basso&Brooke. Not a bad line up, don't you think?
Have I left anyone out? Oh yeah, there is also that new guy. Another St.Martin graduate, Christopher Kane. Can't say I know much about him except that he was named "New Scottish Designer of the Year" in 2006.

Off to LA we go.

It is official

As of today bp+eyewear is changing its name.
What started off as a name for our blog and a business slogan that represented our fastforward philosophy gained much popularity among customers and friends all over the world, and we had no other option, but make this move.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are

Ksubi Old

Della in her new sunnies - Ksubi Old in Red/Purple with Purple faded lenses.

Welcome '07 with new styles from Orgreen!

Coming back to work after holidays is always painful, but..

this year we actually could not wait to get back to it all. The excitement about possible projects (Hello, LA!!!) , new products and partnerships for '07, all this has kept us from going away too far and for too long. And so after a short, but very restful trip to beautiful Carmel, where we quitely celebrated the New Year, we are full of energy and seriously ready for lift-off.

And of course, what can better then FedEx guy at the door with a box of brand new styles from Orgreen Optics (somebody runs a tight shiping department!). Yes!! New shapes, new colors, all the cool stuff from the Paris show and weeks ahead of schedule!

So here you have it, be the first to see it!

Firebird


Thunderbird





Thunderbird, temple detail.

Demon

LOW RIDER is awesome!


LOW RIDER, details