Pairs of Pairs
You have a smart tortoiseshell pair for school, and an even smarter gold-rimmed pair for work. Why not consider some bold red-and-turquoise frames for Friday night’s party? At Eyes on Fremont, statement-making eyewear comes cheap, so you can afford a few pairs. For summer’s social hours and special occasions, look into a pair of sleek metallic-blue aviators by Dutch designer Roger; after retiring from Theo, Europe’s “It” eyewear collective, he set his sights on offering affordable options for savvy visionaries. Eyes on Fremont, 4254 Fremont Ave N, Fremont, 206-634-3375; eyesonfremont.com
Necessary Objets d’Art
In her former life as a jewelry designer, Colaizzo Opticians owner Camille Colaizzo always reserved the rarest pieces for the most dedicated wearers. Adjusting that vision to suit her Upper Queen Anne eyewear shop, she keeps her most exclusive frames in the back. Show her you’re serious about displaying art on your nose—saunter in wearing your favorite Italian designer and a fresh Sassoon haircut—and you might get to try on cult London frame maker Oliver Goldsmith’s original ’60s-era styles, first made for the likes of Grace Kelly and Mick Jagger. Colaizzo Opticians, 1623 Queen Anne Ave N, Queen Anne, 206-285-7212; colaizzooptical.com
Picture Perfect
Think eyewear isn’t conceptual? That retail spaces aren’t galleries? Try the recently opened Eye Society at the Bravern, where high-minded specs from French design house Anne et Valentin rest on glass shelves like delicate, precious ideas. Reach carefully for the line’s origami-inspired style, for example, which updates the ancient Japanese paper art with painted, paper-thin titanium sheets that have been shaped into frames with artful, insightful lines. Eye Society, 700 110th Ave NE, Ste 225, Bellevue, 425-453-9691 and 15407 Main St, 425-357-8234, Mill Creek; eye societyvision.com
Name Branded
It’s hard to imagine Lanvin designer Alber Elbaz without those thick, black, round frames, or Colin Firth without his sexy Buddy Holly specs in Tom Ford’s debut film A Single Man. At Hour Eyes Optical, you can buy into those looks for less than you might think. The Capitol Hill shop displays chunky, rounded Lanvin lookers that evoke the designer’s school-boy style, and Tom Ford’s line of oversize, ’70s-inspired shapes. More of a Prada guy? Or a Theory gal? Hour Eyes carries those labels as well. Hour Eyes Optical, 534 Broadway E, Capitol Hill, 206-324-3937; houreyes seattle.com
Fierce and Far-Sighted
Inside Ottica, an image of Beyoncé sporting a pair of splashy, sporty Schau Schau frames gets you thinking of fashion first and function later. For something a little less Sasha Fierce, ask about the shop’s line of vibrantly hued eco-specs by Linkskin. Designers use delicate, fine stitches—eschewing soldering, screws, or hinges—to construct frames with recycled materials. The result is lightweight, sleek eyewear befitting environmental engineers and high-heeled divas. Ottica, 2025 First Ave, Belltown, 206-443-0320 and 10204 Main St, Bellevue, 425-635-2020; otticaseattle.com
Published: July 2010
All of these “eye couturiers” sound wonderful. Still, if one is on a tight budget, where does one go for for eyewear with style? Some of us don’t have $1200 to spend to get outfitted. Yet, the under-$200 stuff at Costco is pretty dorky. Any suggestions, Seattle Metland?
hey there, please see “Pairs of Pairs” above, the first entry in this list: Eyes on Fremont, where, as our writer puts it, “statement-making eyewear comes cheap.”
Thanks, Laura. You’ve opened my eyes! I’ll check it out.
Thank you for the lovely press, but you left off the last digit of my phone number.
It is 206 285 7212. You left off the 2. Please correct this,
Thank you,
Colaizzo Opticians
Hi Camille,
Thanks for directing our attention to the dropped digit! It has been fixed.