Oliver Peoples have become one of my favourite eyewear brands in the last few years. The combination of contemporary yet vintage styling and genuine robustness put them at the top of my list. I've tried a few makes recently and too many, while stylish, are let down by a feeling of flimsiness which, while it may be misleading, doesn't inspire confidence. Glasses are inevitably going to be sat on or dropped on the floor during their life, and we need them to last, whether they are optical or sunglasses.
Oliver Peoples recently opened their first store in the UK recently just near Sloane Square in London. I went there to have my eyes tested and to be fitted for a new pair of glasses. The store is well-designed, displaying an impressively wide and stylish range of frames for optical and sunglasses.
Oliver Peoples started in California in 1987 and were inspired by a collection of vintage eyewear. That inspiration remains at the heart of the brand. Basing designs on well-tried classics, brought up to date, is a winning formula.
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| Oliver Peoples Sheldrakes |
I tried a pair of clear acrylic frames. In the past I've tended towards tortoiseshell, but I felt that colourless glasses would suit grey hair better and give a more stylish but muted appearance. I selected their Sheldrake model, based on a style worn by Andy Warhol. As ever, they are comfortable, robust and subtly styled. So much do I like them that my contact lenses have been less frequently used of late.
My thanks to Ellen, their optometrist and store manager whose enthusiasm for the product and professionalism were outstanding. I'd recommend the store not only for the range of frames available, but for the excellent optometry service that supports you in your choice of glasses, whether prescription or not. The store is at 151 Sloane St, Belgravia, London SW1X 9BX, telephone 020 7730 0085. Please mention Grey Fox if you contact them. For more from me about Oliver Peoples click here.
My glasses were provided by Oliver Peoples but I received no financial compensation for this feature.
