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Newspaper
038 PHOTOGRAPHY: CRISTINA DUNLAP WRITER: HARRIET QUICK
Shared vision
A new luxury eyewear brand with an impeccable pedigree
From the surfers on Malibu Beach to the
kale-munching tech entrepreneurs in Venice,
sunglasses have always been mandatory in
LA. The big blue skies demand you protect
your eyes, and the culture of cool encourages
you to underline your allegiance to a ‘tribe’.
The choice of silhouette, frames and lenses
helps define your place in the sprawling city
where denim and T-shirts remain de rigueur.
‘LA has a mystique that has always existed
because of the entertainment business, but
beyond the red carpet, there is a really diverse
culture that is worth talking about,’ says Larry
Leight, founder of Oliver Peoples. Established
in 1987, the vintage-inspired brand appealed
to the creative classes, yuppies and business
moguls alike, and garnered a cult status when
its tortoiseshell O’Malley frames were worn
by Patrick Bateman in the film AmericanPsycho. Leight sold Oliver Peoples to Italian
eyewear giant Luxottica in 2009.
Now, with his son Garrett, Larry has
launched luxury eyewear brand Mr Leight,
promoting it with a lo-fi glamour campaign
shot by photographer Henrik Purienne and
featuring Jane Birkin doppelganger, actress
and model Emily Labowe. Prices hover
around the $600-$800 mark for the striking
frames, handmade in Japan and detailed
with hex hinges, exposed adjustable coil
temples, removable top bars, and discreet
titanium and pearl nose pads.
In other words, Mr Leight is a treat for
eyewear geeks. Designs are named after
local boulevards and landmarks, such as the
Mulholland and the Beverly. The Rodeo is a
sleek aviator with a choice of semi-precious-
metal coated lenses, while the Getty is asquare design crafted in subtly-patterned
cured Japanese acetate. All eyewear comes
with rose gold geometric cases.
Between father and son, there is
substantial expertise to draw on. Larry
launched Oliver Peoples after finding a New
Jersey warehouse full of vintage opticals
from the 1940s and 1950s. Meanwhile,
Garrett’s first venture, in 2009, was a lifestyle
concept store in Venice Beach selling eyewear
with vintage Oliver Peoples frames alongside
books, objets and magazines. He then
launched the Garrett Leight California Optical
(GLCO) line, shooting it on local bartenders,
musicians and actors, and he now oversees
five stores in the US. The Mr Leight line is
available at the five GLCO stores, as well
as from select retailers, including DSM and
Bergdorf Goodman. mrleight.comLEFT, GARRETT AND LARRY
LEIGHT PHOTOGRAPHED
AT THE MR LEIGHT HQ IN
LOS ANGELES
BELOW, ‘MARMONT SUN’
IN ALTA; ‘MARMONT SUN’
IN LOMITA SUNGLASSES,
FROM £497, BY MR LEIGHT