Must-Have Summer Eyewear

Let’s face it—nothing exerts greater power over your outfit than a pair of sunglasses (or eyeglasses, for that matter). As the days get longer and the sun gets stronger, good eye protection is a must. And, while choosing the perfect pair can make a statement, it will also take your look from zero to 100 instantly. The good news: Oliver Goldsmith is here to help you find your next pair of shades to wear all summer long. From classic aviators to oversized glasses, we chatted with Claire Goldsmith about her company’s legacy—and the coolest summer eyewear on the market. —Vita Daily

Hello Claire! Hello! It’s an honour to speak with you! Can you tell us about your great grandfather, in terms of his establishing the Oliver Goldsmith brand in 1926, and some of the iconic women he designed sunglasses for?

My grandfather started his career working as a commercial salesman for Raphael’s, a popular optical firm in London. The glasses on the market were functional and practical, serving purely as medical devices. He knew things could be different, so set off on his own to start what was a new wave of eyewear, where functionality and fashion worked hard in hand. That’s when Oliver Goldsmith, the brand, was born. Over the years OGs have been worn by some of the most famous icons in the world, from Audrey Hepburn to Grace Kelly, Sophia Loren to Jackie O, and more recently the likes of Lady GaGa and Kate Moss.

What is the OG brand all about today?

I’m passionate about maintaining the legacy of my forefathers. The collections continue to deliver the vestige of the Goldsmith name, with new and modern twists. Archival designs continue being brought back to life alongside new and unique styles, each frame carrying the significance of an unparalleled design heritage.

How do you maintain a healthy respect for the brand’s fashionable past without compromising current styles and trends in eyewear?

Classic designs never go out of style, and Oliver Goldsmith quite literally invented fashion eyewear, so our archive is as classic as it gets. One of the things that I believe helps us to stand out from the crowd is our ability to avoid trends, instead we continue to delve into our incredible archive and revisit and rework the frames that made everyone fall in love with eyewear the first time around. Whilst tradition is vitally important to us, we’re also a 21st-century brand. Our frames will always demonstrate the perfect synergy of old manufacturing technique and new, advanced materials.

What do you think it is about a simple pair of statement eyeglasses that can define or transform an #OOTD?

It’s the finishing touch! It helps you look cool, calm, and collected—whatever the weather.

What’s coming up in eyewear for summer 2020?

I think our current world situation will be throwing a real spanner in the works when it comes to eyewear. As in industry we’re adapting and learning as we go! I would imagine everyone is using this time to reset, so my prediction is that we’ll see lots of innovation when we come out the other end.

So, what pair of Oliver Goldsmith frames are in your glasses case at the moment?

I tend to rotate quite frequently but right now I am wearing our 1930s sunglasses from our decades collection in a colour I just love the simplicity of: Floating Monochrome.

olivergoldsmith.com