EYEVAN 7285, iconic eyewear reborn
Japanese brand Eyevan has been making its mark on the world of eyewear for more than 100 years. After conquering its homeland, the brand made a bold venture to America where it promptly blew up. More recently, Eyevan introduced the 7285 collection – named after 2 pivotal years in the company’s history – which contains 46 takes on 11 styles based on drawings from its archives.
The Eyevan story begins more than a century ago. Yamamoto Kogaku (formerly, Yamamoto Optical Lens Manufacturing Co.) was founded in 1911 to produce dust protective glasses. Sixty-one years later, in 1972, the company launched an original eyewear brand with Van Jacket, Inc. The new brand was christened Eyevan, and went on to establish a solid presence in the Japanese eyewear market.
The next major milestone for Eyevan came in 1985, when the brand exhibited at the Optic Fair West in Anaheim, California. Eyevan eyewear proved to be an instant hit stateside, earning a write-up in The New York Times and a handful of celebrity customers (including the Material Girl herself, Madonna). Despite its expansion and newly acquired famous fans, Eyevan remained true to its roots. All processes, planning, designing and manufacturing were completed in Japan, as they had been from the beginning.
Now, following those years of rapid international growth, Eyevan is getting back to basics. In May 2013, the brand launched Eyevan 7285. The collection takes its name from two crucial years in Eyevan’s development, and takes its designs from hand-written drawings found in the company’s archives. Eyevan 7285 successfully blends tradition with modern precision, for a line of classic designs with updated details and no shortage of personality.
Like Japan itself, Eyevan is both steeped in tradition and fantastically modern. More than 40 years after the company’s launch, everything from concept to manufacture still takes place in Japan. And, as previously mentioned, Eyevan 7285 was inspired by sketches sourced from the brand’s archives. The underlying principles of good design and dedicated craftsmanship remain, while the sizes and details have been updated for a contemporary audience.
WHERE TO BUY: LUXEYE @ 147 3rd Ave. New York, NY 10003
(content source: Dmarge.com)
