Boutiques

Boutique with Italian Charm and Style in Mestre Venice

1st May 2014 A special thank you to Gualtiero Coppe of Coppe+Sid for introducing Eyestylist to his lovely Venetian boutique. Prophilo Company began manufacturing optical frames and sunglasses in 1983, and the boutique opened a year ago – a family enterprise with Mario Di Bello and his wife Rossana, and their son Matteo. They chose Mestre as the location because Mario was born in Venice, and the family now lives on “the mainland”, just a few minutes from the centre of Venice.  “What we wanted,” says Mario, “is that the shop had a new image and that people feel like they are at home when entering the boutique.”

Italian Ambience at Prophilo

The shop interior is cosy, and oozes charm, warmth and character. “The interior renovation was created by architect Marcadella Alessandra, but overall we worked together, including the furniture research,” explains Mario, “and the wall that appears to be a fresco (above) is a particular wallpaper from Wall & Deco Co., but it really does look like an old fresco.” Vintage carpets, wood accessories and a working fireplace add to the delightful ambience.

Cosy Corner at Prophilo Mestre Venice

“We don’t have many tourists in our shop,” says Mario,”as most of our customers are local people who look for new brands, fashion and something trendy. Together with some products by Prophilo, we have Coppe & Sid, Moscot, Barton Perreira, Conservatoire de Lunettes, Jacques Durand, Claire Goldsmith, Derapage, Etnia Barcelona, Paul Frank, Volte Face, Italia Independent and Spektre. In our shop we look for exclusive brands which give us emotion. Each label has its own space; we do not mix brands together. The trend this season is round shapes in optical designs, mirrored sunglasses, and two-tone gradient lenses. When we present a new eyewear collection, we usually have an event inside and outside the shop with music and cocktails. It’s really beautiful to take time to be together for a break.” www.prophilo.com JG

1st March 2014  Etienne Frederiks and Jolana Reinink of Hall of Frame in Holland share with Eyestylist the history of their boutique.

 “We opened the shop in 2008,” says Frederiks, “and Jolanda and I (above photo) wanted to start a little boutique where we could sell things we liked ourselves. In Utrecht, in the middle of the country, there was no such place. We were fantasising about this over a coffee, when we saw a broker hanging up a “For Rent” sign in this beautiful location. Without a plan, we decided to start at that very moment, and agreed with the agent to rent the place. We only wanted to sell what we liked ourselves, and the best brands for us at the moment are Garrett Leight and Suzy Glam. We also love other brands with a strong identity like Mykita, Moscot and Lunettes Kollektion. In addition to this, our collection of vintage frames is getting better and bigger.

Sleek and chic interior of Hall of Frame Utrecht

“For the interior, we searched ourselves for some unique furniture. We wanted an interior that looks exclusive – but accessible. More a fashion store than an optical shop. We are always the first in the Netherlands showing the newest Moscot collection and often we are the only shop in the Netherlands with some limited editions. And of course, we stock the entire Suzy Glam collection. (Etienne’s partner is Suzy Glam designer Susanne Klemm).

Natural wood enhances frame display at Hall of Frame Utrecht

“Retro is still the big thing, but a lot of these styles can be bought now at internet shops or chains. So we are looking for new shapes – metal and acetate combinations, good fittings for different faces, and real good design. For us, business is good, but it’s a pity most opticians don’t choose a specific direction – independent shops suit independent labels.” www.hallofframe.eu JG

28th December 2013 Eyestylist is delighted that Joao Cruz of Cruz Oculista contacted us this month to introduce an exciting new retail space in historic Coimbra, Portugal – a city with a glorious past, a unique fado and one of Europe’s earliest universities, founded in 1290. Iris by Cruz Oculista is a concept store developed by Ipotz Studio. Inspired by the original design of the historic facade in a street called Ferreira Borges, the shop space – inside and out – creates the illusion of a jewellery box, and houses some carefully chosen alternative eyewear brands from across the globe, among them, Claire Goldsmith, l.a. eyeworks, Kuboraum and Mykita.

The window was sculpted by artist Fernando Coimbra Lardosa, and transforms a simple retail window into an art gallery where frames are displayed at a single level. Immediately attracting attention from the street, this is a store for eyewear connoisseurs and fans of unusual brands offering originality, quality and striking achievements in design and is set to be a new reference for luxury optics in Portugal.

Interior, Iris by Cruz Oculista

Already a hit at Eyestylist, we just wish we were on our way to Coimbra to step inside this little design haven for eyewear connoisseurs! We hope to soon. See more at http://irisbycruzoculista.com/ CN

1st November 2013 Time Out loves this store and so do we. Joseph Haver’s boutique in Tel Aviv stands out not only because of its interesting design but also the owner’s go-ahead spirit in terms of working with glasses. I met Joseph and wife Masha Roda in Paris in September following lots of chats about our eyewear favourites via email.

“My background is quite ordinary, I’ve studied optometry in Salus University in Pennsylvania, US. Before starting my own business 2 years ago I worked for 15 years for several established optical firms, which gave me a wide range of experience concerning medical conditions, consumer taste and sales. Then I noticed I started to develop a clientele –people who trusted my opinion, professionally and aesthetically.  I felt that Israel was ready for something more than a boring chain store with cheap frames or franchised logo shades. Like everywhere else, the impact of fashion became very prominent here too –people are able to appreciate quality, uniqueness and style. I thought of a store as an old-fashioned establishment, where the clients sit and have coffee and try things on while discussing the latest news, with Nina Simone singing in the background. The interior design was very crucial – my architect friend, Dor Kessel and I came up with the idea of an old-school, masculine, sleek space, which wonderfully coordinated with whites, blacks and chromes of the Tel-Avivian Bauhaus heritage. Basically the store is me –I’m there through the opening hours, listening to the customers, meeting with the stylists, networking –I feel that I need to be there personally for every aspect.”

What are your leading collections now in the store? “I concentrate on eyewear brands only, with an accent on those I can import exclusively. In the sunglasses section, which is more fashion-orientated, my favourites include Zanzan, Vue dc, Oliver Goldsmith, Traction, L.G.R. and Illesteva. I also feature selected collaborations by Mykita and Linda Farrow. In optical my taste is for the more classical and traditional, with a preference for heritage brands like Lunor and KameManNen.”

Close-up, chic styles at Joseph Haver

Can you tell me about the magazine shoots that you participate in; it looks very interesting from your social media images? “It started with my aspiration to be the number one boutique in finding the perfect frames for each customer. Rumours about this brought the stylists in; they felt comfortable enough to share with us the editorial concepts and catalogues they were about to shoot –inspirations, colours, models, and they asked for assistance. We have also collaborated with the local fashion house Yosef for TLV Fashion week show. That was exciting for the store!”

What is the general vibe for shopping in your area in Tel Aviv, is your shop unusual or quite typical there? The store is located on one of the most beautiful shady boulevards in the city, just off Tel-Aviv’s biggest square. The area is known for its cafes, restaurants and small fashion boutiques, which are very popular with Telavivians and the city’s guests who aren’t after the shopping mall experience. I think the store fits here perfectly.  Recently we were elected one of the best 50 businesses in Tel-Aviv by Time Out Tel Aviv, which is a great honour. I do my best to stay in tune with the fashion world, visiting optical fairs, which always excites me, and I continue to update my collection with more exquisite items and “educate” my clientele. My goal is to create my own line, and I’ve already started sourcing.”

Joseph Haver Optometrist, 59 Sderot Chen, Tel-Aviv zip 6416717, Israel

Pop-Up Boutique in Iconic Paris ‘Grand Magasin‘

1st October 2013 Selima Boutique has opened a chic little off-shoot of their charming Marais shop in the Grande Dame of Parisian stores- Le Bon Marché. The pop-up shop – which will be in Le Bon Marché through Christmas – is a cosy, colourful corner with a great selection of Selima eyewear handmade in France. Selima is a vintage-infused paradise – beautifully crafted frames in luxurious materials – with a knowing nod to retro shapes that customers delight in wearing.

Selima Optique at Le Bon Marché Paris

There is also a lovely selection of designer frames from L.G.R. in Italy, RVS by V. from Turkey, and Vic Switzerland.

www.selimaoptique.com Le Bon Marché 24 rue de Sévres 75007 Paris www.lebonmarche.com JG