Relaunched after a break of 20 years, Claire Goldsmith, great-grandaughter of the original founder, has been true to her heritage and re-invented a classic eyewear range.
Back in the 60s, Oliver Goldsmith was the only place to get cool eyewear (literally - he pretty much created the market) and stars of the time such as Grace Kelly, Michael Caine, Audrey Hepburn and John Lennon were the first to embrace the new fangled invention of sunglasses.
Oliver Goldsmith was founded in 1926 by Philip Oliver Goldsmith, a salesman for a small optical firm. Spectacles at the time were uncomfortable, unflattering and uninspiring. The choice of materials was limited at the time to very expensive tortoiseshell or cumbersome metal. He set out to transform the way that glasses were both designed and made.
In 1935 Charles Goldsmith entered the family firm. His vision was that glasses could become an item of fashion, especially when worn as sunglasses. Up until then sunglasses were any old pair of specs with tinted lenses. Charles designed glasses that were made to be sunglasses. His first two customers for the new 'sunspecs' were the most prestigious stores in London: Fortnum & Mason and Simpsons of Piccadilly. They sold out within a week.
They were the first to see glasses as fashion accessories; the first to make sunspecs; the first to make ‘winter sunglasses’ and the first to work alongside fashion houses to create one-off pieces for the catwalks. They were the first to appear in Vogue and Queen, and the first to be endorsed by celebrities and Royals.
Any of the hundreds of classic OG designs, spanning the glittering 1940s to the expressive 1970s can be perfectly recreated.
Made one pair at a time, relying on nothing but a skilled eye and a steady hand to sculpt and craft them to perfection, this is bespoke at its best.
