Barton Perriera x Spinelli Kilcollin

DWYER KILCOLLIN: We had been talking about trying to make sunglasses and were trying to come up with frame shapes by bending wire and 3D printing samples.

I remember sitting around our conference table looking at the samples we’d produced- they were made out of white plastic-
no lenses, no nose plates, nothing! That

was the meeting we realized we needed an expert on the project. And just that week, Patty emailed Yves about collaborating!

PATTY PERREIRA: (laughs) I had met
him at a trunk show in Beverly Hills and I introduced myself because we had a mutual friend from Hawaii, so I felt like we kind of had that connection. And at Barton Perreira we had been talking for six months or so about doing a collaboration with a jewelry designer because I have such a passion for jewelry, and it just kind of seemed like it made perfect sense since I’m such a fan of the brand and we just decided to reach out to see if it was even a possibility.

YVES SPINELLI: You’ve been in this business so long, and we were so happy for your expertise. I feel like these frames in particular just look so good on so many different faces. They looked good on everyone in our office and we all have such different faces. It’s a very universal fit.

PP: I definitely pay attention to the arch ofthe eyebrow, the contour of the checks. Different frames lend themselves to more different face shapes. Like a lot of people can wear an aviator frame really well. And really super round is hard to wear, especially when it’s big. Once you get into a sunglass size, for some reason making round frames a slight bit oval looks better on the face.

It still appears round, but when you do the measurements — the vertical and horizontal vertices — it’s a little less vertical.

DK: That was news to us! That was exactly what we were trying to do — perfect circles. Because that basically comprises the majority of our line. We’re like — we’ll just make circles for your face. But we needed that coaching. And you’re right. The geometry of the face just having that slightly imperfect circle works so much better.

YS: You probably take it for granted since you do this every day, but that was so educational for us.

DK: So Patty, Yves and I were wondering: how many glasses do you own?

PP: (laughs) I stopped counting. I have
my three or four go-to’s, but I’ve been collecting for more than 20 years and I have a pretty vast vintage archive. It’s probably in the thousands. They’re in different storage spots, some are in my house...

DK: Wow! I want to see that archive!
You should just make a room with all the walls lined with them on little shelves like sculptural wallpaper.

PP: I actually have a really beautiful vintage Christian Dior trunk. One of our customers in France was a rep in the 80s for Christian Dior Eyewear, and he had it in his basement. It’s got the trays in it, with original frames from the 80s that have never been worn.

It has a big advert when you open the lid, it’s got the Dior pattern and brass hinges... it’s so beautiful. I can’t believe I own it.
The guy brought it to the tradeshow and said, ‘I know you collect vintage frames,
do you want to buy it?’ And I thought he was going to come up with this ridiculous price and I want to say it was like 1,500 euros.

YS: That’s insane.

PP: I could sell two frames in there for 1,500 euros. And there’s probably like 60 of them. And they’re all different, and in perfect condition. I keep that in my office.

YS: That’s a great inspiration. PP: We all have our thing.

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