A stylish new eyewear brand, Walter & Herbert, will hit shelves this autumn, offering a quintessentially English collection of frames borne from over 65 years of home-grown expertise.
Developed by The Optoplast Actman Eyewear Company – the experts behind high profile eyewear brands such as Karen Millen and Julien MacDonald – the unique proposition sees every frame in the range designed, manufactured and tested in England.
The launch party last night was a quintessentially English affair. We were treated to the fabulous Nyetimber English sparkling wine with a selection of canapes which included fish and chips! So I had a good browse to select my frames, and eventually after three glasses of ‘champagne’ settled for the Shakespeare turtle shells. They will even come engraved with my name. Great service.
A 20-piece optical collection is available from October 2015 for style-conscious men and women, priced from £200.
The range pays homage to the very best of English heritage, with designs named after iconic figures such as Bronte, Churchill and Kipling. Every frame boasts striking colour combinations of the best globally sourced acetates. Smooth contours reminiscent of shapes from the 1940s make the frames irresistibly tactile.
A standout piece from the women’s range is the Pankhurst. This elegant frame complements the natural grooves of the brow line and lifts the eye line for a sophisticated look. It is offered in three colourways, each with two striking colour combinations that convey a clean style.
The Kipling is a highlight of the men’s range simple and clean. The modestly-stylish frame exudes class. The temple of the frame has a distinctive blend of two colours, and intricate detailing includes neat metal pins on the front and sides, to give a classic retro finish. The brand name Walter & Herbert is taken from the company’s founding fathers, Walter Conway and Herbert Thorn. Together, in the 1940s, they established the Optoplast Manufacturing Company and developed the PIMO machine, an innovation that would shape the way spectacles were manufactured worldwide. Today the company, which merged in 2009 to form The Optoplast Actman Eyewear Company, is acknowledged as one of the country’s foremost eyewear-makers.
Photography by David Jensen
Visit Walter & Herbert website.
