LV Super Vision opticals are set to be the maison’s next hero product.
What is it about sunglasses? Recent years have seen the otherwise unassuming accessory propelled to cult fashion status, elevated above its mundane intended purpose of shielding from the sun. Like an underdog hero accessory, sunglasses have become nondescript mainstays in the realm of things to adorn the face.
On the face, sunglasses have the power to incite enticement. Darkened lenses make for an enticing yet subtle illusion of anonymity. A wearer could look out, but remain hermitic even in the most public of settings. Temples, when made thick to placate the modern day fascination with a natural contour, diffuse definition into one’s face. And easily nullified portions of a pair, like the bridges and nose pads, work overtime to cushion and simultaneously accentuate one’s nose. Louis Vuitton’s latest optical offering does all the above, and more.
This story narrates Louis Vuitton’s super-heroification of its Super Vision line, the protagonist at play. But with exaggerated expectations for each pair, Louis Vuitton knows that slapping a logo onto a standard, safe cat-eyed model — no matter how lucrative that process may be — may not cut it. And so begins the superhero transformation of standard sunnies. Creative director Pharrell chooses to work his magic on revitalising the maison’s optical line, birthing a series of aerodynamically-sound, hyper-futuristic eyewear that can team up with even the most steely of gazes.
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And lest one forgets, chief engineer Pharrell loves his sunglasess. The creative director has been documented time and again in pairs that recurrently catapult the Internet into a frenzy. Just glimpse one of Pharrell’s many Instagram profiles — he is almost never photographed without a trusty pair from his collection — which is as stacked as one would expect from a fan. Recall the creative director’s custom itsy-bitsy Tiffany & Co. pair, encrusted with 25 carats worth of diamonds. Pharrell has done this before too — working with the house some twenty years back for first iteration of the ever-enduring Millionaire frames, and collaborating with Moncler for an eyewear collection of steampunk titanium Lunettes.
It is with this clever knowledge — developed with his avid fascination with the product — that Pharrell is able to propose a line that retains his spunky design philosophies, but are universal to be appreciated. Apart from the usual suspects of muted black and khaki, the glasses follow in the Speedy’s footsteps of electrifying primary colours, which in turn, gives the line verve. At the same time, each pair is emboldened by standout details, or super powers, that differentiate it from any other pair on the market. It is what allows Louis Vuitton to label the glasses “ultra-contemporary” in design. Inspired by photography, each pair uniquely bears motifs and inscriptions beyond the default LV insignia. Damier prints envelop each model’s raised silver rims, mimicking the raised portions of a DSLR’s lens. And just like the skin-tight superhero suits, Pharrell opts to costume the line with an innovative rubber-effect nylon coating, which addresses all four profiles of round, rectangular, low-square and Aviator.
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