An Interview With Eyewear Designer Robert MarcI’ve been a fan of Robert Marc ’s eyewear for a long time–it seems like every time I go into his store in my neighborhood I leave with another great pair of sunglasses. So it was a real pleasure to sit down for lunch with Robert himself, and to learn more about the man behind all those beautiful frames.
Robert has a lot to be proud of–he just celebrated his 29th year in business. He opened his first optical store in 1981, on Columbus Avenue on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. At first, he sold other manufacturers’ frames, including small, European brands no one else was carrying. but he was often frustrated by the lack of artistry in the field, and sometimes bought frames in bulk and then reworked them–he remembers sending one batch to an industrial sandblaster, and using his own kitchen stove to dye another group of glasses by hand!
At one point, Calvin Klein came into the store looking for a specific frame. He responded to Robert’s passion for his work, and ultimately asked him to oversee the license for Calvin Klein Eyewear. The relationship lasted 15 years, and Robert says it was a great experience that taught him a lot about manufacturing and design, from every angle. but by the late ’90s, Robert wanted something more–he wanted to create his own brand. So in 1999, he launched Robert Marc Eyewear.
“My whole idea of eyewear,” Robert explains, “is that it should look good on you –not just in an ad or in my shop. I’m always looking at people’s cheekbones, eyes and bone structure, and designing frames for different faces. I like to say that my glasses enhance your vision of yourself.”
“We’re exclusive, we’re a relatively small company, and we make our frames by hand in small batches,” he continues. “I like things that have a history of quality, of hand-assemblage. We’re the opposite of mass-produced. Most of the materials are made in Italy, then shipped to a small factory in Nantes. France has a history of knowing how to give acetate frames a certain “hand.” Jackie O, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly–they all wore French frames. Today, I admire women like Julianne Moore and Uma Thurman, who both have great personal style. They’ve worn my frames for years, and we’ve become good friends.”
“I definitely know my customer. For one thing, I worked in my own shop for years, and interacted with clients every day. I socialize with customers and I travel to the same places they do, for work and vacation: Paris, Milan, Tokyo, the Hamptons, you name it.”
“The people who appreciate my frames are very sophisticated, very smart, and very casual. I’m pretty casual, too. Today I’m wearing a Band of Outsiders blazer, a Thom Browne shirt, Dior jeans, Church’s shoes, a Panerai watch and an Hermès shoulder bag.”
“The things I like, and the things I design, don’t scream to attract attention. For me, it’s all about quality.”
Portrait by Noël Sutherland. Other images courtesy of Robert Marc susantabak.com/articles/an-interview-with-eyewear-designer-robert-marc
The Eyewear Cartel: Susan Tabak interview with Robert Marc….!
calvin klein, lunch, pleasure, upper west side
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