A New Perspective

Best known for The Great British Bake Off and her novels, now Prue Leith is stepping out into the world of fashion. Join her at the Windsor Festival this month...

- Ellie Fells

In 2017, not only was chef, author and television presenter Prue Leith announced as the brand-new host of Channel 4’s The Great British Bake Off, but she was also named as a ‘Spectacle Wearer of the Year’ by Specsavers. “It’s the only award I’ve won for doing absolutely nothing,” she chuckles – but the award gave Prue an idea. “There were lots of pictures from the evening of me wearing my Ronit Furst specs, and everyone started asking me where I got them. So I thought: ‘I’ve been in business my whole life, why not create my own range?’”

And in keeping with her hard-working ethos, that was exactly what Prue did.

As a long-term fan and an avid wearer of Ronit Furst eyewear, a collaboration with the Israeli designer seemed like the natural move; coincidentally, the brand was looking to create a more affordable range of glasses at the time as an alternative to their hand-painted frames, and with that the seeds for the partnership were sown.

In the months that followed, Prue worked closely with Ronit to cultivate a collection that would offer a bright, interesting option compared to the monochrome frames that line opticians’ shelves. “I told Ronit what colors I liked and we discussed every one of the pairs that are in the range. It was an easy collaboration,” she says.