Quite The Spectacles

Hailing from France, the UK and Japan, these leading bespoke eyewear makers will ensure the glasses you sport are just as unique as the face they frame.

- Nick Scott

Kirk Originals

Gary Oldman, Samuel L Jackson and Anthony Hopkins are all aficionados, while Mick Jagger, Oasis and Paul Weller have injected some rock ‘n’ roll mojo into the growing cultural clout of a London heritage eyewear brand whose legacy dates back to 1919. “We’re informed by classic style, but not dictated by it,” says managing director Gordon Ritchie. “We find that subtle colour themes add a unique edge to our collections. Using pale blue as a repeating accent, for example, is distinctive and fits with our focus on making sunglasses for the city.”

When it comes to sunglasses that suit denizens of the Lion City, Ritchie is very specific. “We’re currently finding that Kirk Originals Harvey work best for the Singapore customer. These have a distinctive sweep to the brow that adds shape and character, while the inspiration harks back to classic Cary Grant style. Mason and Reed from our Made in England collection – which add substance with their distinctive shapes – also appeal to the Asian market.” kirkoriginals.com

TD Tom Davies

For the eponymous owner of this West London outlet, bespoke eyewear is not so much a luxury as an imperative. “In general, people just don’t like their glasses,” he says. “There are far too many compromises involved in selecting a frame. Here, we design the frame of your choice to balance on your head, and also take photos of you and discreetly tweak the shape to work offyour natural features, such as your brow line.” The pair of spectacles the customer eventually walks away with, meanwhile, is of high quality thanks to the brand’s partnership with precision optics company Zeiss, which provides the lenses.