Filed under: FASHION!, NEWS!, Spectacular Sunglasses
Everyone at Eye Spy has been talking about our newest line of limited edition sunglasses since the moment they came in. They are a genius collaboration between eyewear designer Fakoshima and fashion designer Ria Keburia.
Fakoshima is designed by Konstantin Shilyaev, a graphic designer turned eyewear designer who finds inspiration in Japanese design, fashion, architecture, cinematography and electronic music. His designs blend playful design with a futuristic ideas. “We believe that humans will be androgenic with incorporated elements associated now with robots, androids and new technologies.”
Ria Keburia is a Georgian avant-garde fashion designer who lives in Paris and is well known for her crazy clothing and exciting fashion shows. She worked with Fakoshima to create a line of eyewear to accessorize her SS15 collection.
They found inspiration in candy colors, childhood and toys. They use chunky acetates in fun colors, bold graphic shapes and playful takes on iconic frame shapes – cats, circles and brows.
This collaboration is the bee’s knees and they will instantly put a smile on your face!
Which pair do you want?
Continue Reading >
Filed under: Shop Local. Shop Lincoln, Theo
In order to highlight our fellow independent small business owners on our stretch of Lincoln Ave., we asked our photographer, Dave Rentauskus, to take portraits of our comrades in our spectacular specs.
Nate Judson, Chef at Frasca
Nate is wearing a slick pair of Theo Huitante+Huit. The bold black and bright neon green really pop on this frame.
Nate has been cooking up a storm for many years now – an interest inspired by watching the Frugal Gourmet as a kid on PBS after school. After graduating from Kendal College in 2008, he went on to work at many of Chicago’s great restaurants: 312 Chicago, Alinea, Francesca’s Restaurant Group, as well as a period of working in LA with Gordon Ramsey (don’t you want to know what that was like?) He returned to Chicago because he missed the city and chefs he had gotten to know working here and so he decided to come back home and has been at is loving the opportunity to cook for Frasca.
***********************************************************************************************
Fun Facts About Nate:
How long have you been in business? 7 years
Who was your teenage celebrity crush? Sarah Michelle Geller
If you could be any animal, what would it be? Red-Tail Hawk
Are you Right or Left handed?: Right handed
What color are your eyes? Blue
Where did you grow up? Lake Villa, Il
What hood do you live in? Logan Square
*******************************************************************************************
Nate loves the freedom to create in Frasca’s kitchen and has been making some killer Rissotto – his favourite dish to cook. He describes cooking in a kitchen as controlled chaos and digs the constantly changing environment and creative outlet that it provides.
His favourite thing about Frasca is that the menu is contstantly changing and that it is such a neighborhood institution.
Frasca * 3358 N Paulina St, Chicago, IL 60657 * 773-248-5222
Continue Reading >
Filed under: CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, FASHION!, Francis Klein, Spectacular Sunglasses
This week is a little bit special because our Customer of The Week is someone who has been working for Eye Spy for 10 years! Say Hello to Karla!
Karla is always dressed for fun and when she saw the Francis Klein Royal sunnies, she had to catch her breath. And can you blame her? They must have been designed with Karla in mind! Karla will look great at all of her three (yes I said three!) jobs – a shoe store, a jewelry store and for us!
To say Karla is a bit of a fashionista is an understatement. She is a pro at mixing patterns, textures and colors… so what could be better than sunglasses with a dash of fun, a spinkle of sass and a heap of glitter!
Continue Reading >
Filed under: CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, FASHION!
It is no secret that we have the most fantastic, talented, and fun customers around, here at Eye Spy Optical! Our current Customer Of The Week is no exception….Say hi to Jamie Barton!!!
Jamie is rocking her custom Francis Klein Wing frame.
Jamie is an international award-winning opera singer, a grammy nominee, and an all-around amazing woman! She travels around singing her heart out and performing in all the best cities. She recently played Henry VIII’s Jane Seymore in ANNA BOLENA with the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Jamie and Sara, our Design Maven, became quick friends because of their mutual love for Francis Klein’s sparkly frames. Jamie had a hard choice to make, and ended up deciding she couldn’t live without her two favorites, Wing and Party.
Jamie’s Francis Klein Wing in a custom color and decor.
Jamie really liked the Wing frame, but didn’t see quite the right color and decor combo, so Sara helped her customize her frame and special ordered a frame just for her. It took a few weeks, but Jamie thinks it was definitely worth the wait!
This Special Edition Wing was whispering Jamie’s name!
The Special Edition Wing frame really is like wearing jewelry on your face, and they fit Jamie like they were made just for her. And Rhinestones! She couldn’t resist.
You can follow Jamie’s travels and find out where she will be performing next at her website: http://www.jamiebartonmezzo.com/ or on her facebook page.
We can’t wait for her to perform in Chicago again so we can go see her!
Continue Reading >
Filed under: Anne et Valentin, CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, FASHION!
Three Cheers for Dana…Our Customer of the Week!
Dana is styling in her Anne et Valentin D-Gree frames!
Dana is a long time customer and a whole lot of fun! Dana is an actress and a fitness & dance instructor and she loves to wear fun and funky frames when she isn’t sporting her contacts.
She picked out her first pair of funky specs from Eye Spy Optical in 2001!!! You don’t believe us? Well, take a peek at the evidence from our photo album below!
When Dana came in for frames this time, she told the Optical Oracle that she wanted something a bit more serious and grown up. The Oracle had the perfect frame in mind, Anne et Valentin D-Gree in a beautiful soft tortoise and purple combo.
D-gree has just the right blend of sophistication and sass!
D-gree’s angles and colors really complement Dana’s amazing smile and are still fun and funky. No boring frames for her!
Continue Reading >
Filed under: Caroline Abram, CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, Unique Frame Lines
Winter is almost here and it’s been super gray and rainy in Chicago lately. But have no worries, our Customer of the week, Felicia, brightens things up in her beautiful new Caroline Abram frames!
Deborah by Caroline Abram
Felicia found Eye Spy back in 2009 from one of our snazzy CTA ads, bought sparkly Francis Kleins, and has been in love with Eye Spy ever since! She has been drooling over this pair for a few months now and finally took the plunge. This is her second pair of glasses from us and we could not be happier to see her in such a lovely pair! Congrats on being our Customer of the week Felicia…you sure do look like sunshine!
Continue Reading >
Filed under: Claire Goldsmith, NEWS!
Last week, we welcomed a new gal to the shop, CLAIRE GOLDSMITH, a new eyewear line out of England! We ordered 18 new frames from the inaugural Claire Goldsmith collection and, Blimey! They sure are sassy!
Fresh!
Radical!
Party animals.
Wow, these new Claire Goldsmith frames have really brought the cool to Eye Spy!
Brilliant!
The November Trunk Shows are here! Every Saturday in November we are hosting a trunk show…including IC! Berlin (November 21), Francis Klein (November 21), and Lafont (November 28). We will have the full collections including new styles you’ve never seen before…for one day only!!! For once, you’ll be looking forward to November in Chicago!
.
Continue Reading >
Filed under: NEWS!
Hey Eye Spy friends!
Specs Therapist (Mary Hamilton) here. I’ve been away from Eye Spy for the last two weeks for a cross-country literary tour (The Dollar Store Tour) sponsored by Chicago’s own Featherproof Books. We went to 11 cities in 14 days and I can tell you that everywhere I went I saw Spectacular Specs! I saw Lafonts in New Orleans and I spotted a pair of bright green Theos in Baltimore among many other bright and funky frames.
Rockin’ blue specs in Nashville!
The trip was great, but I missed Eye Spy! The first thing I did was take a walk around the store and coo over all of the new frames that arrived while I was away, I can’t wait to see them on all of you!
It’s good to be back.
.
Continue Reading >