By Manish Puri.

Whereas on vacation in Italy a couple of years in the past, I wished to search out some lovely sun shades, as a result of is there any nation that’s performed extra for the accent? Each when it comes to manufacturing and cultural positioning. 

Was it an excessive amount of to hope I too may swan concerning the boot wanting like Marcello Mastroianni in La Dolce Vita (above)? (The reply to that query seems to be sure; the the explanation why are quite a few and completely unconnected to eyewear.)

You’ll be able to think about my disheartenment upon discovering that in every single place in Italy appeared to promote the identical designer-branded garbage I may have purchased at Heathrow. I deserted my fantasy and headed to Schostal in Rome to purchase some pyjamas to assuage myself.

As I approached alongside Through della Fontanella di Borghese, only a few doorways from Schostal, I handed one other store’s window show: gleaming white with a small collection of glasses artfully organized. The absence of decals selling Tom Ford and Gucci and Ray-Ban was promising. I stepped inside.

The store was Astrologo Ottica, and whereas its shiny counters, minimalist styling and cosmic-sounding title all appeared futuristic, the service and the product proved to be steeped in old school values: trendy, handcrafted items bought by educated folks.

The enterprise is run by Fabrizio Russo (above together with his mom Paola and father Francesco, all opticians), however was began in 1932 by his grandfather (one other optician). In 2006, the store moved to its present location close to the Spanish Steps; Fabrizio couldn’t instantly recall the 12 months, however cheerily notes: “It was when Italy gained the World Cup”.

Astrologo Ottica shares over 30 eyewear manufacturers from all over the world, most of whom are personally scouted by Fabrizio – both at optical festivals like SILMO in Paris and MIDO in Milan or by means of on-line channels. It’s a intentionally eclectic choice, a rejoinder to the homogeneous supremacy of behemoths like Safilo and EssilorLuxottica.

“The manufacturers beneath Luxottica use the identical manufacturing unit, identical mindset, identical product,” says Fabrizio. “And plenty of the frames are [cheaper] plastic, which has no weight or power and is extra prone to break than high quality acetate. The frames of the manufacturers we promote are rather more sturdy.”

However, in such a aggressive and aggressively marketed trade, convincing prospects to purchase eyewear from small, obscure artisans isn’t simple. “The large manufacturers don’t have to clarify something. I’ve to promote by means of my data, by means of rationalization. I won’t make a sale immediately, however I’ve planted a seed.”

It’s that mixture of experience and variety of providing that retains me coming again to Astrologo Ottica. 

On my first go to, Fabrizio immediately noticed I had a pinguecula (a small benign development) on my left eye and jogged my memory of the significance of protecting eyewear within the solar. I’ve had numerous eye exams, and this was the primary time anybody had talked about it.

I’ve now visited thrice in whole, and on every event I’ve left with a brand new, very totally different pair of sun shades (all above). And in a trajectory that might be all too acquainted to PS readers, each was dearer than the final.

On my final go to in June, I sat down with Fabrizio and requested him to indicate me a couple of of his favorite manufacturers to share with you. We’ve centered on sun shades as these are much less dangerous to purchase remotely, however the manufacturers talked about all promote eyeglasses too.

Astrologo Ottica has a webshop that ships overseas. And, I’m positive readers vacationing in Rome will respect figuring out that the Tax Refund workplace is only a few doorways away from the bodily retailer – which makes purchases that rather more tempting. Please notice although, the store is at the moment closed till August twenty eighth, and any net orders positioned now might be processed on that date.

I’ve additionally included hyperlinks to the person model’s web sites the place you’ll be capable of buy straight or enquire about native stockists.

Press eyewear 

AO link / Brand link

Mannequin above is Birth in Forever colour ($725)

A brand new model (launched in 2024) from New York designer Jeff Press. The Press frames are virtually solely made in Japan from Italian acetate, however their buffalo horn frames are handcrafted in Germany the place “the perfect [horn] artisans” reside, in keeping with Fabrizio.

The gathering is fitted with Zeiss lenses – largely bio-nylon or LightPro. The previous delivers the lightness and sturdiness of normal nylon lenses, however is extra environmentally-friendly because it’s plant-based fairly than petroleum-based. 

The latter affords the identical anti-glare advantages of polarised lenses, however is extra selective in what gentle it filters, making it simpler to see shadow and distinction, and browse digital gadgets.

If there’s one factor that Fabrizio imprinted on me, it’s the significance of fine lenses. 

“Once I purchase manufacturers, the body’s design and materials is necessary. However, I’m an optician, and the lens is the primary most necessary. It’s what protects your eyes,” says Fabrizio. “The lenses in our glasses are constructed from respected manufacturers: Leica, Zeiss, Divel, Hoya.”

After all, what makes a superb lens would require an entire different article. Fabrizio is happiest when speaking about UVA and UVB, spherical and chromatic aberration, anti-glare and anti-reflection, natural and mineral; I gained’t faux to know what all of those phrases imply, not to mention why they’re necessary, however I’m assured taking his recommendation.

Ophy eyewear

AO link / Brand link

Mannequin above is Gropius in Polished Black (€315)

Ophy’s assortment is Italian by means of and thru: a Sicilian designer (Placido Minissale), Italian lenses (Divel) and Italian made utilizing Italian acetate – particularly Mazzucchelli, the world’s oldest and largest producer.

Of the glasses we checked out, the Ophy glasses have been the boldest with sturdy frames made up of sharp angles and straight, virtually architectural strains – clearly a formative inspiration given the names of among the fashions: Gropius, Gehry and Mies. 

The color choices assist make these glasses extra approachable and wearable – most of Ophy’s frames are black or very darkish Havana brown. And, I can see them balancing out rounder faces or complementing structured tailoring.

Fabrizio proceeded to indicate me a model new capsule that Ophy had made in collaboration with famend Italian hatmaker, Borsalino. 

The gathering is impressed by 4 cinematic icons: Marcello Mastroianni, Ingrid Bergman, Jean-Paul Belmondo and Alain Delon. (The latter pair labored collectively on a 1970 French gangster movie Borsalino, which helped repopularise the fedora-style hat.) 

The Marcello (above) is a shallow-lensed body with thick arms that (though not equivalent) clearly nods to the glasses worn by Mastroianni in Fellini’s 8 ½ (beneath). Usually, Fabrizio is cautious of shallow lenses (“they will let an excessive amount of solar in beneath your eyes once you lie again on a sunlounger”), however I’m happy with that – my Mastroianni fantasy can solely be thwarted so many occasions, Fabrizio! 

The one factor I wasn’t eager on was the Borsalino brand on the left arm – one of many few overtly branded frames within the store.

Lunetterie Générale

AO link / Brand link

Mannequin above is Hello Roméo in Vintage Crystal (€625)

A Canadian model began by Julien Couture in 2018, Lunetterie Générale’s eyewear is handmade in Japan. Fabrizio tells me: “The Japanese have a robust optical tradition, which may be as a result of they’ve fairly a excessive price of myopia amongst their inhabitants.”

The acetate used for the frames can also be Japanese, which tends to be denser and stiffer than the Italian selection because of an prolonged curing course of – making it dearer. Japanese acetate has a sharper, extra glassy end to it. “The way in which it’s brushed, it virtually appears like marble,” provides Fabrizio.

Fabrizio describes Lunetterie Générale’s fashions as “extra classical and chic – particularly the lads’s designs”. With surgical precision he identifies my achilles heel and provides: “They appear very good with tailoring.”

Having eyed the model on every of my three visits, that nudge from Fabrizio was all I wanted to take the leap from Browser’s Bluff into Purchaser’s Bay. 

And, having beforehand bought thicker acetate frames from Ottica Astrologo, I opted for the Cavalier Seul (above): a 4mm-thick body constructed from beta-titanium (an alloy with a better weight to power ratio than pure titanium).

The relative simplicity of the mid-century type is subtly embellished with a couple of particulars just like the gold-plated nostril pads and finish ideas, and the etched ending on the bridge and body (see beneath). The lenses (a blue-green gradient) have a rounded-hexagon form; the Mirage mannequin affords related particulars with a extra typical rounded form.

A couple of different notable manufacturers:

The 2 different sun shades I’ve bought from Fabrizio are:

• A fairly traditional darkish brown Wayfarer (Tazi €119) from Milanese model Gast
• A darkish blue pair with a keyhole-bridge (Geronimo $375) from Miami model Tejesta, who take inspiration from the American West – I like the cactus pins on the entrance

Astrologo Ottica shares a group of beautiful and complex frames from Japanese model Matsuda (€625 to €1650, above is the M3148 at €800), all of that are made of their devoted workshop in Sabae, Japan. 

And, lastly, they’re not stocked by Astrologo Ottica, however I do know readers will ask: The La Dolce Vita glasses are PO3260S from Persol. I couldn’t discover a definitive supply for the glasses in 8 ½, however fairly a couple of folks reckon they’re Prada SPR07F.

Manish is @the_daily_mirror on Instagram