Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from all of us at Spectacle!  We hope you enjoy the day with family and friends.  See you tomorrow for Boxing Day!

Spectacle Fireplace from Kristina Sterne on Vimeo.

Freda Loves Taru & Koli

One of Spectacle's most creative staff members, Freda, chose Taru & Koli as her favourite eyeglasses of 2012!  Freda is a fashionable product designer who knows her eyewear.

Taru & Koli is a brand new line housed only in the finest eyewear boutiques in the world.  Spectacle is currently the only Canadian retailer and it's quickly becoming one of our most popular, sought-after collections.  The eyeglasses and sunglasses come in a range of colours, patterns, lens shades, and styles so there is truly something for everyone in the line.

The St. Germain model

Spectacle is thrilled to carry this amazing eyewear collection.  Taru & Koli is currently in all Spectacle locations, so come by and see it for yourself!

Also, check out Freda's personal blog for cool ideas on gifts, art, design, and more.  You can see it all at Audrey Electro!

Come Into Spectacle for a Chance to WIN an Oliver Peoples Eyewear Gift Basket!

Our 12 Days of Spectacle Giveaways is underway!  For 12 days, we're giving away prizes including t-shirts, gift cards, and custom sunglasses.

These sunglasses could soon be yours!

Check out our Facebook, Twitter, and stop by one of our shops so you don't miss any chances to win!

See you soon!

Spectacle's Year End Sale is on Now!

Our year end sale has officially started!  Stop by our Yonge St. and Queen St. boutiques to receive amazing savings on over 1,500 eyewear products.

There will also be contests taking place over our social media and in-store where we'll be giving away daily prizes - including custom made sunglasses!  Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter and check back here so you don't miss any contest announcements!

The 100th Grey Cup Festivities are Coming to Toronto!

The 100th Grey Cup will be held in Toronto this year and so will all of the concerts, films, parties, and food that come with it!  The events kick off today and will lead up to the big game on Sunday, November 25th.

Spectacle client Kim Mitchell will be part of the festivities
with a concert on November 24th

You can view an entire calendar of all the great events here so you won't miss a thing.  Good luck to the Argos in the playoffs and we hope to see you in the Grey Cup Final next week!

Spectacle Loves Halloween!

From everyone at Spectacle - have a fun and safe Halloween tonight!  If you still need a costume, stop by Spectacle for some inspiration.

No matter what you dress up as, have an amazing time!

Happy Halloween

Linda Farrow Sunglasses: The Perfect Fall Accessory

Fall is here but it's still sunny out there!  We have some gorgeous Linda Farrow sunglasses to protect your eyes from the Autumn rays.

Linda Farrow Luxe 159

Linda Farrow Luxe 88

Linda Farrow Luxe 171

Linda Farrow is known for their luxurious styles as well as their various collaborations, many of which Spectacle also carries.  One of the most popular brands Linda Farrow has partnered up with is The Row by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.  Together, they create pretty, feminine eyewear.

Linda Farrow x The Row 34

Linda Farrow x The Row 7

Linda Farrow x The Row 8

The collaboration is loved among celebrities like Beyonce we well! 

Stop by our Queen St. West boutique and ask a stylist about our vast Linda Farrow collection.

Happy Labour Day!

Tomorrow, September 3rd,  is Labour Day!  In celebration, all of our shops will be closed.

Enjoy the long weekend and we'll see you Tuesday!

Last Weekend to see Picasso at the AGO

Poster for the exhibit

This is the final weekend to see the Picasso exhibit at the AGO.  The paintings "lay bare the beauty and anxieties of his time, the horrors of war, as well as his personal passions, desires, and fears".

A self-portrait by Picasso

Picasso's paintings are spectacles for the eyes

Picasso Spain Spectacle Amour Aventurant

Robert Marc Eyewear Spotted on Queen St West

For the eyewear connoisseur in all of us, Robert Marc eyewear has arrived at Spectacle's Queen St West location.  The line is hand-crafted in France and designed with high-end fashion and style in mind.

284 in Spotted Tortoise

281 in Dark Grey

283 in Garnet

Notable fans of the collection include Uma Thurman, Matt Damon, and Reese Witherspoon.  If you're in the neighborhood, stop by, we'd love to see you!

Handmade Eyewear

Video courtesy of our friends at Oliver Goldsmith.

Spectacle carries a variety of Oliver Goldsmith pieces, stop by and take a look.

Happy Birthday Andy Warhol

Today is Andy Warhol's birthday, one of the most influential artists of this century. Although he has passed away his legacy lives on and he is still one of the most well-known and captivating artists of our time.

Andy Warhol's famous Campbell's Soup picture

In the 1960s, Warhol created several "mass-produced" images from photographs
of celebrities such as Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe

Warhol inspired and influenced countless people, including eyewear designers. Anne et Valentin's popular Factory collection is inspired by and named after Warhol's famous factory in NYC.  Original and rich in colour, the collection is created to be easy to wear, even in the case of the shy customer who dares not dare.

Factory Eleven 1027

Factory Ten 1242

Happy Birthday to Andy Warhol, and don't forget to come check out the Factory collection by Anne et Valentin at Spectacle.

In Memory of Guy Charlot

Former long-time Silmo President, Guy Charlot, passed away on July 24th.  Guy was passionate about promoting the optical industry and Silmo remains one of the most popular trade shows in the world.  Spectacle would like to extend our condolences to Guy Charlot's family and friends.

Spectacle Summer Trends 2012: Vintage & Classics With a Twist

Trends come and go; they say hello and they say goodbye but nobody likes goodbyes so how about a trend that stays and remains timeless? Spectacle’s summer trends are focused on vintage and classic frames that have a little “umph” in them to maintain that  classic yet edgy and modern look.

Oliver Peoples Sheldrake

The Oliver Peoples Sheldrake frame is a classic-modern twist on a vintage round frame, which in fact, was inspired by Andy Warhol. The transparent champagne acetate colour, paired with a vintage rose tint lens is the perfect summer mix that goes well with a nice summer tan. Many shy away from round frames but please don’t— a rounded or more oval shaped face works well with a round frame as it tends to follow the contours of the face; making it look more natural and soft. A face blessed with strong features and jaw lines also benefit from a round frame as it contrasts well, giving off a more soft and edgy look with a bit of a statement.

Oliver Peoples Mande

The Oliver Peoples Mande frame is a ultra feminine sunglass that was inspired by the 1950’s retro fashion with a style savvy woman in mind. Handcrafted with substantial, rounded acetate and an upswept cat-eye look, this fierce frame is made to turn heads. The new amber tortoise/buff gradient colour is a rockin’ colour combo for the summertime. Plus, anything with an upswept cat-eye gives the illusion of an instant facelift— huge bonus for the ladies!

Thierry Lasry Platony

Thierry Lasry takes a very unique, fresh, avant-garde approach to sunglasses especially in the new Thierry Lasry Platony (V011) vintage frame. It is based off of the concept of “futuristic-vintage” as they utilized vintage designs and colour palettes, while incorporating an updated modern touch with such ease and elegance. These pastel colour blotches are made for summer and are made to brighten any outfit. All handmade in France, Thierry Lasry frames are guaranteed with the best materials and are made to last for many summers to come.

Mosley Tribes Lyndel

Everyone has the staple wayfarer sunglass but how about one with a twist? The Mosley Tribes Lyndel frames bumps it up a notch with a retro-inspired acetate frame, crafted in an angular plastic cut to hit all the contours of the jaw line. The keyhole nose bridge also accentuates the soft contoured lens shape and is best for hugging the nose; giving it a more tailored feel. The Mosley Tribes Lyndel frames are one you can’t go wrong with— it’s an easy wear type of frame that makes the men look more handsome and the females looking edgy. Try them in a forest green matte finish and I promise it’ll go with that summer tan!

Garrett Leight Harding

Have you heard of frames that are vintage mixed with classic mixed with a twist times three? Well, now you have! Garrett Leight’s Harding frames are part aviator, part wayfarer, and part round and are inspired by the playwright, Arthur Miller. This three-way mix has got to be a must-have frame for the summer and one that’ll make any male and female too hot for the heat to handle!

ic! berlin raf s.

You can’t go wrong with the classic aviator! The ic! Berlin raf s. are the perfect summer pair to stand the heat— the spring steel helps to maximize flexibility and strength to hold up to all your summer adventures! Classic aviators are one of the easiest frames to throw on and go about your day whether your dressed up or dressed down. 

 

Garrett Leight Hampton

Oliver Peoples NDG

Another way to stay classic with a twist is adding these amazing, practical clip-on or flip-up sun glass lenses to your own prescription glasses! Here we have the classic round Garrett Leight Hampton frame with a black matte finish clip on; and the classic retro matte black Oliver Peoples NDG (Nom de Guerre collaboration) with the flip-up clip on. Pretty snazzy, eh?

Come check out these and more Summer 2012 shades at Spectacle! 

Written by Christina Cheng, Frame Stylist with Spectacle & Freelance Journalist