Oliver Peoples
Setting the Trend
Oliver Peoples has maintained a passion for superior eyewear crafted of the finest materials with careful attention to detail since the debut of their first collection. Handmade in West Hollywood, California, each collection draws unique inspiration from their iconic surroundings.
Described as classic Hollywood with a modern twist, Oliver Peoples sunglasses embody the California–cool lifestyle. When surrounded by movie stars, gorgeous sunsets and palm trees as high as the sky, there’s no shortage of inspiration for this coastal brand.
Humble Beginnings
What started a small eyewear shop on the Sunset Strip in 1986, Oliver People Eyewear sold mostly vintage frames without any branding written on them. This served as an inspiration for Larry Leight, co-founder and creative director of Oliver Peoples, when he and his team would go on to create the Oliver Peoples brand. They set out to design an innovative line of eyewear that would speak for itself. The team was passionate about creating a quality, fashionable product that would spark curiosity and grow from word-of-mouth. Their first line was created and designed with inspiration taken from the 20s and 30s art deco period, but with the fashion and intellectual spirit of the 60s. After its debut, people immediately flocked to the brand, especially after they began appearing in several US fashion magazines, including Vogue, the New York Times and the LA Times. This marked the beginning of a craze that changed the direction of eyewear worldwide. Today, Oliver Peoples is one of the most prestigious and culturally distinctive eyewear brands in the world.
Proprietary Lenses
Oliver Peoples is recognized for its exclusive selection of superior polarized and photochromic mineral glass sun lenses. Created with the finest materials and advanced technology, these lenses offer the best optical precision. Rare earth elements fused into the lenses selectively filter sunlight so that vision is sharper, with improved color definition and contrast.
The organically hard surface of glass is also scratch resistant and less likely to break under stress.
True Craftmanship
The brand’s passion for the craftsmanship of superior eyewear has never wavered. Each frame is meticulously handcrafted in their West Hollywood factory following a process that combines both technological advancements and human touch. After months of designing a single frame and approving a true prototype, tooling is engineered in order to industrialize the manufacturing process so that every frame is consistent. By working with a dedicated, specialized factory in Turin, Italy, Oliver Peoples is able to infuse the passion of true artisans into every step of the production process. This dedicated team of highly trained technicians assembles each individual frame and hand polishes them in a process similar to fine jewelry. With meticulous attention to detail, even the slightest imperfections are identified and corrected in adherence with strict quality standards. The result is the finely crafted eyewear with enduring integrity and authenticity of design.
“Our frames have always been bestsellers. If you’re going to spend money, you want something that will look good and last.”
– Larry Leight, Co-Founder
Cool Customization
Always one to set the trend, Oliver Peoples works hand-in-hand with their own acetate manufacturers to create and design custom hues that are both wearable and flattering. Specific shades of tortoises have become iconic to Oliver Peoples as well as seasonal colors inspired by fashion trends. Subtle details on every pair of glasses are distinctive to the brand, from the discreet logo plaque inlaid at the temple tip to the filigreed core wire that pays homage to vintage details in earlier collections.