Isson Eyewear – Designer Mens & Womens Sunglasses

View recent Isson Collections on Australian Fashion Review Blog.

Introduction to the Isson Eyewear Label

Sydney-born Catherine Federici, has always has a passion for eyewear, but her journey to the pinnacle of the Australian eyewear industry, was not a straightforward one. It was when Catherine was studying Industrial Design (majoring in jewellery and furniture) at Sydney’s University of Technology that she became drawn to the world of avant-garde optics.

Isson Designer Catherine Federici.

Catherine’s journey really began when some research led her to a job at the eyewear boutique, George Skoufis – a retailer renowned for his avant-garde optics brands and designs. Working at George Skoufis turned out to be the perfect environment for the young Catherine to learn all she needed to know about the avant-garde eyewear business.

While studying and working part time with Skoufis, Catherine was adding another string to her bow by training in the art of tattooing, when one of her older brothers opened his own tattoo studio. Catherine started out drawing freehand designs for clients, but soon graduated to inking.

Upon graduating, Catherine left her part-time work behind entered the Australian fashion industry, working in a variety of roles including wholesale and marketing, before launching Eye Candy Optics in 2003. A joint venture with her now husband, Marco, Eye Wear Optics launched with Isson which, completed the dream Catherine had to design and own an eyewear label.

While the design and development of Isson collections is all Australia-based, the components and materials come from Italy, Japan, France and Germany and made by some of the best eyewear manufacturers in the world.  This commitment to the best meant that Isson soon became one of the finest Australian eyewear labels and a name known for their optics, throughout the globe.

As of early 2012, the Isson eyewear collections were available in over 13 countries, with an ever growing international and domestic brand profile. The prestigious optical boutiques stocking the Isson wares include Paddington’s Eye Candy Optics, Bangkok’s Eye Studio, Alicante’s The Gallery Room Eyewear and Morelos’s Global Phenomena. Not a bad achievement for a small Paddington based eyewear brand.

Eye Candy Optics

Eye Candy Optics was launched in 2003 with Australian sunglasses brand, Isson, with the aim of revitalising a stagnant market full of mass-produced licensed designer brands. With an admiration for the creativity and passion of boutique eyewear labels, Eye Candy Optics has acquired some of the world’s leading eyewear brands in the Australian market, including Oliver Goldsmith, Clare Goldsmith, Fiction and I.a. Eyeworks.

Aesthetic of Isson Collections

“It’s all about the individual, not the herd” – Catherine Federici.

The eyewear collections for Isson are identifiable from other eyewear labels for their understated designs, which steer clear of over-the-top embellishments. The classic interplay of shape and colour, as seen in such classic aviator or cats-eye frames, are complimented by quality craftsmanship and design that is said to underline the Isson aesthetic.

Catherine Federici describes her designs as “structured and orthodox” and takes influence from a range of era’s creating frames that can be reminiscent of 1950’s pop culture through to futuristic angular frames. Isson optics are free from logo’s, instead focusing on style to let the frames do the talking, explaining the brands broad reach, with customers ranging from 17 to 70.

The clean and simple Isson design philosophy has won the brand a host of loyal celebrity fans including Missy Higgins, Faker, Sophie Monk and Silverchair.

Recent Collections of the Isson Brand

• Spring/Summer 2011: The Summer 2011 collection, entitled ‘Moonstruck Menagerie’, is a mish-mash of strong shapes from what we know of the past and what we expect of the future. Described by Isson as “Grace Kelly vs Dr. Timothy Leary. It’s Anna Piaggi vs Uncle Karl. It’s Peggy Guggenheim vs well, Peggy Guggenheim.” The collection featured futuristic designs in a deep colour palette of khaki’s, plums, pearls and blacks, as well as some translucent frames.

Isson Eyewear Spring/Summer 2011

• Spring/Summer 2012: The Summer 2012 collection in inspired by the international design movement of the 1920’s known as the Bauhaus movement. The movement encouraged radical experimentation in architecture and the applied arts, which is channelled into Isson’s character-driven aesthetic. Each frame is designed around fictitious characters including Alberta Albers, the chic mysterious turban-wearing jewellery maker; and Tierry Tackelberg, a perfectionist industrial designer with a passion for travel. The collection features vintage Japanese and Italian acetates, pearlescent light reflective finishes such as tortoiseshell, and layered acetates, which house silk threads and metal shavings.

Isson Eyewear Spring/Summer 2012

Visit the official Isson website here.

If you like the look of Isson, why not check out fellow Australian eyewear labels Sunday Somewhere and Karen Walker.

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