Stepping into Summer with Oscar Deen Eyewear

q: How did you and Sheriff-Deen meet initially? a: We both met at university in Manchester and instantly became friends. We then found out that we had loads of really close friends in common back in London, so it made sense that we clicked straight away. q: What spurred you on to create your own brand? a: Literally with a chat that more or less went ‘Mate, I think we should do something. I don’t know what yet, but I think we’d make a good team', and the answer was, ‘I 100% agree with you, I’m in’. It was as simple as that! q: Why sunglasses in particular? a: We tried our hand at a few things but eventually found glasses when helping a vintage eyewear collector out with a completely different project. We loved the way the collector had a story and history for each frame. This collection and storytelling of each frame planted a seed and seemed to connect the dots of what we were looking for. q: Can you tell us a little about your design process? a: It all begins with a pair of vintage frames. We can find these frames from absolutely anywhere and everywhere! In the beginning, we mostly spent our time in London talking to collectors and trawling markets, but as time has gone by, we've criss-crossed Europe hunting for old treasure. Then, once back in the workshop, we go through a process of research, sketch and discussion. We break down our finds element by element. Our aim is always to maintain something of the aesthetic that drew us to the frames in the first place, while updating them and adding our own touch and style. q: What was the favourite place you’ve been to get inspiration? a: Our trip to Turin really stood out. The city was beautiful and had such a nice pace to it, but the best part was the hunt. We got there having no idea where to start and knowing zero Italian to communicate. We went from vintage shops to markets and had no luck finding any frames. However, we started hearing rumours about a guy who had a collection. Bit by bit we got closer and closer and eventually found this eccentric Italian bloke that had a spot in this very odd cavernous space with no windows. He had an amazing collection, and he talked us through each pair with incredible knowledge and passion. It took a couple of days to find him, but eventually finding the treasure chest of beautiful frames has definitely inspired us to always keep following our noses. q: Where would you like to see Oscar Deen Eyewear in the next 5 years? a: Our ultimate aim is if you’re thinking of UK independent eyewear, Oscar Deen will be the first name to pop into your mind. Not just quality products, but the inclusive values we stand for too.