What a year, 2015! (Part 2)

2015 was a year filled with just so much awesomeness that we had to split the review in to two parts, madness I hear you cry, but that's just how it is!

July

So for some if you've read the first part of the review (and it would be rude to get to this stage and to

not have done so!), you're probably thinking, "Wait a minute, they've missed out something kind of important ... Alicia!".  You're right, Licensed Optician Alicia Austin joined the merry crew of Ocean Optometry in May.

Alicia came to us with years of experience as an optician, however, the range of unique, handmade products that we have was new to her.  Really loving the challenge, Alicia has been very quick to learn the intricacies of all of the ranges and the special details which make them unique.  It seemed like no time at all, for example, before Alicia was creating tailor made eyewear with the TD Tom Davies range.  It's an incredible experience to receive a pair of glasses which have been made to measure specifically to fit you, crafted with the unique colour palette that you desire; as an eyegeek, there is nothing quite like helping someone through that process and seeing the end creation of all your work being worn by someone!

Come in, say Hi! to Alicia, check out her level of eye-geekiness and see if she can stand up to the challenge!  At the same time she can't help sort out some fabulous eywear for you.

September

This was an incredible month for us, which really set Ocean Optometry apart on the world stage.  We knew that Kirk & Kirk were launching a new collection in the Fall of 2015 and these launches coincide with the eyewear exhibitions at Paris, Vegas or Hong Kong (Spring is Milan or New York).  Just how excited were we, then, to have Jason & Karen Kirk with us as the first optical business in the world to see and show the collection!  Very!

Kaleidoscope is a unique collection of handmade frames, colourful and like they have the appearance of almost being made of glass.  These frames are made from a unique Italian acrylic which makes them lightweight and comfortable to wear.

Jason & Karen Kirk - Designers / Owners of Kirk & Kirk

To be the first location to show off these beautiful creations three weeks before the industry first got to view them was an incredible honour.  Jason & Karen were here to answer questions and chat with people about their amazing eyewear, including the Vivarium and Solarium collections and the new Kaleidoscope range.  They were definitely a hit with Halifax as we had orders for new frames even before the were being hand made in France!

Come and check out the collection for yourself.

November

Just when you think things are going to be plain sailing, another idea pops up and you're off on adventure again!  After all of the excitement of having Kirk & Kirk with us, we'd enjoyed being part of the City Harvest and Nocturne events again and our thoughts were turning to the coming Winter and Festive Season.  

One thing that we always enjoy throughout the year is the space that our window provides for some fun displays, don't forget to check them out if you're walking along Blowers Street!  Here's our pretty winter scene to finish off the year!

Many thanks to everyone who made 2015 such a fabulous year!

What a year, 2015! (Part 1)

It's that time of year when you reflect somewhat and look forward even more, this is exactly what I did when I realised that it'd been a few months since our last blog!  Oops - there's a New Year's Resolution right there!  Must do better!

2015 ... WOW!

What a great year!  As a young business we are always looking for the next milestone, perhaps even the next reassurance that we are on the right path.  You could say it's a little needy, but you pour your hopes and dreams in to the business you create and so it helps to seek reassurance that they're not just going to crash and burn.

January

The year started off in a great way, continuing to create fabulous eyewear for folks to wear.  When

we say create, we really do mean that we can individually make one-off custom frames exactly to the desires of the wearer.

A great example of this is shown with local designer Bethan.  We had a definite look in mind, and starting with a slightly cats- eye  shaped frame, we weaved some wonderful design magic using the TD Tom Davies Supertool CAD system.  The end result - nailing exactly the look we were going for.

One of the great things about working with TD Tom Davies is that not only do you get to have fun with the creativity of designing the frame, you also end up with a beautifully fitting pair of glasses.  Like a made-to-measure tailored suit, the glasses just feel wonderful to wear.  This really set the tone for the rest of the year.

Then do you remember what happened next?  How can you forget!  Snow!  Snow, snow, snow, snow and snow.  With a side of ice.

 

The first few months were brutal and there's no getting away from it, there were some hard old days in those first few months for Downtown Halifax.  Sadly some of our friends on the downtown business scene were not able to make it through.

Getting out in these days and exploring the downtown is an incredible support for all of the many wonderful local small and independent businesses that make up the vibrant scene in Halifax.  If the weather happens again in 2016, you know what you've got to do.

March

On the night that the worst snow storm rolled in to Nova Scotia, our two docs (and owners) Dr. John Wilson and Dr. Euan McGinty headed off in to the wilderness.

Well, not quite, but they started an epic road trip to head to New York.  Driving cautiously in a blizzard all the way through New Brunswick, then travelling further on driving right through the night to get to New York, was definitely a moment which cemented the friendship of the creators of Ocean!

Why were they doing it?  Did they really stop to have a snooze at LL Bean?  Did they learn their lesson that when meeting border guards you are not the one allowed to crack the first joke?  In a snow storm?  At midnight?

The simple reason - to bring the finest independent eyewear from throughout the world back to Halifax.It was time to venture to the Big Apple again, on one of our buying trips looking for incredible eyewear to have exclusively at Ocean.  We seek out independent manufacturers who can produce eyewear which meets our exacting standards.  What are they?  They must be high quality, superbly designed, well made and have that 'X' factor - that they excite us.The trip to New York is a real highlight in our calendar and there is so much that we could share with you about it, here's just a few pictures:

May

Finally the weather started to warm up and, as you know, the sun is always shining on Blowers Street!

As the weather started to play nice, the city started to wake up out of hibernation and one of our favourite events came around - Open City.

This year we were joined by Humble Pies from Dartmouth who came across with a warmer and their most delicious pies.

If your in Dartmouth and looking for some fine food, then definitely check them out - http://humblepiekitchen.ca/It was a lovely day and we met lots of new people who we kind of new through the Twitterverse, as well as spending a fun day with the Humble Pie folks.  Humble Pie is a lovely new business creating the most delicious New Zealand style pies, if you haven't experienced them already they now have a permanent home over on King Street in Dartmouth, they also have a regular Friday pop-up in Fred, Halifax.It really wasn't long before we were starting to enjoy some beautiful evenings as well, as well as working hard, at Ocean, we like to enjoy life and relax as well.

Spending time with the people you love doing the things you love is incredibly important, don't forget to do it.  We love Nova Scotia and the fact that in the winter you can be skating on the lakes, but when summer rolls around you'll be swimming in them. The first six months of the year aren't over and already so much has happened, but to top it all, in May we were also honoured to meet Mayor Mike Savage.  First Dr. Euan and Dr. John were privileged to go to his office and then Mayor Savage came to Ocean to find out all what we were about.I'm not sure he quite got what he was meant to be doing during the eye examination, but it really was a wonderful experience meeting him and we are humbled by the time that he shared with us.

Through out all this busyness we did also manage to help some fabulous folks into some fine, fine eyewear!  We love regularly featuring them as our "Catch of the Day" through our social media feeds, so make sure you give us a follow on FaceBook, Twitter and  Instagram.

Stay tuned, we're only half way through 2015 ... more to come!

New frame range arrives @ Ocean Optometry

Kirk & Kirk - Vivarium

This may not come as a surprise to you, but we really do love our eyewear ranges here at Ocean!  We travel to the best international exhibits to meet with the finest creators of eyewear in the world.  At that point we then individually select the frames to bring back to Halifax for you to enjoy!

That may sound like quite the process, however, it makes a world of difference for our office!  It means that we don't just have generically styled and humdrum collections for you to choose from.

The arrival of a completely new collection is always an exciting event, and recently we had the great pleasure of opening up quite a special box from Kirk & Kirk.  Launched in September 2014 at Silmo, in Paris, these were a must have for us as soon as we saw them.

Kirk Brothers

Heritage

Jason and Karen Kirk have quite the pedigree as eyewear designers, so when they announced their
new venture, we knew it was going to be special.

Sidney and Percy Kirk first opened their workshop creating eyewear in 1919 in London, UK.  Renowned for their innovation and style, the Kirk Brothers soon became a benchmark to be compared against.  Three generations later, Jason and Karen Kirk are doing it all again!

One thing that we become quite nerdilly obsessed about, attention to detail - Kirk & Kirk has this in bucket loads!

Their inaugural ophthalmic collection is called Vivarium.  Vivarium is inspired by the Victorian obsession with science and nature, each frame is named after a famous scientist of that era - models include such great names as Curie, Fleming, Darwin and Carson.

Hand Crafted

Beautifully handmade in France, the frames balance a strong look, with contemporary styles and fashion leading shapes.  Kirk & Kirk have sourced an exceptional Italian acrylic material to create the frames with, allowing for a unique colour palette.  The metallic finish to the colours gives a warmth and depth which just isn't available in any other material.

The collection features blue, bordeaux, anthracite, brown, green and silver colours.  Describing them does not really do them justice, though, you need to try them on and see how the colour subtly alters as you move your head.  In some ways it almost seems like the frame is alive!

The idea of life is brought out in another unique feature that the collection has - decorative pins.  Each frame features two pins made in either 925 sterling silver or 9 carat gold, crafted with incredible detail by artisan jewellers in England.  Studying the workmanship that the pins features really highlights the attention to detail that Kirk & Kirk have used when creating this collection.

Intricate and whimsical, delicate and yet bold all at the same time you can be sure that you will be in touch with your inner Victorian Dandy when you choose Kirk & Kirk Vivarium!

What's scary about choosing eyewear?

We have many wonderful interactions with people coming in to Ocean Optometry to look for eyewear, but in the eighteen months since we have opened we have come to realise that perhaps we do things a little differently!  I'm not sure if it's right or wrong; better or worse ... it's just how we do things!

Then I remembered - we have a blog!  What a perfect vehicle to explain how we do things here at Ocean!

So here's some things to be aware of:

1 - We don't bite!

Seriously, we don't!  I know some people are concerned about asking for help - perhaps we will pounce on them?  We won't!

Mike, our optician, going through frame options with Stuart

We always try to make sure that when you come in to Ocean you are acknowledged, even if we are busy.  It's nice to be acknowledged.  We may even strike up a conversation, and that's just being polite.

If this is your first time visiting Ocean, we will explain a little about the collections of eyewear that we carry and give you a brief idea of the layout.  This lets you get a feel for the lie of the land.  Some people at this stage will want to then have a look unaccompanied, and we will always respect this.

It's fun to be able to try on different frames, without feeling that you are being watched.  One thing to be aware of, though, is we have hundreds of frames to choose from and it can all get somewhat overwhelming.  This is when having expert assistance in selecting eyewear comes in to its own, and that may not be the family or friends that are with you!

Hana falling in love with an Activist frame

At Ocean we are expert in choosing the right frames for you both in terms of form and function.

The frames have to look fantastic and be just what you are looking for, but they also have to work with your prescription.

Especially with frame ranges like TD Tom Davies where we can make a one-off frame completely from scratch just for you, having expert advice is invaluable.

We are sure you won't regret letting us help you choose your eyewear!

2 - There are no boys and girls!

We don't have our frames displayed by "gents" and "ladies" or male/female; boys/girls ... however you want phrase it!  These are collections of fine eyewear, not washroom selections!

The collections of eyewear that we carry all have unique characteristics - this is one of the advantages of working with independent eyewear manufacturers.

The frames selections that we have are not mass-produced homogenized product with a brand label stuck on it through a licensing agreement.  The eyewear collections are all hand made, often in small production runs, by artisan craftsmen with years of skill, knowledge and tradition.  They are producing styles created by designers who are the very cutting edge of eyewear fashion and the creators of the trends that others follow.

Eyewear by collection

Often you may hear terms like "designer eyewear" and it has become, in many ways, an overused and somewhat meaningless phrase.  What would perhaps be more correct would be "brand eyewear" or "label eyewear", where an eyewear manufacturing company has either bought a company for its brand, or has bought the licensing rights for a well known brand.

These frames are then designed in house, produced by that manufacturer and using the added strength of the brand attraction.  In many ways, what was originally attractive, inspirational or unique about a particular brand may no longer be true.  Eyewear brands such as Oakley and Ray-ban are no longer manufactured by the original makers, but produced by the same company.  If all that is important is the brand, and this may indeed be the key feature you are looking for, then you will be satisfied with your purchase.  At Ocean, however, we would rather pay for quality than a name!

Having definite collections to choose between allows you to really get a feel for the different eyewear ranges, so have fun exploring to find out what appeals to your senses.

3 - Is your eyewear exclusive or one-off?

Well, yes and no!

Hand made, embedded with French lace

If we design a Couture TD Tom Davies frame then it's definitely a one-off frame. Some of our frames are made from or incorporate natural materials, so they are definitely one-off frames, you will never find exactly the same colouration or patterning again.

When we choose our frame ranges, we like to offer something different.  Generally we are the only office within the Maritimes to carry any of the frame lines we do, in fact, there may not be anyone east of Toronto with the frame collection, perhaps even all of Canada!

SALT. are handcrafted in Japan

As the frame collections are hand made in limited production runs it is also important to remember that it may not be possible for us to order in a frame again.  When we do order eyewear, we don't like to repeat frames models and colours, we always like to have fresh and new selections to pick from.

We do advise people looking at our collections of this, and perhaps some think this is just a sales gimmick, but we can assure you it's not.  If someone comes back in and asks us for a frame which has already been chosen, there is nothing that we would love to do more than sell it again - that makes our lives so much easier!  There can be huge element of disappointment, though, to find out that the frame you set your heart upon last week has now gone.

Our best advice is if you find something you like, go for it!

This way you avoid any chance of disappointment.  It is not feasible for us to put frames aside, this would not be fair on other people coming in to look for their new eyewear.

Drift - handmade with reclaimed wood from sailing ships

If we are able to order in a frame which has gone, it is useful to remember there may be additional costs due to single piece shipping/customs charges.  With hand made products, we also find that there can be slight variations even when we receive the same model/colour again - this is part of their beauty.  If a patient has also requested that we do not re-order a particular frame we will also always respect that.

What's the take home message?

1. Choosing new eyewear should be a fun experience, let us help you and it definitely will be!
2. Find out about the different collections, knowing the history behind them make appreciating the design elements all the more significant.
3. Don't be a commitment-phobe!  If you find eyewear that you like, then make that decision and order them.

We will always give our honest opinion when you are choosing eyewear as we want people to love you in your new glasses - that way they will ask you where you got them from!  It's not all about you, after all ;-) !

Mark coming down to his final choice!

New York / Vision East Expo Day 4

With our heads full of exciting ideas from yesterday's day long workshop and evening festivities, we got up early to prepare for our full first day at the Javits Center.  We already had a series of appointments set up for the day, with them carefully spaced out to ensure that we had time for browsing and finding new collections and interesting items which we may want to bring back to Ocean.

Cold, clear bright morning

To get us set up for the day we grab a coffee and muffin in the Yotel - seriously if you want a cool place to stay while in NYC, definitely check it out!  The big advantage for us is that it is only ten minutes walk from the Yotel to Javits Center.  Perhaps this is a draw back, though, as just as happened in Paris in the Fall we arrive too early and the exhibition isn't even open yet!  I guess we're just too keen!

Drift Eyewear

We had a nice way to ease ourself into our day with our first appointment - Drift Eyewear.  This has been a fabulous collection for us, handmade in Chicago by some really cool people.  Like, seriously cool, I wish I was them, people.

Their new collection adds to the range of classic shapes and adds in a new colour for 2014.  It may not sound a lot, but with the frames made from bio-acetate fronts and reclaimed wood temples, they really don't need to do a lot to them.  

After catching up with the good folk from Drift, it was time to further delve into the Galleria area - this is definitely one of the highlights of the trip, to spend time immersed with a myriad of designers and manufacturers from around the world.  In this one area there are the more exclusive brands like Oliver Peoples and Alain Mikli, small independent luxury brands like L.G.R. and Eye Respect and cutting edge eyewear fashionistas like ic! berlin and Mykita.

Colourful and stylish as only the Italians can

It would be tempting to choose something from everyone in this area, however, when we are considering collections we have to make sure that they are a good fit for us.  One of the things we've been looking for is to find the perfect children's range.  So many of the children's frames currently seem to be miniature versions of adult frames, rather than having been designed with children in mind.

We were excited to have found Chick Eyewear when we were in Paris and it was time to view their new range just launched a few weeks before.  WOW! They were absolutely perfect, colourful in a European way, great shapes and fabulous material and construction.  It's so nice when something falls in to place so well and these children's frames absolutely were a perfect fit.

Our next appointment was with Jason Kirk to view the Savile Row frames.  These classic frames have been handmade in London, England, since 1932.  Synonymous with Harry Potter, John Lennon, Elton John and many more celebrities, the timeless elegance and quality of the 14K gold frames is unparalleled.  We have had enquiries about these frames since the day we opened, so now was the time to make the commitment to having a selection available all the time.

Catching up with Jason is also always fun.  He has a wealth of experience in eyewear design and has been the inspiration behind leading brands for years.  He has been involved with Savile Row for almost a year, however, what is very exciting is the upcoming launch of Kirk & Kirk, his new company.  We can't wait to see these in Paris.

ic! berlin - providing gluten free glasses for the masses

Our day was almost over, but there was still more appointment, with ic! berlin.  With a DJ knocking our some great tunes and Ralph Anderl, the owner, looking splendid in red ski pants and yeti boots, you know that any visit to ic! berlin is going to be exciting!

It never disappoints.  Our patients love ic! berlin and we now have people coming from out of province to us just to choose them.  Eric is great at going through the vast collection with us, helping select the best shapes and colours to bring back to Halifax to further enhance the selection which we provide.

The day was ended with a short stroll back to the Yotel, a beautiful meal in their new restaurant where we enjoyed a tapas like approach, but with an East meets West fusion and then on to the Loft.  You'll find out all about the Loft in the next blog, but this was more like the night before the day after.  Each year the Loft holds a party, strictly by invitation and we were the lucky holders of some invitations!  The night wound down with a little light rain not spoiling the perfect New York rooftop view!

The perfect NYC rooftop skyline view - thanks to the Loft

Green with envy?

Green with envy?

With spring just around the corner what better way to celebrate than wearing a frame which shines with the hue of the season....green. I know what your thinking...sure...yeah...ok green looks great on other people - but not on me. Are you sure?  Have you tried the many different shades and textures of green? Green can be bold and exciting or soft and subtle.

Think of mother nature's palette and you will realize that there is, indeed, a green out there for everyone - and we are here to help you find it.

Drift Eyewear Atticus

Is it possible to be soft and bold at the same time? The 'Atticus' by Drift certainly is. A warm green matte front is balanced perfectly with smooth, sleek temples handcrafted from the deck of a 70's racing yacht.

A frame with a story where you could be the next chapter. Where will it take you?

TD Tom Davies Bespoke

Choices, choices so many choices!  With TD Tom Davies you become the designer. Take your new found love of green to a whole new level and create your own masterpiece.

Change the size, colour and finish of your favourite style. Then - put your name on it (or handle, or mantra) and call it your own.

Bellinger Turbulens

Danish designed Bellinger screams sleek, sexy and sophisticated. Vibrant, bright colours such as this uber shocking lime green transform your glasses from an accessory to a statement.

Yet -the easy to wear style compliments the bright colours and makes for a perfectly balanced piece of eyewear.

Oliver Goldsmith Lord

Green isn't just for the frame. Why not try green lenses in your sunglasses to create a unique and fashionable look? While still dark enough to provide great sun coverage they take your style to a whole new level. 

This combination looks especially striking against tortoiseshell frames such as this Oliver Goldsmith beauty.

Claire Goldsmith Hollander

Retro meets modern, jade meets crystal in this stunning combination by Claire Goldsmith.

Sharp angles coupled with non-descript temples create a unique and wonderful style. Reminiscent of the fashion icons of the 50's and 60's this frame will turn heads and spark conversations.

gӧtti Winny

Sharp design made with ultra-light titanium this frame by gӧtti has solid style while feeling virtually weightless.

Classically beautiful this timeless piece will elicit rave reviews for years to come.

SALT. Clark

California style & California cool - does it get any better than this? SALT. optics are superbly well made frames with a style that is perfectly on-trend.

With SALT. green is never just green - its 'olive gradient' or 'tweed moss' and it's stunning.

Got the blues?

One thing I notice a lot of in the dispensary is when patients are trying on frames they always seem to shy away from certain colours. Blue, red, yellow and green are a few of the bright, beautiful colours that wait patiently on the shelf until a brave soul takes the plunge and realizes - Wow - I CAN wear blue/red/green/rainbow! 

Amazing.

One problem with fashion, I feel, is that people often get stuck in certain rules. They feel that their skin tone, hair colour, eye colour, etc predetermines what palette of colours they are destined to wear and this often extends to eye wear. Yes - those "rules" do tend to work and there are some colours that lend themselves beautifully to many skin tones BUT (and this is a big but) there are always exceptions and style rules are made to be broken.

The beauty of eyeglass frames is not only shape and colour - but material, texture, tone and polish. Such details can make a huge difference in how a certain frame looks and works with an individual's style and complete look. Case in point? Blue...

RockOptika - Herrington  'The Blues'

This is a BLUE frame that means business! Bold, bright and sassy it certainly makes a statement. I love how the strong style balances perfectly with the shiny polish of the indigo coloured acetate.

You don't just wear this frame you own it.

ic! berlin - 'Marie' in electric light blue

True class and style meet in this gorgeous electric light blue frame. Hand-crafted, extremely lightweight surgical stainless steel transforms to become discretely luminous by the addition of tiny crystals deposited onto the frame. This beauty really shines.

Drift - 'Atticus'

Texture can play a huge role in eyewear design and it's often over looked. The beautiful soft, matte finish on the acetate front of this frame plays well with the elegant hand-crafted wooden temples. When you try this on you may even forget that the frame front is indigo - your attention simply focuses on the soft textures and superb balance.

SALT. - Taryn in Jade Pearl Gradient

It's all about tone with this frame. Bold and exciting it's bright ocean blue acetate is softened ever so slightly by the crystal gradient. This frame is an ice-breaker, a conversation piece - a statement.  It combines beautifully the elements of the ocean, powerful and yet serene.

TD Tom Davies - showcasing a selection of acetate colour choices

Your frame should be as unique as you are. Sometimes what we have on display may not be quite what you're looking for. You may think - I love that frame but I wish it was a matte finish or I like the shape but I need it to be larger...well no matter what you want to change our TD Tom Davies bespoke collection will have an answer.

Like a tailored suit, these frames are individually hand-crafted to perfectly complement you. Simply choose the frame style you like and we work with you to customize the rest. By changing size, colour and/or finish we can design a frame that fits you - impeccably.