For the Butterfingers
For the Collector
For the Sun Chaser
For the impossible to buy for?
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(Carlo Mollino, 1905-1973)
(Mollino's Lago Nero Sled Station, Sauze d'Oulx, 1946)
However, Mollino was not a man to be pigeonholed. Flamboyant in his array of interests, he abandoned architecture for a portion of his life to invest time in automobile design, stunt piloting, and an extensive catalogue of nude photography. A fascinating figure, Carlo Mollino remained mystifying throughout his lifetime – with an undeniable creativity to challenge the status quo.
Hence, Mollino is the namesake behind the Jacques Marie Mage Molino frame. Cemented in its place within the JMM arsenal, the decisive rectangular shape emulates the acclaimed Italian’s panache for angularity & balance, the impeccable construction and subtle bevel detailing bringing forth the sensuality Mollino weaved through all his work.
JMM Molino & Molino 55 available online & in-store
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So you might be inclined to think that Eyezen lenses would not be something I'm interested in. After wearing Eyezen lenses for 9 months now, I don't think I could ever go back to normal lenses.
So what are Eyezen lenses? Eyezen is Essilor's new fancy name for a specific type of lens. You get Eyezen Start and Eyezen Boost. Eyezen Boost is a bit like a baby varifocal thanks to the boosted reader section in the lens that is scaled based on your age and prescription. Eyezen Start doesn't have that boosted section but does still take advantage of considering your reading/near vision zone in your lenses.
So how does this differ from a normal lens? Typically single vision lenses do not have separate near vision and distance vision zones. In order for a lens to have that, you would be looking for a varifocal. What this means for single vision wearers, is that their lenses are specifically designed for them to always be looking out the very centre of the lens. This is why you get your pupil distance measured, and your lenses made so the optical centre of the lens matches where your pupil sits when you look straight ahead.
This is fine on paper, but people don't always look through the centre of their lenses. People often check their peripheral, look up and down without moving their head, and generally focus on certain things around them and look through every part of their lens. This can lead to a lot of eye strain and fatigue. Because you are not looking through the optical centre of your lenses, your eyes have to work harder to get that perfect vision.
So what does Eyezen Start do differently? It takes your distance vision and near vision zone into account when making your lenses, and means your eyes don't have to strain nearly as much. This might sound like a lot of science, but the real world effects have been very noticeable for me.
I regularly suffer from headaches and eye fatigue. This is partly because my job involves a lot of reading, responding to emails on my phone, iPad, etc. which means my posture isn't always perfect and I certainly don't always look through the centre of my lenses. With me spending most of working day looking at screens and then coming home and looking at more screens, I often find my eyes feel almost sore when I finally take my glasses off for the day.
With all of this in mind, once I heard about Eyezen Start, I was very interested. Since February 2021 I have been wearing Eyezen in my Octagon frame from Rigards, and even within the first week I could notice a difference in comfort. I had updated my other frames to an AVA prescription just a month prior, and I noticed I needed a week or two in order to adjust to that type of prescription. This did make me worry I would need longer to adjust to Eyezen as well. I'm very pleased to report that I needed no adjustment period at all. Straight away I noticed my eyes didn't feel as tired in the evenings, and I even felt my vision was better when compared to my other lenses (although I think the latter is as a result of the lens itself being more comfortable, and having an amber transition).
Nine months on I still find my Eyezen lenses to be my most comfortable pair. And thanks to me regularly switching between non-Eyezen and Eyezen lenses on the daily, I can confirm I still notice a difference to this day. I fully intend to get Eyezen lenses for all of my future frames, and I will probably continue to get a light tint put in them too (personal preference, but I always find a light tint makes lenses more comfortable and stylish).
Any questions about Eyezen? Leave us a comment or an email and I'll be happy to help!
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With only one of each frame available at Niche Bazaar Studio and the Fellini already reserved, this collection is certainly one not to miss.
George Cortina has once again partnered with Jacques Marie Mage for a new and exclusive collection. Inspired by traditional aviator shapes, the Cortina features Jacques Mare Mage's signature Japanese acetate in a modern and military-esque shape with vibrant colours.
This exclusive collaboration is limited to 100 pieces worldwide. So what colour takes your fancy? Choose wisely. There might never be another chance to grab one of these special pieces.
"The scales have tipped in your favor, for you’ve acquired one of the necessary accoutrements of any polished provocateur: limited-edition aviators designed by Jacques Marie Mage and celebrated fashion editor George Cortina. Handcrafted in Japan with astonishing attention to artisanship, these collectibles represent a sophisticated mix of elegance and attitude."
]]>Handcrafted in Japan and made by craftsmen who have worked with the brand for decades, Dita has a deep devotion to high quality materials, bold designs, and minimal ornamentation.
Niche and Dita both aim to focus on the individual when creating frames. We both wish to furnish clients with eyewear that makes them stand out from the crowd, and reflect their individuality. There's no space for wallflowers with Dita, and even their most classic of frame shapes exude individuality in the details.
With much of their work being made from titanium, each piece is highly durable and refined, with details in the construction being truly show-stopping.
To help introduce the brand, we thought it would be best to show one of our favourite campaigns from them. If you wish to get an idea of who Dita are, this will certainly leave a lasting impression.
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Are the prices on your website including VAT/Tax?
If you are shopping with us in the UK, then yes. If you are shopping with us outside of the UK, then no.
Our website automatically removes the 20% VAT when being viewed outside of the UK, so our international clients will always see the price excluding VAT/Tax.
So I don't have to pay taxes when shopping with you?
You don't have to pay UK taxes when shopping with us outside of the UK, however you will have to pay any import fees applied by the country you reside in. This will vary by country and state, so we are not able to provide an estimate. It will typically be the same percentage you pay on local goods however. So if you pay 5% tax where you are located, you will likely be charged a 5% import fee on the cost of the goods.
Do I get a tax refund when shopping with you?
No. Because we do not charge VAT/Tax on orders outside of the UK, there is no tax to refund. The price you are seeing on the website will be excluding VAT/Tax, and you may have to pay your local tax rate once the goods have been delivered to you.
Will I definitely have to pay import fees for my order?
Most likely. Sometimes our clients find they are not charged any additional fees. Sometimes they do have to pay their local tax rate. It depends on the country and the local import offices.
Will you refund any import fees I am charged?
As much as we would love to show the cost including international tax for our clients, this is not feasible. This is because it varies greatly between countries and orders.
Unfortunately we are unable to predict or refund import fees charged once orders arrive in our clients' local countries.
So nothing has really changed?
Exactly! It's the same experience if you were outside of Europe before Brexit, and Europe now goes through the same process as the rest of the world. Although we miss being a part of the EU here at Niche, we're pleased that our international clients can still shop with us happily.
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You might notice we now have Optical and Sun collections featuring much more prominently in our menu bar, and you'll also find Joy of Spex has been reintroduced to the menu bar as well! We're hoping this refresh makes shopping with us even more enjoyable.
We've also added some new filters within the optical and sun collection, as per popular request! You can now filter by brand within the optical/sun pages, and filter by optical/sun within the brand pages!
We've also added Men, Women, and They/Them to our filter options due to popular demand. We always want to be as inclusive a brand as possible and intentionally didn't gender our frames for a long time. If our clients have feedback on how we can improve upon this, then please do let us know!
We hope these new tools make the website more enjoyable and convenient to navigate. Let us know your thoughts and feedback, and we'll be happy to help!
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Just Kidding! But how amazing was I Care a Lot? Available on Netflix pretty much everywhere, it stars Rosamund Pike as a conspiring legal guardian who tries to coerce the wrong woman. No spoilers here, but let's talk spectacles.
Throughout the movie, Rosamund Pike wears a Garrett Leight staple; The Hampton in Champagne.
With Garrett being a true icon of California eyewear, there's a piece perfect for every face. Just a warning though: if you want to live your true Rosamund French Vanilla Fantasy, then you best be quick in snapping up the Hampton. With only one Champagne version left in store with us now, we don't think it is going to last long.
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"Let your fences down, loosen the lines, hum a song that fetches tears.
Soften your saddle, release your fears, roam the range beyond the divide.
Plan your paths, part your ways, remember youth is a lonesome bride.
Plant yourself in some stretch of West, where the sun hangs low and wide."
Jacques Marie Mage starts their Winter 2020 collection with these words. With bold 70s inspired shapes such as Squeeze and others inspired by designers such as Brionvega, there are many different influences that shine within this collection.
With some pieces limited to 200 globally, the demand has already proven strong for this new collection.
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Niche Optical Tailor and Niche Bazaar Studio will remain open during January 2021. In-line with government advice, we are happy to let our customers know that as an essential service provider we are able to provide you with the usual high standard of eye-care, that you know and love, from the team at Niche.
]]>For emergency eye-care appointments, or to discuss your needs please contact Niche Optical Tailor on 01415532077.
We are currently operating an appointment only service at both of our stores, this is to ensure social distancing and the safety of our customers and team. If you would like to book an appointment, collect a frame or have a fitting please click here
Please do get in touch if you have any questions, we would love to hear from you...
Wishing you a happy and healthy 2021
Team Niche x
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A few things to note about these deadlines however:
Monday 21st of December | Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland |
Friday 4th of December |
Australia, New Zealand |
Wednesday 9th of December |
Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Central and South America, Far and Middle East |
Thursday 10th of December |
Canada, Cyprus, Malta |
Friday 11th of December |
Greece, Eastern Europe (except Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia), and Turkey |
Saturday 12th of December |
Czech Republic, Finland, Italy, Poland, Sweden, USA, |
Wednesday 16th of December |
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland |
Friday 18th of December |
Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg |
Including brand new Fellini, Dealan, and other models, there is sure to be something exciting for everyone!
Let’s Talk Lenses.
With both sun and optical versions available for many out of the box, we are always able to provide custom lens solutions. Whether it be a custom tint, or transition lenses, we are always happy to help.
With some such as The Savile being limited to only 150 available worldwide, each frame is truly a collector’s dream.
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