When designer Ti Kwa met musician Jean Marc Virard, they had an instant connection - bonding over a shared love of unique frames. In the early 2010s an idea was sparkedo start an eyewear brand. Inspired by nature, the growing concern of global warming was a big & contributing inspiration, thus both Ti and Jean wished to protect the earth as much as possible, utilising the highest quality materials, and ensuring each piece is one-of-a-kind.
RIGARDS – Stemming from the French word “regards”, meaning to look. Perfectly encapsulating the ethos of a brand exhilarated by the Avant Garde.
Avoiding conventional fashion choices and determined to be different, Rigards has always stood out from the competition. After only a year the designers first collection was showcased in 2012.Proving they could create a brand that utilised a nature first perspective, Rigards hosted their very own show a year later at SILMO Paris the following year - awarding them the opportunity to finally share their designs independently. Following an era of daring creative exploration, the brand pioneered the use of copper in their newest frames and was the introduction of their new “time machine” techniques - allowing a unique patina to develop much faster than it would in the real world. This method has quickly established itself as a statement process for Rigards, resulting in natural finishes & materials to become synonymous with the brand as a whole.
Applied in the fan favourite MAD SCIENTIST frames, copper magnifies how beauty can develop over time: ever-changing. The copper used is naturally anti-microbial and non-toxic to skin - ensuring maximum comfort on any face, Rigards priding themselves on being equal parts from and function.
Copper isn’t the only metal that Rigard’s products utilise. With the introduction of sterling silver, the brand’s artisans began to construct with extra geometry, producing ever more eye catching & intricate styles. Priding themselves on the individuality of their frames, the handcrafted natured produced no two frames that were exactly the same - akin to how nothing in nature grows identical, neither does anything from Riagrds.
When including wood in the production process, Rigards handpick each piece based upon characteristics such as grain, colour & density. Keeping mother nature and the great outdoors in mind, many designs take on the look and feel like the natural world through the materials they're designed with. However, to negate the bulkiness of elements such as wood, the brand combines it with the use of aluminium magnesium - allowing them to achieve an isolated and lightweight frame. This fusion of chemical & natural creates the comfort that the brand strives for, producing pieces of wearable artwork.
From the very beginning, Rigards has always had the same goals; to create artisan eyewear unlike anything else, utilising distinctive materials that won’t harm the earth, and finally creating a wide variety of spectacles for everyone, and anyone, to enjoy. With that, we can say that they’ve been more than successful.