Oliver Peoples, the Luxury Sunglass Brand, and Chippenhook have been working together for years. Their creative team and our designers have collaborated on innovative projects throughout the years. These range from single-frame modern sculpture brass displays to large walnut mid-century modern influenced floor cabinets.
Essential to this union is Steve, our VP of Design’s affinity for “the Oliver People’s sophisticated and timeless aesthetic.” His personal collection of glasses includes eight pairs of Oliver Peoples. Only to be outdone by an even higher count of vintage & current Oliver Peoples eyeglass cases. Suffice to say – any project Steve Kidwell does for Oliver Peoples is a true labor of love!
About the Brand
A heritage brand born in the heart of West Hollywood, on Sunset Boulevard, Oliver Peoples was founded in 1987 with the opening of its first boutique. The unique culture of Los Angeles, elements of fashion, film, art, and music continue to inspire their luxury sunglasses and eyeglasses. Not to mention the overall vibe of the brand.
Each Oliver Peoples frame is handcrafted with careful attention to detail. They take pride in sculpting and perfecting the materials to achieve a balanced and refined final product. The technically intricate process involves both state-of-the-art machinery and the human touch. An example of this is the individual hand-insertion of genuine pins and plaques. Each frame is tumbled and polished. Finally, it is hand adjusted while carefully referring to the original drawing created in the design studio in West Hollywood.
Our Design Challenge
Oliver Peoples had designed a line of Solid Gold Sunglass frames. They were made from 18K Gold and would retail around $3400 per pair. They called us to design a countertop vitrine that would display the glasses in pairs. The goal was to make the presentation feel intimate and ‘limited edition’. Equally important was to keep them safe & secure – but doing so without having a visible locking system. Lastly, they wanted the vitrine to deliver a unique experience when the Oliver Peoples Associate would reveal the Solid Gold Sunglasses to the client.
An Innovative Design
Because the brand’s design balances both heritage elements from its past as well as modern touches, Steve wanted the materials to be familiar ones we’ve used throughout the store. Yet the performance of the vitrine would be new & unique within the store environment.
The base is walnut with an acrylic hood. Inside the hood, the 18 Karat glasses sit on a cream leatherette pad. A SOLID GOLD plaque that heralds this collection is magnetic. Thus allowing the vitrine to be moved around the boutique, keeping it in place, and always maintaining a proper Brand expression.
The new design element is the hidden track that was designed underneath the walnut base. When a boutique Associate places the vitrine in front of the client and then pushes down on the walnut sides, they can slide them straight out on each side. This allows the acrylic hood to be lifted off the display. The Solid Gold glasses are now revealed and accessible for the Client to try on.
The End Result
Oliver Peoples is a Luxury Brand, so all displays showcase exceptional products and design. That said, these 18 Karat sunglasses elevated that to a higher level still. They wanted this display and ‘the reveal’ of the glasses to create a moment of delight for the Clients. Consequently also protecting these assets in an unobtrusive manner.
The vitrines are in the Oliver Peoples boutiques now. Since then we have received multiple compliments from their Creative Team as well as their boutique Associates who appreciate the innovative and experiential design we’ve given to them and their clients.