An encounter between Oliver Goldsmith and Art Comes First: the essence of British design unraveled through the testimonies of three people.

rootThe brand was founded in 1926, and we stopped operating in the 1990s, but we restarted in 2005. We started carrying the brand at Continue at that time. We have been focusing on the brand since that time, and it is one of the main brands in the store.

root. It was a brand that ran through the 50s to the 70s, a time when European fashion was rapidly sharpening. New designs were created, and the brand was used on the cover of "Vogue" and was loved by highly sensitive celebrities since that time. Even though the brand went on hiatus, due to a culture that values its own history, " Oliver Goldsmith" has a list of celebrities, a vast archive of designs, and other materials from that time that are still firmly in place.

rootYes . When you start a new creation, you can restart it with a high degree of accuracy. The difference is huge.

rootWhile based on traditional aspects, there is an impression that a free sensibility is added to it. . There is a sense of originality in the use of color, or the use of thick celluloid frames. In contrast, I have the impression that American designs are more faithful to traditional styles. In that sense, I think Oliver Goldsmith is pursuing fashion. They are creating new shapes and making products that stimulate the senses.

rootVarious overseas brands are now using Japanese factories for their manufacturing, and Oliver Goldsmith was one of the first to adopt Japanese manufacturing, focusing on the "Tsukuri (=quality)" aspect. However, "Oliver Goldsmith" was quick to adopt Japanese manufacturing, focusing on "Tsukuri (= quality)." By finishing edgy designs with Japanese quality, items with a higher degree of perfection can be created. Many people are attracted to these backgrounds and pick up these items.

rootOliver Goldsmith and Art Comes First are both brands with an unshakeable axis, aren't they? I think that by having these brands work hand in hand, the eyewear has become more powerful. While respecting the bare bones of the base model, the size of the lenses has been boldly changed, and colors and logos have been added to update the item to make it more unique.

root. yes, it is. In fact, in our stores, we get a good response from fashion lovers as well as customers who have their own style. While paying respect to the history that "Oliver Goldsmith" has built up, "Art Comes First" also expresses their own sense of style. I think it is a very attractive collaboration.

(historical) paddy administered directly by a rulerYes, we have selected items for every season since we started in the fall/winter of 2013 , and we are always looking for new items. Art Comes First is led by Sam Lambert and Shaka Madeau, who have been remaking vintage suits and making clothes since before they started the brand. Sam was originally a tailor on Savile Row, and Shaka did artwork and fashion styling.

(historical) paddy administered directly by a rulerTheir creations are based on British tailoring, mixed with the music, movies, and other cultures that have influenced them. . In England, it seems that musicians who play rock and punk often wear them.

(historical) paddy administered directly by a rulerIt's really hard to say, because there is such a wide range. However, they call themselves "punk tailors," and they express the punk mentality through their designs. For example, for the fall/winter 2017 collection, they reflected Congolese youth culture of the 1950s. At that time, Congo had a very large percentage of its population in their 20s, and they were revolting against the regime of the time. . So they also drew inspiration from those political topics.

(historical) paddy administered directly by a rulerTheir ideas and style are consistent. We share their attitude. Even though their stance is focused on spirituality, it is inevitably British. I think this is because they are sincere about what they believe in. I am attracted to the fact that they are firmly rooted in the culture and send out a message.

(historical) paddy administered directly by a rulerIt is rare to find a brand that doesn't claim to be a British brand, but yet has a strong sense of its essence. . I think that's why we were able to collaborate with various long-established British brands and Oliver Goldsmith.

(historical) paddy administered directly by a rulerActually, I had heard from them that they were going to collaborate with us for a long time. I had a strong impression of "Oliver Goldsmith" in terms of optical products such as "CONSUL," so when I heard that they were going to make sunglasses, I wondered, "What will happen? When I heard that they were going to make sunglasses, I wondered how it would turn out. But when I actually saw the items, I thought they were very nice because they had the "Art Comes First" style while respecting the relationship with fashion that "Oliver Goldsmith" has established in Europe.

(historical) paddy administered directly by a ruler. The yellow gold sunglasses are a color that you don't see in inline products. However, on the other hand, it is also a coloring that is typical of "Art Comes First. Also, I feel that the addition of the parts on the temples and other details were carefully selected.

(historical) paddy administered directly by a rulerI think it would be cool to wear a suit and look crisp, but every model has its own character, so it would be stylish with a simple outfit. I think they have character.

waterfallThe Conran Shop" has a desire to enrich the lives of our customers through design. In terms of delivering quality design, we believe that eyewear can be a part of that.

waterfallIt's been about 5 years now. I myself use this brand of eyewear and have always wanted to carry it. . The form is classic, but the design is playful and sophisticated. That's what I find attractive. It has the power to change your mood when you put it on. . But it doesn't make me feel uncomfortable, and I like the fact that it feels natural and blends in with my face.

waterfallI think it's a great challenge to modify Oliver Goldsmith's completed designs. I sympathize with this attitude. While there are many conservative updates that just change the color, in this collaboration, the standard item was reborn as something new by drastically changing the size, adding more parts, and so on. I thought this was a very "Art Comes First" approach.

waterfallYes, I think so. I think that the addition of items with this kind of edgy design to our lineup will be unexpected, and customers will be interested in them.

waterfallWhen I visited "Art Comes First" on Instagram, your illustrations caught my eye. I thought that if we could offer art along with the interior design, it would be more relevant to the interior and easier to deliver to our customers.

waterfallWe were surprised too. He is based in Fukuoka, and his delicate depiction is very appealing, isn't it? He depicts a view of the world that cannot be expressed in photographs. That is what makes it unique. We asked him to create a new illustration for this project.

waterfallYes, it does. Just as wearing sunglasses increases the appeal of fashion, displaying a work of art in a room increases the completeness of the interior. In this sense, art and sunglasses may be similar. I would be happy if people who do not usually wear eyewear can get to know the world of both brands through this work.