Guest contributed by Jennifer Irizarry @jennyfriend
Sons + Daughters Eyewear has become synonymous with classic style, forward-thinking design and premium quality. The range of eyewear utilises the finest hand-made materials and highest grade lenses to provide crystal clear, 100% UV protection.
Founded in 2011 by Shiva Shabani and Calvin Yu, the brand is inspired by the unbridled spirit, passion and unlimited potential of youth. We sat down with Calvin and Shiva to talk about their recent Bobo Choses collaboration, the soon-to-launch Studio collection, and a little Chow Yun Fat thrown in for good measure. Enjoy!
JS: How did you two meet?
Shiva: We’ve been friends for over 10 years now! We met while working on set and have been creatively collaborating since.
JS: Children’s eyewear is a very specific niche. How did you first get interested in it?
Calvin: I’ve had to wear glasses starting from a very young age and growing up it wasn’t a very cool thing. There wasn’t many options for my parents or I (as a kid) to choose from at the time, children’s eyewear felt pretty geeky. For me personally, to be able to make eyewear something that’s more fashionable and fun for kids is a great thing.
Shiva: Making a brand that celebrates creativity and a brand that makes a difference in people’s lives is our core intention.
Sons and Daughters is a creative and playful approach to celebrating kids. Given that there’s multitude of options in other sectors, we felt that eyewear is a necessity, and there really wasn’t many brands out there that put enough care into the design aspect of the frames at the time.
JS: We love the Bobo Choses collaboration. What was it like working with such an iconic brand? Do you have any more collaborations in the pipeline you can tell us about?
Shiva: Bobo Choses was the first kid brand that we collaborated with and they really embody the world of creativity and imagination that we value. We felt that they were really on brand with what we keep close to heart. Working with them has been effortless and when things click, they just click!
Calvin: I think there’s a good friendship there. BoBo Choses was the perfect fit and not just in terms of the brand, but also the people behind the brand.
We’re just scratching the surface of what’s possible and what’s about to come. We are a very people oriented at heart and have a collaborative culture within. Future collaborations are definitely in the works, but we can’t talk about it just yet!
JS: We are super excited about your new line Studio, which offers the quality and style you are so known for at a much more accessible entry price. I know for moms who constantly lose things ( like me ) this new line will be a hit. When will it be available? Do you have a favourite from this line?
Shiva: The whole studio line has been in the works for over three years now. We wanted to make sure to offer a line that’s consistent in quality and attention to detail with our classic line. There’s many great options, out of the bunch the Cat Cat frame is my favourite! It’s completely a new design, it’s fun, playful and at the same time bold.
The release date is scheduled for June 1st! The Studio line will be available in selected retailers and on our on-line shop at: www.wearesonsanddaughters.com
Be sure to check it out!
Cavin: Agreed! My favourite is the Cat Cat frames as well. I think it’s the most fun and playful frame.
JS: Let’s talk about style icons. Who are your favorite arbiters of style, both past and present?
Calvin: My favourite style icon changes over time, depending on what I’m excited about. Director, Wong Kar Wai’s movies are always a source of inspiration. Chow Yun Fat, the actor from the 80’s Hong Kong movies is definitely a style icon to me. I gravitate towards timeless style.
Shiva: It’s difficult to choose! It’s the same as picking a favourite colour…it’s very hard to say who would make the cut as my top style icon. Aesthetically speaking, there’s artists from a wide range of disciplines I respect.
Rei Kawakubo definitely comes to mind, I find her incredibly inspiring. I admire her bravery and boldness in delivering ideas and the way she leads her life. Style isn’t just about the way one dresses, it extends far beyond, to every department of how one chooses to eat, live and everything in between.
And… OH! I’m always so inspired by Wes Anderson films and imagery.
JS: You call Vancouver home. Any plans for a brick and mortar store there?
Calvin: A pop up shop could be in the works! Having said that, we don’t have any solidified plans of a fixed brick and mortar set up at the moment.
JS: Finally, have you read any great books or discovered new or new to you music you’d care to share with our readers?
Calvin: Currently, I’m really liking the DVSN album which is new R&B music, and Drake’s station OVO Sound Radio is really good. I also just saw Wild Nothing perform and they’re really awesome and a favorite band of mine.
Shiva: I just started to re-visit my J.D. Salinger, Catcher In The Rye book. I can’t seem to get enough reads of this one.
In addition to the Sons + Daughters online store, the collection is available at over 300 retailers throughout the world.
Do you have a favorite frame or style? Shiva and Calvin want to hear from you! Email press@sonsanddaughters.com
