Chrome Hearts Sneak Peek!

For all you Chrome Hearts junkies out there, we at Gafas are releasing sneak peeks from the latest Chrome Hearts lookbook over the next few weeks. This is a lookbook that you would never see otherwise. Because of the exclusivity of Chrome Hearts, the only way to check it out is to visit one of their stores. Our team visited the Chrome Hearts crew when we were in New York last month, and the boys were kind enough to let us snap some pics of the book for you guys! Yay.

 

Chrome Hearts was established in 1988 by Richard Starck. Originally inspired by a love of motorcycles and a desire to have luxurious riding leathers, the company has grown to encompass jewellery, eyewear, accessories, apparel and furniture. The goal has been and always will be to integrate classic design with the best possible quality. Only the finest materials are chosen to create each piece, and the highest level of craftsmanship is guaranteed. But this brand is not for the weak of heart. The detailing is very bold and the collections are meant for those who can recognize and appreciate the quality craftsmanship put into each and every piece.

Tony hanging out with his new friend at the Chrome Hearts studio in New York

These items are only for sale at Chrome Hearts stores, and we of course will be getting the latest kickass eyewear in for you to lust over.

So here's a sneak peak of, well, our sneak peek...

Leather Pants with Sterling Silver stud details

Chrome Hearts gothic cross belt buckle with fine leather belt and sterling silver detailing

Set of 2 wrist cuffs: Leather cuff with sterling silver gothic cross and buckled cuff

Chain and pendant necklace with precious stones

Customized Chrome Hearts jeans

Leather thong

Leather belt with sterling silver gothic cross detailing

Set of 2 gothic cross necklaces

Cuff with laser cut design and gothic cross detailing

Silk scarf

Chrome Hearts mantra (But isn't that just another way to say Love You! Haha)

Sucker Punch Stylz!

Sucker Punch, the latest creation by director Zack Snyder, is getting mixed reviews but we think this film rocks! The film combines all our favourite things; kick-ass chicks who fight back against their oppressors, dragons and orcs, samurai giants, zombie Nazis, and action sequences that will blow your mind. The special effects were well done, the soundtrack is killer and synced to the film perfectly (it almost felt like a music video), and crazy wardrobe styling. And somehow staffer Anna managed to notice the eyewear in the flick when not being bamboozled by the sumptuous imagery that makes this stylized movie such a cool experience. (She also mentioned that Zack Snyder should do more films that aren’t based on graphic novels; too hard to adapt properly to the big screen).

Some of her favourite picks from the film?

The goggles that Blondie (played by Vanessa Hudgens) wore are steam-punk fabulousness.

For a more wearable version we are digging the Ralph Lauren Polo Active 10 from our Kings of Past shop-in-shop.

John Hamm wears some pretty awesome 50s inspired frames in his role as the Doctor. We think these Paul Frank’s (Instant Intellectual) are a dead ringer for the ones used in the film.

And last but not least, vixen Carla Gugino’s character Dr. Gorski wears a fabulous pair of cat-eye opticals.

To steal the look, try these Dita "Svelte" frames…

And if these trailer doesn't get you excited to check out this flick, we don't know what will...

Trend Watch: Green is the New Neutral

Are you sick of black and tortoise being your only neutral option for an optical frame? Fear not darling clients because there’s a new neutral in town. Green is the new black (and brown and tortoise) and while it may seem a bit odd to have a color as a neutral, keep in mind that green is more flexible in matching your clothes. Hate wearing black frames with a brown outfit? Green works. Does wearing brown or tortoise frames with black and grey make you cringe? Green is the perfect solution. See, it’s the perfect neutral!

Designers like Barton Perreira, Salt, Initium, and Entourage of 7 have been adding green to their collections.

Initium's popular "Bullet"

Get crazy with Barton Perreira's "Duran"

Make 'em green with envy over these Entourage of 7 "Wayne" frames

Have it your way with Initium's "My Way"

We think these great frames will have everyone turning green with envy of your kickin’ new neutral!

Lost in the Willderness: Gafas Feature!

Gafas got a visit from Will, a righteous photographer here in Toronto, who swung by for some business and to snap some wicked shots of the shop the other day. Will’s a cool dude and we have some awesome plans in the work with him and our pal Fresh. Check out the blog that Will did up on us and his kickass photography gallery!

New in Stock: Barton Perreira

We just got a whack-a-load of new Barton Perreira stock in the shop including some pieces from the Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony (FINALLY!). These are some of our hottest pieces and our favourites from the collection. Come in and check ‘em out.

"Candy" from the Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony Collection

"Darling" for the Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony Collection (L)

The "New Romance" this season from Barton Perreira (R)

"Landon"

"Duran" (L) and "Caine" (R)

The "Bronski"

Holiday Hours: Easter Weekend

We are closed tomorrow for Good Friday! Here are our holiday hours:

Friday               April 22                           CLOSED

Saturday           April 23                        11 am – 7 pm

Sunday             April 24                        12 pm – 5 pm

Monday            April 25                        12 pm – 8 pm

We hope everyone has a wonderful Easter weekend whether you’re Christian or not. Long weekends are perfect for spending time with family and friends. So this weekend, hug those you love, cook with passion, relax because you deserve it, and enjoy those around you!

Knowledge is Power: Contact Lens 101

Contact lenses are corrective lenses worn on the cornea of the eye. There are many options for contact lenses; hard shell or soft shell, daily disposables, two-week and monthly lenses, etcetera. There are also cosmetic lenses which change the color of the iris. Contact lenses need to be prescribed by an optometrist and properly fitted by a licensed optician. But for all the convenience of contacts, the risk is often a forgotten or over-looked issue. For those who are accustomed to wearing glasses, there are many differences in the care of both the eye and the lenses that are vital to follow for the health of the eye.

 Contact lens wearers MUST have their eyes examined by an optometrist annually. This is because the wear of lenses heightens the risk of trapped bacteria in the eye which can lead to infection, disease and loss of sight if untreated. Contact lenses MUST be fitted by a certified optician and a follow-up needs to be conducted every six months to ensure that your lenses are properly fitted and to catch any problems before they further develop.

 Caring for your lenses is VITAL!!! Here’s a quick list of what you should know (and do):

• CLEAN your lenses. You need to rub your lenses to properly clean them. This prevents protein build-up and bacteria that will infect and damage the eye.

 • REPLACE the lenses at the appropriate times. When the lens package has been opened it will expire in the time period specified. So for disposable lenses, they need to be changed each day. Two-week lenses expire after two weeks and are no longer safe to use. Wearing your lenses for longer than the specified time will result in infections and diseases that can be easily avoided by following your lens instructions.

 • Keep in mind that not all contact lenses are UV protected which means that you still need to wear your sunglasses to protect your eyes.

 • Excessive wear of your contact lenses is not recommended. Contact lenses trap bacteria between the lens and the eye, leading to infections. Not allowing your eye to “breathe” is unhealthy and unsanitary.

• DO NOT SHOWER OR SWIM WHILE WEARING CONTACTS! If it didn’t feel good the first time, trust me it won’t get better. Water trapped in your eye will affect your sight, if not immediately than in the long run. You could lose your sight and also develop a number of diseases which can result in the loss of the eye.

 • Contact lenses dry the eyes. For those who are already pre-disposed to dry eyes (either through genetics, smoking, birth control or other hormone altering medications, etc.) contact lenses should either be avoided or used minimally to prevent macular degeneration.

All the problems that contact lenses can cause may seem frightening or overwhelming, but if you are properly taking care of and following the guidelines set by your optometrist or optician the risks are much lower. If you have questions or concerns about contact lenses, either contact your optometrist or your optician or hit up Gafas on Facebook.

Brand Power: Kings of Past

Kings of Past is a world-wide purveyor of rare and unworn vintage frames. They carry both sunglass and optical pieces from a large roster of classic designers like Alain Mikli, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Cazal, Christian Lacroix, Dunhill, Laura Biagiotti, Paloma Picasso and sooooo many more. This ever-growing collection currently has thousands of vintage frames for sale on both their website and in their warehouse that will have vintage hounds crying tears of joy over the sheer magnificence of it all!

You can view and purchase from Kings of Past on their website and stay tuned for all the latest news on their blog. Gafas is the official shop-in-shop in Toronto which means you can come in and browse some of the pieces from the massive collection. We also have some of the super-rare pieces that Kings of Past has acquired on display for the viewing pleasure of our wonderful clients.

Trendwatch: Color Punch!

This season color blocking is one of the biggest trends that fashionistas and trendy cats will want to add to their repertoire. Everywhere you turn, neon and jewel-toned colors are deliciously assaulting our senses with their feel-good shot of joy that will perk up your wardrobe and your day. Whether you choose to go all out with color blocking from head to toe, or are experimenting with perking up your neutrals with a pop of it, this is a hot statement that is just perfect for the spring and summer.

Make pretty with purple; Entourage of 7, "Melrose" (L)

Be in the pink with Mykita's "Luna" (R)

Bright white is just right; Dita "Grandmaster Three"

Let the sunshine into your life with rose-colored glasses and sunny yellow brights

On 'quin's head, Mykita "Hector Flash"; Blinde "Forget About Me" (L)

On 'quin's head, Mykita "Rolf Flash"; Benjamin "Harmony" (R)

Sunglasses in cheery brights are a great way to further accentuate (or playfully test the waters) of this season's hottest look.

Showcase: Alain Mikli Treble Clef

Kings of Past recently added the Alain Mikli Treble Clef piece to their collection and Gafas is excited to be displaying this piece in our shop for all of you frame lovers to drool over!

This is THE rarest Alain Mikli frame to ever have been created and is one of only twenty that were created. They were hand-crafted by Alain himself for a Claude Montana fashion show in France in 1984 and never went into mass-production. It is a frame that is often thought of in conjunction with Andy Warhol, the king of pop culture, who was an owner of one of the pieces.

This frame will be on display at Gafas indefinitely, so come on by and see one of the most legendary and lusted for pieces by collectors of fine eyewear!

Client Profile: Charlie

Charlie is quite possibly the cutest client that has walked into Gafas in a while. He is sweet, eager, and VERY friendly. Although he looks like a bit of a tough guy, he is a total sweetie and these Carrera sunglasses are a perfect fit for his lovable mug. Technically these shades are actually his human mommy Laura's (and she looks great in them too!), but who can resist a pooch in glasses.

Here is our "Awwwwww..." moment of the day, from us to you, our beloved clients and friends!

And remember folks, Gafas is a pet friendly so whether you want to bring you cat, dog or iguana in while you shop, we are totally cool with it. Just please excuse us if we gush over your munchkin too much!

Eye Health 101!

The health of our eyes is very important, but many of us take it for granted or put optician visits on the back-burner so that we can focus on all the other busy aspects of our lives. For some, there is also the belief that seeing an optometrist is only neccessary if you are experiencing vision problems. But is this true or a myth?

IT'S A MYTH!

Each and every one of us should visit an optometrist every two years (annually if you are a contact lens wearer), the same as we visit our medical physician for annual health check-ups. With environmental aggravaters, genetic predisposition, and life-style choices that we all face, keeping track of the health of your eyes is vital.

So what does an optometrist do?

An optometrist doesn't just diagnose vision problems. They test your overall eye health for issues such as glaucoma (progressive damage to the optic nerve that can result in blindness if untreated) and cataracts (clouding that develops in the crystalline lens of the eyes and which causes near-sightedness, reduces the perception of blue colors and eventually leads to blindness if untreated). They can also detect eye cancers which may slip past the screening of normal medical testing. There are two main types of eye cancer; Primary Intraocular Cancer (which starts inside the eyeball) and Secondary Intraocular Cancer (which starts somewhere else and travel to the eyeball). Eye examinations may also show other medical issues such as diabetes which will lead to your optometrist recommending a physician appointment. And of course, optometrists also test and treat vision problems, eye strain, light sensitivity and color blindness.

So make sure that you put a visit to your optometrist on the top of your priority list!

New Stock: Maui Jim

In anticipation of Spring and Summer, we here at Gafas are ordering in great new frames from all our favourite designers. New in store today? The new collection from Maui Jim.

This line from Hawaii features the best quality of sunglass lenses on the market, featuring mirroring (to do the squinting for you), polarization (to eliminate glare), and high contrast so that you can see the world with exquisite saturation of color. The new models are departing from the typically sporty styles of past collections, featuring more fashion forward acetate frames and metal aviators.

Slick Aviators: "Sandalwood" and "Wiki Wiki"

"Aloha Friday", "Maui Cat" (Meow!), and "Pau Hana"

The new wrap sunglass has thinner temples which makes it a more versatile piece: "Island Time"

Stay posted on more lines that will be rolling into the shop in the near future!

Brand Power: Barton Perreira

Barton Perreira eyewear has become synonymous with timeless glamour and classic pieces that pay homage to the past while remaining relevant in the present. The line was launched a mere four years ago by the ex-president and the head designer of Oliver Peoples. Bill Barton and Patty Perreira launched their LA-based company in 2007 and have been creating stunning handcrafted pieces ever since.

Each piece is meticulously hand-crafted in Japan and inspected by Perreira at each stage to ensure that perfection is achieved. All the lenses used for the sunglass collections are of the most superior CR-39 optical-grade plastic and mineral glass which offers 100% protection and comfort. The lenses and plastic zyl colors are custom designed and created to flatter a broad range of skin tones.The collections are manufactured in small quantities which gives the brand a feel of exclusivity.

Sunglasses:

Go with a bad-ass aviator shape, "Brasco" (L); A sleek titanium frame for the ladies, "Vionnet"  (R)

We "Suspect" that these shades will get you noticed (L); A "Demure" classic wrap to keep your peepers protected from that mean old sun (R)

Optical Frames:

Bigger is better with "Sebastian" (L) and "Sintra" (R)

Unique, old-school styles are where it's at: "Percy" (L) and "Hanson" (R)

An ode to the days of glamourous style: "Chelo" (L) and "Kelley" (R)

Celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Marcia Cross, Ben Affleck, Kate Beckinsale, Angelina Jolie and Selma Blaire have all jumped on the Barton Perreira bandwagon and are seen flaunting their fabulous eyewear all about town and you can be too. We have a large selection of optical and sunglass eyewear in the store and are expecting new stock soon, so come on down to the shop and we will be happy to show you this incredible brand.

Initium: Admirals Club

As anyone who keeps an eye on the blog may have noticed, we've been going on about the Initium "Admirals Club" shades for quite awhile now. Anna was lusting hardcore for the white and black pinstriped ones and everyday they'd call her from their little place on the shelf. Yesterday seemed the perfect day to end the torture. Yay for Anna!

"I love Initium's collection. The shapes are perfect for me - both for my structure and I love that very few of the peices are overtly femme. I tend to go more for masculine shapes so the "Admirals Club" was perfect...masculine but still not so thick a frame that it overwhelmes my face. The fit is very comfortable and they feel very light on my face which is great as I tend to like forgetting I'm wearing anything. And they just look super cool. Everything I own seems to look better with these babies on my face."

If you come by the store in the next few days, don't be surprised to see Anna jiving inside the shop with them on. She just can't help it. They're too cool!