LFW: Showroom Next Door: Bruno Chaussignand

The missed but not forgotten tortoiseshell specs by Bruno Chaussignand Lunettes

Continuing my excited ramblings on the wonders inside the Showroom Next Door, I would like to introduce you to Bruno Chaussignand Lunettes. Actually scrap that. It really should be a case of re-introducing you. Do the wonderfully crafted tortoise shell glasses shown above appear familiar to you? Well, they should because an identical pair used to sit proudly on my nose. For a few months happy we were inseparable...(oh what amazing days they were)...but then, on one drunken night they fell off, never to be seen again...that is until now...

My face misses Bruno Chaussignand Lunettes

Although the story might be hard for me to recite...it is one I surely must tell because lessons need to be learned. I had searched the streets and stalked the Internet for months on end on the quest to uncover the perfect pair of tortoiseshell spectacles. I tried on a great number of frames but none of them felt right, that was until a good friend recommended Spex In The City to me. Of course I chuckled at the name but as soon as I was inside this independent opticians located just off Seven Dials in Covent Garden, I knew that I would discover the right ones. It was then, that the lovely proprietor, Gillian Caplan first introduced me to Bruno Chaussignand Lunettes and my ideal frames. It was instantly apparent that Bruno Chaussignand Lunettes take great pride in the exceptionally high quality of materials and workmanship that goes into producing each individual frame. The moment I first put them on back in August last year I fell head over heels and invested in a pair. Over the course of the next few months I rarely took them off because I felt somewhat naked without them sitting astride my nose. Like all good frames, they became an extension of my face. However, on one particular night, New Years Eve to be precise, I really should have left them at home. Instead I wore them to a duuuurty warehouse party in Dalston where I drank far too much bring your own booze and danced a little too hard. During a particularly raucous, audacious but ultimately disappointing move they flew off my nose and in to the black hole that was the dance floor. From that moment on I have squinted and strained rather than wear any of the frames lying in the graveyard of specs located in my bottom desk drawer.

Two new Bruno Chaussignand Lunettes.

I loved the Showroom Next Door because in addition to the opportunity to inspect new collection up close it allowed the chance to learn more about the labels involved by speaking to the people involved. The story of Bruno Chaussignand Lunettes is really the story of lifelong friends, Bruno Chaussignand, and Sandie Ortola. Their common passion for design and travel forged during a ten year friendship, which thankfully for us, inspired them to channel their creativity and excellence into eye wear. Rebuking current mass market production techniques, Bruno Chaussignand Lunettes hand-make each frame in France. These are then polished over three days to ensure a smooth and seamless finish, free from all superfluities. Lacquer is not applied at any time in production of the frames; all-natural materials are used to safeguard against potential allergy risks. Now that I have been reminded of the quality and craftsmanship, not to mention the obvious aesthetic appeal of the Bruno Chaussignand Lunettes selection it is time to invest in a new pair of glasses and while I'm at it, I might just pick up a pair of sunglasses... and I promise treat them with the respect that they deserve because I dont want to lose another pair!

I love the reflective lenses in these beautiful frames.