Our Blackcap frame is continuing its journey to stardom.
Not only has this model won Frame of the Year in this year’s Optician Awards, alongside some huge names, but the London Museum of Optometry have asked us if they can feature our Blackcap frame as part of their highly curated collection.
The Museum of Optometry is located in the centre of London and was founded in 1901. It’s recognised as the oldest optical museum in the world and their remarkable collection comprises over twenty-seven thousand outstanding items. So we’re absolutely thrilled that Bird is now a part of this great legacy.
Why the Blackcap?
The museum collects objects and archival items relating to the history of optics, the human eye and visual aids, as well as the representation of these subjects in art. The museum’s collection is an internationally important resource for studying the development of the various sight-related occupations, from Medieval spectacle makers to today's highly skilled optics, as well as for the history of design, fashion and sensory impairment.
The Blackcap is a sophisticated and unique frame, named after the Blackcap bird which features similar colours in the wild, and is one of our best sellers. The frame itself has been highly engineered using multiple layers of sustainable ash, bamboo and beechwood, plus two core layers of aluminium for strength. The wooden nose-pads are soft and tactile and the temples feature sprung hinges with adjustable ends to enable the best fit for the wearer.
Our pioneering layering technology has allowed us to create a strong thin frame with a unique shape and distinctive colour palette – giving a design nod to the classic cat-eye and retro-round shapes.
Another reason the museum wanted to feature our frame was the social impact we have through our Share Your Sun partnership with SolarAid, where every pair sold brings the gift of solar light to families in Malawi, Zambia and Uganda. This social impact is a new addition in the history of eyewear, adding to the uniqueness of the frame and their collection.
Our frame now sits alongside some of the most important frames in the world, including many celebrity frames, including Harry Potter’s glasses as worn in the film, and other famous frames worn by Mel Gibson, Agatha Cristie, Matthew Bellamy, Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie.
If you’re ever in London, do check out this amazing collection.
Did you know?
Frames in the 18th century were made from real turtle shell, and the crest of the opticians was also a turtle. This is why many modern acetate frames have the ‘tortoiseshell’ look (we’re glad real turtles are no longer used!).
Find out why our Blackcap frame soars above the rest
