Nothing sets the tone for your summer quite like the pair of sunglasses you see things through. For one, it’s pretty much science that they instantly make you look cooler. They’re a don’t-leave-home-without-’em item, whether you live in the city or commute by car—and come to the rescue in a pinch, whether we’re leaving therapy, avoiding an ex on the street, or faking your way through a hangover.
And so when it came time to plan summer launches for Shop Coveteur, we knew there was no way we could go without prototyping a pair of our own. We made a list of dream collaborators and started at the very top: our friends at Karen Walker.
We profiled the New Zealand designer, and kept in touch ever since: admiring both her killer signature ad campaigns from afar, and supporting the brand whenever we can. You can imagine how stoked we were when she was down to collaborate.
Having settled on collaborating on a single silhouette, we had the (happy! fun!) challenge of finding something that would be flattering for a range of faces, and styles. We surveyed the team in the office, which reflects a wide range of personal steeze (we have everything from cult leader Madewell minimalist, to sneakers and streetwear, to crystal-studded tie-dye layered with plaid), and found what we like to think is a happy medium. We took Karen Walker’s best-selling Blessed shape in a pretty marbleized caramel, and added a small angular marble cut-out on the arms, in a subtle design nod to our logo. That’s not all: we added a fun gold chain for them to dangle from that functions in part as a piece of jewelry and part forget-proof insurance (because we all know that with every cup of frozen rosé, the likelihood of misplacing said shades gets a little bit higher).
To bring our collab to life, inspired by the range of emotions in which sunglasses come in handy (laughing, crying, laughing ‘til you cry), we took over a local movie theatre (the Syndicated Bar Theater Kitchen in Bushwick) to shoot our shades. Click through the photos here, add the sunnies to your wishlist, tag us on IG out in the wild when you wear them this summer. We can’t wait to see you in them.
On Svea: Dress, Retrofete; Necklace, IPPOLITA; Necklace, BAKTI; Bracelet, IPPOLITA; Shoes, Manolo Blahnik. On Kayla: Dress, Karen Walker; Earrings, Jemma Wynne; Choker, TopShop. On Kayla: Top & Bottom, Sleepy Jones; Necklace, Judith Leiber; Bracelet, IPPOLITA; Rings, Colette & Jemma Wynne; Earrings, Jemma Wynne; Bag, Judith Leiber. On Svea: Blazer, Karen Walker; Pants, The Sleeper; Necklaces, Stylists own; Shoes, Manolo Blahnik.
