Persol

Persol is an Italian eyewear house that began in Turin in 1917 and still builds its frames by hand. Cellulose acetate, a naturally derived material, goes through around thirty manual processes before it becomes a frame; the lenses run from Barberini glass to the brand’s own signature lenses, and the bridges are shaped so that no edge is left on the underside.

Two details define the frames: the Meflecto, a flexible stem system patented in the 1930s that lets the temples adapt to the shape of a face, and the Supreme Arrow, an arrow-shaped hinge inspired by the swords of ancient warriors and made in several sizes, also in a flexible version. The catalogue runs from foldable models such as the 714 to optical frames and sunglasses, and the house has recently collaborated with the furniture maker Cassina.