Sunglasses can transform an entire outfit—so a good pair for summer is essential. Leave it to Heron Preston to provide us just that just when we thought we saw it all for 2021 sunglasses trends. For his eponymous label, Preston is launching his first-ever collaboration on July 29 with South Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster.
“I decided to collaborate with Gentle Monster because they always have supported big ideas and ambitious thinking.” said designer Heron Preston in a statement shared with GRAZIA. “They understand how to connect through culture & arts in the most authentic ways, and so working with them made me feel confident that they would be able to carry out my vision.”
Gentle Monster x Heron Preston balance their avante-garde aesthetics to incorporate both brands’ identities into one design.. Inspired by the world of workwear, the capsule collection quite literally includes a real carpenter’s level within the frame (talk about functional and stylish.) On the other end, the frames feature bold words you’ll typically see on a construction site: “WARNING,” “KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE,” and “HANDLE WITH CARE.”
“The level was first introduced in the collections as a heel on our women’s boot,” said Preston in a statement shared with GRAZIA. For Preston, the carpenter’s level symbolically represents a measure of the spiritual level. “Given the success and enthusiasm around that idea, we challenged ourselves to think of other ways the level could be applied to different product categories. The shape and construction of the sunglasses seemed like the perfect basis for this idea. It was the perfect fit.” He adds.
The Gentle Monster x Heron Preston eyewear will be available starting July 29 in Gentle Monster and Heron Preston’s online, in-stores, and select retailers. Naturally, each model will be packaged in a box-shaped like a carpenter’s level.
