The Classicist: Celebrating Persol's Iconic Style

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed)
Jun 22nd 2009 at 9:00AM

This week legendary Italian eyewear brand Persol, a bastion of Dolce Vita style, is debuting its iconic INCOGNITO design exhibition in the U.S. at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. The invitation-only opening night celebration will feature a performance by Lou Reed.

Running from June 24 - 28, INCOGNITO by Persol is an interactive exhibition that was designed to "bring to life the emotions and richness" of a heritage born nearly 90 years ago in Turin, Italy and which today remains an icon of Italian design and craftsmanship.

Persol made its big screen debut in 1961 worn by Marcello Mastroianni in Divorce Italian Style, and its U.S. film debut in 1968 worn by Steve McQueen in The Thomas Crown Affair (right). Two of the most stylish stars in the history of cinema, they catapulted the brand onto the international scene.

Other stars who have worn Persols over the years include Jack Nicholson, Richard Gere, Paul Newman, Roberto Rossellini, Cindy Crawford, Nicolas Cage, Pierce Brosnan, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Christian Slater, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Heath Ledger, Al Pacino, George Clooney, Adrien Brody and Daniel Craig, who sported two different styles in Casino Royale.

The tradition, quality, style and design that drive Persol's brand philosophy are embodied in the INCOGNITO exhibition, which involves all the senses. Along a path of images, sounds, colors, and technology, visitors can experience the world of Persol: the quality of the workmanship and materials, the uniqueness of design in the products and collections, the technological evolution and Persol's exclusive patents, as well as the magic and allure of the silver screen idols who made them famous.

Gallery: Persol Style

Video installations, mirror showcases and interactive surfaces display a continuously evolving history that celebrates Persol's quality, collections, iconic value and links with cinema. "The Persol INCOGNITO design exhibition offers people an opportunity to experience the brand's values and traditions first-hand," notes Luxottica Group Marketing Director Fabio d'Angelantonio. "It is a discovery, an emotion that allows people to interact with the brand in a new and different way. Persol is an expression of Italian exclusivity, innovation and iconic elegance – it is not just a product, it is a lifestyle."

Persol's evocative name was aptly derived from the Italian "per il sole", meaning "for the sun". It got its start in 1917 in the city of Turin by Giuseppe Ratti, a photographer and the owner of Berry Opticians, who started manufacturing state-of-the-art glasses, designed in such a way as to meet the comfort and safety requirements of aviators and pilots, as well as ideal vision standards. The Persol brand was born in 1938 when Ratti expanded his offerings. And the rest, as they say, was history.

Tags: Daniel Craig, DanielCraig, Dolce Vita, DolceVita, exhibition, Fellini, George Clooney, GeorgeClooney, Italian fashion, ItalianFashion, Italy, James Bond, JamesBond, Lou Reed, LouReed, marcello mastroianni, MarcelloMastroianni, Persol, Steve McQueen, SteveMcqueen, sunglasses, whitney museum, WhitneyMuseum

Filed under: Events, Celebrity Shopping, Art, Men's Style, The Classicist

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

DJ Jun 22nd 2009 12:45PM

Persol isn't just another fashion accessory. Following cataract surgery recently, my eye surgeon recommended Persol for their outstanding optics and UV protection. And yeah, they look good too.