We’re excited to have Matsuda Eyewear in our shop, and as one of the newest brands in our collection, it’s only fair that we give it some love and attention. Just like with all of the other independent eyewear lines that we carry, Matsuda has a rich history and combines exceptional craftsmanship with stylish design to give patients the best of all worlds.
The story behind this brand is long and detailed, so it’s our goal to give you the important facts without putting your brain into information overload. Sit back and enjoy as we learn about Matsuda’s amazing history.
In Love With Design
Long before Matsuda Eyewear came to be, Mitsuhiro Matsuda made a name for himself as a fashion designer. Born in Tokyo, he moved to Paris to gain inspiration for his garments, and upon his return to Japan in 1969 launched his label Nicole Company. His pieces were considered to be the best the country had to offer, and he gained great notoriety for his innovative designs.
Building upon this success, he released his first eyewear line in 1989. Pop culture in the 90’s embraced his frames and Matsuda pieces can be seen in popular movies including Beetlejuice and Terminator 2. By 1996, Matsuda had over 500 brick and mortar stores and had become a world famous brand.
Blending The Old And The New
Mitsuhiro’s frame line was absent from the market for some time, yet returned triumphantly in 2012, four years after the founder’s passing. CEO James Kisgen had the primary goal of honoring the legacy of the Japanese designer and presented Matsuda’s wife with his designs before going to market. Longing for perfection, Kisgen had to return to the drawing board and rework many of the pieces in order to receive her blessing.
This honor and respect for tradition isn’t only seen in the way the brand operates as a whole, but it’s taken seriously at every turn in the manufacturing process. Each frame requires over 250 individual steps in order to create the finished product, and the level of expertise used is astounding.
Acetates are aged for three months to ensure durability and then are polished both through tumbling and hand techniques. Titanium is placed in a drum polisher for at least 24 hours to ensure the material is perfect in every way.
If you’ve worn a Matsuda frame before, you probably noticed how comfortable it felt on your bridge. That’s because craftsman carve out the bridge areas by hand, a process that’s taught from generation to generation. As if that wasn’t enough, engravings on the frames are done by hand, and as the city only has two master engravers left in their population, naturally Matsuda employs one of them.
Carrying On The Legacy
Matsuda frames are more than just a high-quality piece of eyewear. Instead, they embody a true piece of Japanese history and the love for design that Mitsuhiro harbored. The brand’s commitment to honoring his heritage and using painstakingly detailed processes to create a perfect frame each and every time makes it a brand that’s worth having in your collection.
