Fakoshima and Manish Arora have created a series of five Limited Edition selection of eyewear and sunwear.
The first two models are a reworked take on the form of classic aviator glasses. Aviators were developed specifically for military pilots in the first half of the XX century, namely in 1930. Cinema and pop culture worked in tandem to define and canonise the aviator style through the following decades.
The teardrop lens design has not changed significantly over the years – however, with mathematical precision, the familiar form was redesigned, adding rotating lenses, resulting in an accidental provocative flavour. Ironically inverted aviator frames resulted in an unexpectedly feminine manner, and became the basis for another model in the collection.
A mix of African culture and cowboy ornaments served as the foundation for the design of the two other styles. African masks depict certain animals, spirits or heroes of mythology in many regions of the vast African continent. Human facial features were often morphed with those of beasts. Members of secret societies wore masks during traditional festivities and hunts for evil spirits, transforming themselves into supernatural beings.
It is believed that the masked man gives temporary shelter to the spirit represented by the mask. Lenses with snake-eye-like vertical slits enhance the mask e ect. The frames are consistent of thin lines that envelop round mirror lenses with a metal rim. The temples are shaped as a stylised bone dagger and flames.
The fifth model in the collaboration combines the now classic «cat-eyes» silhouette that emerged in the 1950’s, and the Indian bindu symbolism. The translation from Indian means “drop”. In the convictions of many Indians it is believed that in this exact place is the eye of the great god Shiva.
The bright dot becomes it’s symbol, a kind of a “third eye” that grants humans wisdom. The result of this combination is a vivid frame, that could righteously be worn by heroines of the Sailor Moon anime series.
FAKOSHIMA is the first Russian brand of conceptual sunglasses and optical eyewear that became an event in the world of fashion. Established in 2012 in Moscow by three partners Konstantin Shilyaev (Co-founder & Creative Director), Alex Melnikov (Co-founder & CEO) and Roman Ilyukhov (Co-founder) and is being managed by Meisters Reisen Ltd. since 2013, brand is now recognised in optical industry as the principal trend of the last decade. The brand has Russian roots but it’s geographically vast ideological ties represent FAKOSHIMA as a multicultural brand that combines revolutionary design, advanced technology and traditions of hand craft.
The brand’s Creative Director Konstantin Shilyaev works and lives in Moscow. Following the futurist designers, FAKOSHIMA continues to search for images and design elements of the future. Through combining new technologies and manual handling of materials, through the diversity of classical forms that establish links with the past, and paradoxical combinations that awaken imagination and conceive possible paths of what tomorrow’s mankind will be.
For their owners, FAKOSHIMA sunglasses became an insignia, an identification code by which it’s easy to spot “your own” – wherever you are and whatever you wear. It is kind of a mask that hides. It attracts attention, intrigues, and establishes new ties between their owner and the surrounding.
FAKOSHIMA o ces locate in Moscow and Hong Kong, the eyewear is produced in Japan, Hong Kong and Italy on leading manufactories.