See With [IOLLA]

See With [IOLLA]

Last week I had the absolute pleasure of attending the launch of new eyewear brand IOLLA. A pleasure for two reasons;
1) the attractiveness and intriguing nature of the brand and
2) Stefan Hunter, one of the co-founders was a fellow classmate of mine when we were at University.

Wearing Zara Shirt & Trouser
Vintage Scarf
Christian Louboutin Heels

Delighted to have been invited, I arrived at the Finnieston based store [the newest, coolest, up and coming area of Glasgow] ladened with bag, laptop & luggage from an overnight stay with work. Stepping into the show room, designed by Sara Douglas Smith – it’s an instagram dream . With its neutral colour palette, stone wall interior and quirky bits & pieces [I neeeeed the bulldog ornament] you understand what the brand is about instantly.
IOLLA is punchy, modern and quirky but equally, authentic with a sense of conviction and strength of values.

Met with a warming smile, all my luggage was kindly whisked off by the lovely members of staff. Followed by the offering of a Juice Garden [Glasgow Juicer] and some sushi or gourmet pizza, the stress of my long commute disappeared almost instantly and I began to relax into my evening.

After browsing some of the frames and meeting old faces and new; including recent winner of 2015 Best Beauty Blogger Beauty and the Boy , Pin Up Sensation Miss Kelly Bakewell, LouLou Brooke and of course Betty & Bee, the night really began when Stefan and co-founder Brian McGuire introduced us to the brand and what it’s really all about.

[So what’s different about IOLLA?]

‘You wouldn’t go to a chiropractor and buy your shoes,
so why do we buy our eyewear from an opticians?’

IOLLA’s vision is to make eyewear beautiful, with exceptional quality, at a truly affordable price. [And what a price it is].

For £65 you can choose any frame, all priced the same. Traditionally, with eyewear there are a variety of price points, often limiting your choice to being dependent on budget. At IOLLA, every style is the same price, letting you shop with ease. Lenses are included [but] they don’t actually test your eyes.

Is this an inconvenience? Not necessarily. In Scotland you get a free eye test every 2 years with a legal obligation to have your prescription detailed on paper. From then on, the process is smooth and simple; visit IOLLA, choose your frames & provide them with your prescription details via snap & send. Don’t live in Scotland? Send in your existing prescription or seek out an eye test [which are pretty ease to secure for free or discounted].

Then the exciting part
– come and pick them up in the store or have them delivered –
easy as p[eye].

[The Paterson]

I went with the Paterson frame – being ‘unusually unorthodox’, they reflect the #AllergictoAverage mantra. They’re quirky but professional, especially in the Matte Medium Havana. If you’re feeling a bit bolder, go for the Walnut Tortoise which has hints of blue throughout them bringing out the colour of a blue eye and deepening a brown.
[The Walnut Tortoise has my heart.]

For a vintage look [which I’m also a fan of] go for clear or gold crystal.

Gold | Havana | Crystal
Shop Here

With 27 frames to choose from – it was a pretty hard choice.  My second favourite was ‘Muir’ which features a cat eye shape. Having an oval face I wanted something sharp and geometric – which I felt the Paterson had some more of. After choosing the Paterson, I was informed that every frame was named after a famous Scot. [‘Paterson’ being William Paterson], one of the original founders of the Bank of England [ironic]
so pretty much fate…

Before you get some frames, assess your face shape and let this help you guide your choice.

[Oval]: Evenly proportioned and soft, this face shape suits most styles – so be adventurous

[Rectangle]: Defined by high cheekbones and
a deep forehead, try a wide frame with a strong
top line for balance.

[Round]: A shorter face with rounder cheeks
and a soft chin, try angular styles to draw attention to the top half of the face.

[Square]: Defined by a wide, square jaw, gofor rounded frames to soften the face.

Every frame is made from premium acetate, which is a cotton based material. The nature of the material means every.single.frame is different.

I find joy in the fact no one else has the exact same set of glasses as me  [Stand Out | Stand Tall] . Finished with the signature IOLLA titanium tip, you get a lot of bang for your [£65] buck.

Distinctive, mischievous with a helluva’ lot of charisma;
IOLLA, thank you for helping me put [Fierce in Finance].

Get yourself to the showroom
[1313 Argyle Street, Finnieston, Glasgow G3 8TL]
or online at IOLLA.

[You won’t regret it]

Be Distinctive | Be Daring
See With [IOLLA]

Be #AllergictoAverage

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