Curry & Paxton X Fred Perry

British heritage eyewear brand Curry & Paxton has partnered with iconic British fashion label Fred Perry to launch the latter’s first-ever eyewear product. Curry & Paxton’s iconic YVAN frame has been reworked in Black and Champagne colorways to reflect Fred Perry’s definitive style culture represented by the Black polo with Champagne tipping.

Curry & Paxton and Fred Perry have a unique place in British pop-culture history. Reflecting both and featuring dual branding, the new frame perfectly complements each brand’s place in British men’s style.

Peter Lynes, Curry & Paxton CEO said, “When we considered this inaugural collaboration it felt so natural that it should be Fred Perry. Bringing together two of the greatest British heritage brands with unrivaled histories, our iconic YVAN frame is the perfect accompaniment to the Fred Perry shirt. First worn by Sir Michael Caine during the 1960s, the frame is a timeless classic and, as with the Fred Perry shirt, recognized the world over and continues to appeal to global fans.”

Established in 1886, Curry & Paxton’s archival YVAN frame became a legendary eyewear style thanks to British film actor Sir Michael Caine when starring in the Len Deighton spy film, The Ipcress File in 1965. A fan of the brand, Caine revisited the frame again in 1969, sporting the YVAN sunglasses in one of the most popular British films of all time, The Italian Job. Michael went on to wear the frame both on and off-screen throughout the 70’s & 80’s.

Today, the Curry & Paxton x Fred Perry Yvan frame is made using premium quality cellulose acetate from Italian manufacturer Mazzucchelli. The hinges are 5 barreled, generally considered the optical industry’s most durable, creating the famous Curry & Paxton six-pin logo featured on the original frames. Premium lenses are sourced from the UK and Swiss lenses legend Zeiss and provide 100% UV protection. Finally, and staying true to its British roots, the frame is handmade in a workshop in East London.

Richard Gilmore, Fred Perry Managing Director said, “We’re excited to partner with Curry & Paxton on our first-ever eyewear product. Both brands are shorthand for originality, rooted in the British psyche via film, craftsmanship, and men’s style, resonating globally. The sunglasses come in two colors, inspired by the most rebellious of Fred Perry Shirt colours – Black and Champagne, the shirt that’s been a piece of subcultural uniform since the 1950s.”

About Curry & Paxton

As manufacturers of ophthalmic instruments, contributors to the Second World War effort and one of the early producers of spectacles for the National Health Service, Curry & Paxton has been a pioneer since it was founded in 1886.

From opera glasses and binoculars to motoring shades, skiing goggles, and bespoke tortoiseshell frames, Curry & Paxton’s innovative eyewear has always been popular receiving a royal warrant and cementing their place in popular culture with the iconic YVAN frame, as championed by Sir Michael Caine both personally and in his acclaimed film roles as British spy Harry Palmer and as Charlie Croker in the British crime caper The Italian Job.

Re-founded in 2020, this new chapter for Curry & Paxton will redefine what it means to be an authentic luxury British heritage ophthalmic brand, stemming from a place of innovation, drawing on an archive of rich treasures, bringing its collection of handcrafted eyewear to a new contemporary audience of global eyewear enthusiasts.