Assembly Label has just released its first collection of sunglasses, a capsule of six unisex frames called Frame 01.
The seven-year-old Sydney brand is loved for its beautiful and restrained approach to design, but achieving a balance between simplicity and beauty is tricky.
“We always adopt a reductive, rather than additive approach to our design,” says director Damien Horan. “We favour detail over adornment. The frames are stripped back, but still distinct in both the colour palette and construction.”
The brand is built on the founders’ appreciation for simplicity, and the sunglasses are true to that aesthetic. “We have a very obvious signature to our designs. We combined clean geometric lines with a colour palette that reflects the unique tones of the Australian summer. Think sage, amber, steel and auburn,” Horan says, the four colours the sunglasses are available.
But considering the multitude of sunglasses available, is Assembly Label worried it will be lost in the sea of brands? “When we set out to create an eyewear collection, we were really conscious it was already a crowded market. To stand out, we were intent on releasing a frame that had all the hallmarks of a premium product but offered at a more accessible price point.”
That price point is $180, and the glasses frames are made from cellulose acetate, which is a strong, flexible material of cotton and wood fibre – meaning they are durable enough to withstand a decent amount of daily abuse. The lenses protect against UVA and UVB rays and most importantly, they’re scratch resistant.
Assembly Label is looking at a busy year. The latest shop (in Paddington) is doing well, and the pop-up surplus store will become a permanent fixture in Beaconsfield. A second sunglasses capsule collection is also already in the works. “Frame 02 will be complimentary to Frame 01, with more of a fashion vibe to the finish and colour palettes,” Horan says.
