Bevel:
“Rick Nelson and I founded Bevel in 1999, the year I had my first child. We believed we had a niche to fill, a creative vision to nurture, and some incredible relationships. While we had no formal design training, we had an urge to express ourselves, making eyewear that is both wearable and flattering, inspired by colorful palettes in cosmetics.
Since the beginning, our background working with Japanese artisanal craftsmen has infused in us an admiration of the quest for perfection in engineering and innovative technical design. Claudio Arena, a perennial charismatic force of nature and giver of interesting idioms, joined our team as a partner 12 years ago, while Rick has since retired.
Our story has been one of challenges overcome, and like many small, independent businesses, learning from our mistakes. Apart from the international crises over the past years, we have chosen to ignore the advice of many that Lasik or online retailers would destroy our business. Far from it! Our attention to personal service, desire to maintain quality and comfort, and love for what we do, have made us come out stronger the other side.
We have always considered ourselves as an extended family. Those who work with us know that we value all relationships, the trust and respect that it brings, and the loyalty that it fosters. Over 24 years, we have met some incredible people, drunk some incredible wine and eaten some delicious meals all over the world.
We have been a leader in unifying and promoting independent eyewear designers through our event organization of the LOFT NYC and LOFT SF. We are also extremely proud to sponsor charitable causes on a case-by-case basis, donating eyewear to people in need in Tanzania, Guyana, Haiti and more.
Above all, we strive to learn, to give and to enjoy what we do.”
-Richard Mewha. El Presidente.
Blake Kuwahara:
“We live in a very visual world, and we are knowingly or unknowingly influenced by our surroundings and peers. We’re all amateur photographers and recorders of life thanks to cameras on our phones. And, we’re all art directors and editors thanks to Instagram.
For me, designing an eyewear collection is pretty much the same. My life and influences can often be captured in a snapshot. Art, architecture, fashion, interior design, travel, and culture are all put through my visual filter. The output is a distillation and highly curated collection of eyewear that reflects a soulful, tactile, and artisanal sensibility.
My personal philosophy is that eyewear should enhance your personality and not be a substitute for one. It should also feel as good in the hand as it does on your face. By using laborious production techniques and a lot of handwork, an inner silhouette is encased in an unexpectedly fresh outer shape. This seamless fusion of two frames and the juxtaposition of contrasting form and color create a design tension that is thoroughly modern yet comfortably familiar.
Our brand ethos is to bring to market eyewear that is “artful yet wearable”. Using the construction of laminating a “frame within a frame” is just one means to this end.
The Grey Label is yet a very different expression of this mantra. As an optometrist, anatomy and biology classes were a prerequisite in my studies. I’ve always been intrigued by skeletal structures. In my earlier KATA Eyewear collection, I used exo-skeletons (shells, beetles) that were cast using the same techniques as jewelry makers. For this new collection, I used endo-skeletal structures that are made in the same old-school way.
Each frame is hand-cast and handcrafted in order to realize the subtly nuanced details. If you look closely, you can see the design of the joints and bones in the end pieces and temples. It’s about the touch, feel, and workmanship of the frames that’s important to me.
Which is my goal: to create something artful yet wearable.
- Blake Kuwahara