Avenue x Julien Couture is a New Look exclusive brand featuring the work of emerging local designer Julien Couture. For this first collaboration, we teamed up with the talented Montreal designer Julien Couture. We had the honour of visiting his home to talk more about his creative process and his inspirations for this collection.
To begin, can you tell us a little about your background and what led you to start creating eyewear?
I’ve always had a strong fashion sense and wanted to create eyewear that I like. I didn't go to any design school, but I had this urge that guided me. Being a very curious and self-taught person, I decided to become an eyewear designer. And now, four years later, my glasses are sold in around 30 countries in more than 250 points of sale.
Avenue x Julien Couture in 3 words...?
Fresh, unisex, elegant.
What were your inspirations for this collection?
I was inspired by my first love for vintage. I built a collection for eyewear aficionados who love beautiful, luxurious, elegant and timeless details. I immersed myself in the nostalgia of the 70's and vacations in the Mediterranean, which can be seen in the Côte d'Azur and La Vie models. You can also see the inspiration of the nature of the American West Coast in the Grand Canyon and Route styles.
What should a good pair of glasses always have?
Tinted lenses. Whether they’re prescription or not, having a tint on your lenses is classy. But the key to a good pair of glasses is to have a frame with solid hinges - the secret to quality glasses. Several models in the collection like Après Ski, Hollywood and Voyage have 7-barrel hinges.
What trends are popular in eyewear this fall?
We still see the influence of the 70s and the rise of the 90s comeback. Lots of vibrant translucent colors, oversized shapes and ultra-thick frames. Finally, the trend that always remains on top: retro metal frames.
Complete the sentence: An eyewear designer is…
A lover of detail and beauty. Everything must be calculated to the millimetre and therefore nothing is left to chance. Eyewear needs to enhance the look of the person who wears them and it is the most beautiful canvas that a designer can hope for. Designing eyewear is like putting the cherry on top of the sundae and that's the good life for me. On your birthday, no one remembers your sundae, but everyone remembers the bonfires, the cherries and singing "happy birthday". The glasses I design are all that, but for your look - an enigmatic style that will never go unnoticed.
The burning question: How many pairs of glasses do you have, Julien?
Too much, but never enough. Ha ha! I would say about 40 pairs of glasses with different styles: vintage European frames, A LOT of my creations and of course some Avenue x Julien Couture glasses! My top choices are Grand Canyon, Desert Rain and Voyage.
How did you find your collaboration with New Look?
A perfect match. As the designer and creative director of the brand, I had a lot of artistic freedom to design my definition of affordable luxury frames. With my brand, we are used to creating frames of impeccable quality and it is in this same spirit that I have meticulously built this first collection. The entire New Look team is truly invested and passionate about creating a distinctive product and this is what excited me from the very first discussion.
This Avenue x Julien Couture collection is the union of our expertise and our love of detail. It is designed for all eyewear lovers and will transport you to nostalgic landscapes from Europe to the American West Coast.
Learn more about the Avenue x Julien Couture collection or book an appointment to try the collection in-store or online with the help of an optician.