EYEVAN

EYEVAN glasses were born in Japan in 1972 with an idea that was new at the time: eyewear as something to dress in, "eyewear for dressing as a fashion item". In 1985 the brand made its international debut. Today EYEVAN is a family of lines, each with its own project.

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History and workshop

In 2013, some forty years after the brand was born, a new design team rebuilt EYEVAN 7285 from the house archives. The stated sources are the EYEVAN archives, vintage eyewear, telescopes, hand mirrors, old tools, building structures and natural forms: a temple can come from 1940s French cutlery, a metal frame from 1970s eye-testing equipment. Each pair goes through about 400 processes, combining hand work and state-of-the-art machine tools, in Sabae, Fukui prefecture, the district that makes more eyewear than anywhere else in the world. To find your way among Japanese brands: Japanese glasses: why they're different and which to choose.

Lines and models

The OCCHIO! selection holds four lines. EYEVAN, the main line: Webb, Cadet, Marsalis, Puerto, Mathsson, Marshal, Orbit, Safari, Womack, Lubin, Mason, Thompson, Eldridge and the folding 803. EYEVAN 7285: among others the models 180, 185, 186, 189, 190, 372E, 414, 419, 1015, 1018 and 1196-2. 10 eyevan, optical frames built on ten special components following the idea "The beautiful tool is the fruits of fine parts": No.8 V and No.9. E5 eyevan, launched in 2021 around function: L-shaped temples that are easy to adjust, tungsten end tips, fronts cut from a single metal sheet in the metal series and high-density acetate in the plastic series; in store M14, M15, P14 and P20. Everything is split between optical frames and sunglasses.

How to choose

Almost the whole selection sits between 43 and 50 mm lens width, with bridges from 21 to 25: proportioned sizes, never oversized. The smallest are the 7285 186 (43/23) and 419 (44/22); 185, 189 and Safari are 46; Puerto, Womack and Marshal 47; the 190 is 48/21. The widest is the 7285 1196-2 sunglass, 54/22. In E5 eyevan the M14 is the narrowest (45/22), the P20 the widest (49/21).

From the Journal

EYEVAN in Crema, Italy

A EYEVAN makes sense on the face.

OCCHIO! is in Crema, forty minutes from Milan and Bergamo. If you are travelling, write first: the frame will be waiting.

Book a fitting

EYEVAN: frequently asked questions

What is the difference between EYEVAN, EYEVAN 7285, 10 eyevan and E5 eyevan?

Same house, different lines: EYEVAN is the 1972 original; EYEVAN 7285 was rebuilt in 2013 from the archives; 10 eyevan is built on ten components; E5 eyevan, from 2021, starts from function.

Where are EYEVAN glasses made?

In Japan. EYEVAN 7285 is made in Sabae, Fukui prefecture, through about 400 processes.

What are they made of?

Metal and acetate. E5 eyevan uses sheet-metal fronts, high-density acetate and tungsten end tips.

Can prescription lenses be fitted?

Yes, at the OCCHIO! boutique in Crema or by your own optician.

Where can I try EYEVAN glasses?

At OCCHIO!, in Crema, 40 minutes from Milan and Bergamo, and online.

Does EYEVAN have its own stores?

Yes, in Japan. EYEVAN Inc., the company behind the different lines, runs EYEVAN 7285 TOKYO in Minami-Aoyama and a store in Osaka, EYEVAN LUXE in Tokyo Hibiya, designed by architect Kengo Kuma, and THE EYEVAN in Gion, Kyoto. In Italy the EYEVAN lines are carried by selected opticians, including OCCHIO! in Crema.

How do you read EYEVAN frame measurements?

Measurements are in millimetres and read as lens width, bridge and temple length: the 7285 186, marked 43/23, has 43 mm lenses and a 23 mm bridge. EYEVAN designs in compact proportions, with lens widths mostly between 43 and 50 mm. The most precise reference is a comparison with the measurements of a pair that fits well.

Can EYEVAN frames be ordered online with prescription lenses?

Yes, with single-vision lenses, which can be made remotely from a prescription and the pupillary distance. Progressive lenses are made only at the OCCHIO! boutique in Crema, because they need measurements taken in person with the frame on. Many sun models also accept prescription lenses.

Can EYEVAN frames be adjusted?

Yes. On metal frames the optician adjusts the nose pads and temples; acetate is adjusted with heat. The E5 eyevan line is designed with L-shaped temples precisely to make adjustment easy, with tungsten end tips. Any experienced optician can do it; at the OCCHIO! boutique in Crema, about 40 minutes from Milan, it is done during the fitting.

Do you ship EYEVAN to Ireland and the rest of Europe?

Yes. From Crema we ship by tracked express courier to every EU country, Ireland included (15 €, free over 150 €, no customs duties and no import VAT, because the parcel never leaves the EU), to Switzerland and Liechtenstein (25 €, free over 150 €, any duties paid on delivery), to the United Kingdom (free over 299 €, any duties paid on delivery) and to the United States (free over 200 €, US duties are on us).

How long does an online EYEVAN order take, and how do returns work?

Orders leave Crema within 24–48 hours by tracked express courier, and delivery time is added on top depending on the country. Returns can be requested within 14 days of delivery. Return shipping is paid by the customer, and the refund is issued once the parcel reaches the boutique in Crema.