I don’t know what it is about men that work in the eyewear industry that I find so fascinating. They always end up charming the pants of me (Well, not literally). Jason Kirk of Kirk Originals fits that mould to a T. He was so welcoming and pleasant when I met him at Karir Eyewear for the Kirk Originals media day.

Kirk Originals are known for their glittery frames and bright, saturated colours in materials like acetate and acrylic. Jason has a family history in the eyewear business so it made sense that he would follow in their footsteps. British based, Kirk Originals started in 1992. Currently, Jason and his wife Karen run the company from their home near Bordeaux, France. All frames are handmade in France also. Frames are architectural in shape and retro in design. Jason tells me that Kirk Originals isn’t for everyone and they really focus on their typical client.”The Kirk Originals wearer is creative, confident, irreverent and independent in their style choices,” says co-designer Jason Kirk. “We make glasses you can’t wait to put on in the morning.” I love that Jason understands that his product isn’t for everyone and doesn’t try to change that.

There are five lines in the Kirk Originals line up:
Kinetic – This line has lenticular images on each temple that produces a moving image effect

Kirk Heroes NG – This line takes a fun look at the Kirk’s family tree. The design is asymmetrical an inspired by a Kirk Hero.

Saturn – The Saturn line is one of my favourites. The surface has coloured crystals and the interior is covered in glitter. They aren’t for the faint of heart or wallflower.”

Sculpture – This line combines acetate and acrylic and the result is a large and varied colour palette

Sunglasses – The sunglasses collection takes design features from the Kinetic, Kirk Heroes and Saturn lines.

The first thing I noticed about Kirk Originals were the wide variety of colours. The Kirk Originals customer definitely isn’t looking for your classic black or tortoise shell frames. Jason pulled out trays and trays of brightly coloured frames for eyeglasses and sunglasses. The second thing I noticed was the glitter on the inside of the frames. It’s such a small feature but something that makes the frames stand out in a subtle way. Of course, I had to play dress up.

I’ve been on a crazy sunglasses kick this summer but I’m already planning my purchase. I love the Nymphette style in Ochre and gold glitter. Kirk Originals are available at Karir Eyewear boutiques. The price range is from $300 to $500. If you ever are in London, you should check out the Kirk Originals store. It’s has a great eyewear presenation wall design feature that looks really cool in photos. Jason was very proud of this and showed me photos on his laptop.

See all the photos from Jason Kirk Media Day at Karir Fashion Eyewear.