In 1926, Phillip Oliver Goldsmith stood at the door of his first mobile showroom and presented his latest eyewear designs to the London public.  His frames were made mostly of metal, since this was the only material readily available apart from real tortoiseshell, which was expensive, brittle and tricky to work with.  Despite the success of his collection, he knew he could do better.  Fuelled with ambition and a determination to create something new, Goldsmith began his voyage of innovation, searching endlessly for new ways to manufacture sensational eyewear.  By luck, he stumbled across a local button factory who were using a revolutionary new raw material, coloured plastic.  He swapped some sheets of plastic in exchange for some frames and his creativity was triggered instantaneously, the possibilities now seemed endless.

It was this moment that transformed the landscape of the Oliver Goldsmith brand.  Frames could now be cut, moulded and manipulated into new and wonderful shapes.  Every colour of the rainbow was now available, colours that could be layered, faceted and bevelled to reveal exciting combinations.  As the restrictions of 1950’s fashion began to drift away, the thrill of experimentation and opportunity was in the air, and Oliver Goldsmith seized the day.  Bigger, brighter and bolder designs began leaving his workshop – each one excitedly procured by the adoring public and a new wave of celebrities and high society.

By the 1970’s Oliver Goldsmith had firmly established themselves as a brand that delivered something special; unique eyewear that inspired and thrilled.   The fearless designs became synonymous with the brand name and it was Goldsmith’s innovation and ability to respond to changing trends that stood him in such high regard.  Pop Art, psychedelia, bold prints, colour and geometric sunglass designs were highly popular during this time and EGO is a brilliant example of these trends.  Excessive and highly expressive, EGO is a frame that delivers. The geometric shaping stands confidently on the face encapsulating the excessive nature of 1970’s fashion.  Sometimes you want an understated look and other times, it just pays to be bold, and for this, EGO is your frame.

Oliver Goldsmith