Bonjour à tous! Let's talk about Since-Nez eyewear. You will have seen it, but you might never have heard the name!
Pince-Nez translates as "to pinch the nose". It's a specific style of frame that grips the nose as opposed to being supported by the temples (sides) of a frame. Popular in Europe primarily in the late 1800s, these frames were desirable at a time when there was a stigma to constantly be wearing glasses. People could attach a chain to their Pince-Nez frames and have them easy to remove and hang on their clothing when not in use. Nowadays, there isn't quite so much of a stigma for wearing glasses. You often find people who don't need corrective lenses still buy eyewear just for the fashion.
Although the Pince-Nez frame style was popular at a time when wearing glasses wasn't, the frame has had regular resurgences in popularity. One of the most famous examples of the Pince-Nez frame making a resurgence is thanks to a certain film franchise called The Matrix.
Morpheus (played by Laurence Fishburne) is one of the main protagonists in the series. The Matrix has been incredibly influential in the fashion sphere, with its power still being strong today (and the 4th movie coming out this December). The movies made black leather everything popular outside of Berghain, and Morpheus' eyewear became incredibly sought after.
With the hype around the 4th movie being released soon, and the general uniqueness of the design, Pince-Nez is once again making a resurgence. However, it's a hard frame to wear. You need a certain nose bridge to comfortably wear the frame, and you need a certain prescription if you want to make it an optical frame.
So what are eyewear designers doing to help those who love the style, but perhaps not the flaws that come with it? Combine Pince-Nez with new elements. Enter Rigards latest offering...
Combining elements of the Pince Nez style such as the unique bridge pinch construction and stingray-esque bridge, these glasses are ideal for someone who is living for the traditional Pinze-Nez design.
Luckily for those who don't want all the pressure on their bridge however, the new RG00UW6 combines the Pince-Nez style with thin, considered temples. The minimal temple design helps to make them disappear on the wearer, allowing the bridge construction to truly shine.
Want to see some original Pince-Nez frames as well? We still have a few of the original design style, so just pop us an email!
What do you think of this style of frame? Let us know in the comments!