BOGO! Buy One, Give One with New Local Sunnies Label, Shauns Shades

Photo: Courtesy of Shauns Shades

Whether we’re shielding eyes from the occasional sunbeam or shying away from the overcast sky, we San Franciscans have gotta have our shades. And thanks to brand-spankin'-new local sunnies brand, Shauns Shades, your purchase will not only get you a pair of one of their cool retro-inspired designs (made with world-renowned Carl Zeiss lenses!), but you’ll also benefit the visually impaired thanks to Shaun Shades' initiative to gift a pair of prescription glasses to someone in need with every purchase. We recently sat down with the brand’s founder, Shaun Paterson, to learn more about the man behind the lenses, how the label came to be, and what inspires him.

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Tell us about your background.
"I didn't have any background in the sunglasses industry and had done a good amount of
volunteering, but never specifically focused on the issue of visual impairment. It's been a very
authentic — and often thrilling — entrepreneurial effort, whereby I've had to
learn the eyewear industry from soup-to-nuts, as well as the most effective way to address the
global visual impairment problem. In the end, the passion within our team has kept us moving forward, and in some respects, perhaps given us a slightly fresh perspective. It's been an absolute pleasure to educate ourselves."

Why did you decide to start the line?
"I've always loved well-designed, stylish, high-quality products. I've been surrounded by
entrepreneurship my whole life and knew from a young age that that was where I wanted
to try and take my career. I've been dabbling in social causes for most of my life and, selfishly, the opportunity to combine these passions into a dream job was too good to miss. I looked around at my friends and even people in the street and generally saw a desire to help solve big problems. And I also understood that people enjoy well-designed, well-made stylish products. So, with Shauns Shades, I think it's exciting to offer someone the opportunity to embrace their
passion for great products, while also helping someone in need. That's
how we decided to try and push the envelope with our product, which are made in family-owned factories
in Italy with Carl Zeiss Lenses, and very thoughtful detailing, as opposed to releasing a substandard
product."

What are your design influences?
"I'm a Scot with a passion for Continental Europe, who now lives in California. You can see
within our first collection there's a little tension between the California lifestyle and the classic
European form, and both of these areas are heavy influences on the design. Also, with details like our S-shaped logo in Braille, there are lots of aspects of the product for someone to discover and enjoy."

For more on Shauns Shades and to cop a pair, head over here.