subject: Persol: A journey from an Italian courtyard to Beverly Hills [print this page] Persol: A journey from an Italian courtyard to Beverly Hills
For over a century, Persol has been dedicated to the production of premium and reliable products, and has expanded from an optician's in a courtyard in Via Caboto to an internationally established company. The prestigious brand has evolved into a trusted and recognised accessory, with dependable products which have been worn by a host of celebrities and famous faces. The globally recognised brand has set quality, style and longevity as a precedent and has been worn by pilots, racing drivers and tested in extreme conditions. The Persol range brings comfort, protection and optimum vision even in the harshest of conditions, and their Meflecto system and Victor Flex frames have been tested and conquered the most extreme of conditions.
Persol Sunglasses came to fruition after Guiseppe Ratti founded Berry Opticians and moved onto sunglasses after creating protective eyewear for industries and pilots. The Persol name comes from Per il Sol' meaning for the sun' and was originally used by the Italian air force as the iconic yellow-brown lens of the protector glasses provided comfort, protection and optimised vision. Persol recognise the value of quality and reliability and this can be seen from the very first pair of sunglasses which were made and later in their trademark flex frames.
The craftsmanship and tradition for quality premium sunglasses can be seen by the Silver Arrow which was first seen on the sides of Persol glasses in the 1930's. The Silver Arrow is inspired by the swords of ancient warriors which were trustworthy, reliable and a necessity; all connotations which could be associated with the Persol brand. This led Persol glasses to be worn by a host of icons in the celebrity world including Steve McQueen, Greta Garbo and in recent times James Bond can be seen wearing a pair of Persol shades. This subtle addition to the wardrobe represents how the Persol brand could be considered a necessity which can also be seen by the strenuous testing in extreme conditions such as the Himalayas, the Dakar desert and in the Svalbard Islands in Norway.
Persol has combined the mixture of style and substance, creating a product which looks great whether shopping in the sunshine or climbing the Himalayan summit of Kun; a pair of Persol glasses is the ideal companion. The greatest sign of the distance which Persol has come was the opening of a store in the popular, exclusive shopping area of Beverly Hills in 1991, which cemented their use among the elite and stylish. The stylish brand is now owned by the Luxottica group, which is home to several other leading brands Ray Ban, Prada and Oakley and other luxury names. The Persol name sits comfortably amongst the megabrands which dominate the fashion industry; which shows the journey Persol has travelled since Guiseppe Ratti opened his opticians in a courtyard in 1917.
An illustrious background of eye care, industrial eyewear and tests in extreme conditions; combined with celebrity endorsement and exclusive stores have made Persol sunglasses a desired and premium product which boast durability, class and style.
