Bill Barton and Patty Perreira, the dynamic duo behind the Barton Perreira line, have stepped away from mass-market eyewear to create their own line, Barton Perreira, a highly artistic and carefully crafted line of eyewear, where they can truly let their genius shine. In an interview with Caroline Tell, Barton explained his departure from Oliver Peoples as one of a desire for regaining self-expression “I needed to have more independence and freedom in design . . . In an industry that’s controlled by one or two really big companies, we wanted to have really special product . . . We couldn’t come out and be Oliver Peoples again; we had to have our own ideas. We had to be our own brand with product that people would look at and say, ‘That’s really fresh.’”

THE BEGINNING

Launched in 2007, the Los Angeles-based brand rapidly expanded into local and international markets and became known for its focus on high style, meticulous craftsmanship, commitment to innovation, and the superior materials that go into making each individual pair. Although the company is based in Los Angeles, all of their frames and lenses are hand crafted in Japan, as the Perreira team believes that only in Japan can they receive the kind of intricacy and meticulous attention to detail that they seek. The Japanese combine ancient techniques with innovation to create the finest glasses in the world.