Skip to content

An interview with spectacle designer extraordinaire, Max Fosh

As the modern spectacle makers, we’ve always embraced conjunctions of the classic and the new. And our latest collaboration with Max Fosh is just that. The classic silhouette of Wicklow, in still more classic dark turtle acetate, with - oh, heavens above - red temples.

Its designer is Max Fosh: content creator, former London mayoral candidate, former richest man in the world, and former royal.* Now he has turned his accomplished hand to spectacles. We sat down with the young entrepreneur to discuss his design, anxious to see whether success would have gone to his head.

Interview by

Henry Whaley

#Articles

He enters in a large mink coat, and forces the door closed on a rampant crowd of paparazzi. His glasses make him look astronomically sexy; I ask him how they make him feel.

‘Astronomically sexy,’ he replies. ‘If that answer is not appropriate for the website, I understand, but it is the best reflection of how my specs make me feel. For a more PG answer, the glasses really give me a sense of confidence and have become a part of my identity. I mean, my professional logo is the spectacles so I feel like I'm putting my money where my eyes are.’

He’s putting his money on this bill too. Fosh spreads caviar liberally on a blini. We are in a local café, but they provided it for him anyway. Such is his magnetism.

I ask him to describe his spectacles in three words.

‘On. My. Face.’ I can’t fault him. He’s quite right.

We are briefly interrupted as a young fan asks for his autograph. He tousles the young lad’s hair affectionately and slips a crisp five pound note into his fist.

‘Why dark turtle with red temples?’ I enquire.

‘The dark turtle has been what I've been wearing for the last 3 years and so that was an easy decision. With regards to the red temple, I wanted to add a little bit of the Max Fosh YouTube channel into the specs and it was the best way I could add that splash of silliness.’

Another splash occurs when Fosh knocks over his champagne flute. He orders another bottle to make up for it. The café owner looks confused. Fosh simply ruffles his hand through his luscious locks.

I ask: ’Would you rather lose your hair or your spectacles?’

‘I’m taking bald every day of the week!’ he exclaims uproariously, banging the table. Another champagne flute falls. The café owner despairs.

He asks whether I’ll have enough to write an accurate piece over email. I’ll fill in the blanks, I reply.

Head to thesillycompany.co.uk to access Max's limited run of 100 frames.

*Subject to not-insignificant caveats.