Tools for Living

Tools for Living

We often think of spectacles as a single, permanent fixture - one frame, one prescription, one identity. But the truth, recognised since the earliest days of optical dispensing, is that spectacles are specific instruments. As L. S. Sasieni noted in Spectacle Fitting and Optical Dispensing (1950), fitting is an act of translation: matching the demands of task and environment to the needs of the wearer. One frame cannot possibly serve every vocation. This article is a celebration of some of our favourite vocational frames - each designed with a very specific purpose in mind.

Written by Cubitts

Fishing requires polarised lenses to cut through glare and reveal what lies beneath the surface. Running and cycling, by contrast, bring their own challenges. Long miles on the road or track mean spectacles must withstand constant motion - sweat, rain, wind, and the unrelenting rhythm of stride or pedal. Frames need to hug the face, temples curving to resist vibration, lenses broad enough to shield against glare and grit. Each pursuit presents a new set of visual conditions, and with them, a new set of design considerations.

For each, we’ve collaborated with experts in their fields - whether it’s David Coggins and the romantic world of fly fishing, Niwaki and their beautifully crafted Japanese gardening tools, or Soar with their unparalleled experience in running.

The Particular (Bespoke+)

Not every vocation is shared. Some demands are uniquely personal, requiring solutions that lie outside the realm of standard design. Through Bespoke+, we create one of a kind frames, crafted to address very specific needs. For some, that might mean shielding pilots from peripheral light ingress in the cockpit. For others, it’s alleviating light hypersensitivity with discreet side shields built into the design.

Our collaborations push this further. With Adsum, we reimagined a classic frame by introducing an anchor notch, designed to hold a corded spectacle chain securely in place - a small but vital detail for those who live and work in the great outdoors. With Greater Goods, we experimented with utility itself, building a multitool frame that incorporated a ruler and brass-lined pattern template into its temples, crafted from recycled acetate offcuts.

Whether for a single wearer or a shared pursuit, Bespoke+ is about frames that answer to the particular: problem-solving design, made for the realities of life.

The Gardener

Not all vocations demand speed or distance. Some require patience, steadiness, and the ability to see the smallest of details. The gardener’s labour is quiet and meticulous - hours bent over seedlings, inspecting leaves, coaxing growth from soil. Here, spectacles are not a shield against the elements, but a lens through which the minute becomes visible.

As Sasieni relates, “This task requires a considerable amount of close detail seeing: as when inspecting plants for disease, pricking out, and labelling.” Indeed, it might be argued that the myopic gardener’s most useful tool is their spectacle frame - allowing them to study each leaf and stem in precise detail.

Of course, our friends at Niwaki might argue instead for a fine pair of secateurs. But for the gardener at their workbench or flowerbed, a secure, dependable frame is no less essential. Mirei might be that frame: cable curl temples that grip the ear with a reassuring embrace. Originally developed for stability on horseback, they perform the equally important task of keeping the proper distance between face and flower.

The Runner

For cyclists and runners, speed is the enemy of stability. Frames must hug the face, temples curving to resist vibration, materials light enough to vanish in motion. Fogging lenses can be catastrophic; coatings and ventilation matter as much as aesthetics.

Our collaboration with Soar answers the challenge: Cirrus - ultralight titanium sunglasses, tested over thousands of kilometres. A custom RiPel™ ZEISS shield lens ensures clarity through dirt, rain, and everything the road throws up. Ergonomically contoured, with beta titanium temples and crosshatched nose pads, they flex seamlessly with every stride. A frame designed to perform as hard as its wearer.

The Angler

At dawn or dusk, reflections on the water’s surface can blind the eye. Polarised lenses do more than darken the view - they strip away glare, revealing the line, the fly, even the faint ripple of a trout’s rise. Frames for anglers must sit securely, resisting the slip of spray and the tug of sudden movement. The Angler, our collaboration with writer David Coggins, is designed for exactly this: a little rugged, a little refined, and above all, purposeful.