Based on the concept of "beautiful tools," 10 eyevan is a brand that pursues both aesthetic appeal and functionality. This approach, which starts with the functionality of numerous special parts but also emphasizes aesthetic and artistic qualities, is expressed in the brand's logo.
The 10 eyevan logo is designed from a straight "I" and a perfectly round "O." These straight and curved lines don't easily blend into a string of characters. They convey the integration of opposing elements through a symbolic impression that can be understood even by children or those who don't speak the same language.
This is the second installment of "All about 10 eyevan," where I share insights I gained while working as the manager of EYEVAN 7285 Tokyo, being closest to Mr. Nakagawa, the designer of 10 eyevan. This time, we'll start with the rims, which are engraved with the 10 eyevan logo.
— Titanium Rims
The rims of glasses are crucial for holding the lenses. The rim wire, which forms the material for these rims, is also crafted by Mr. Maruyama, a seasoned artisan with 40 years of experience who also made the development of titanium Torx screws possible.
Mr. Maruyama and Mr. Nakagawa, the designer of 10 eyevan, reportedly met through an introduction from someone at a screw manufacturing company. When first introduced, Mr. Nakagawa was told, "Mr. Maruyama is just a good person," and while he was initially skeptical, wondering if that was separate from his craftsmanship, he was indeed impressed by the beauty of the rim wires when he saw them. Concluding that good people make good things, he decided to commission Mr. Maruyama to produce the rim wires.
— Undistorted Rim Wires
Good rim wires are free from distortion. Many of 10 eyevan's lens shapes feature exquisite curves, and Mr. Maruyama's rim wires can express these shapes beautifully without distortion.
Furthermore, Mr. Maruyama's rim wires are characterized by their extremely smooth and even surface, which contributes to a beautiful plating finish. Fellow professionals often ask, "Are you using any special plating?" The answer is that it's not special plating, but rather the base rim wire itself that is special.
— Lens Shapes
The lens shapes that fit into these special rims are also unique. 10 eyevan has gradually increased its lens shapes over several years, but still only offers eight types. This is the number that a typical brand would release in a single season.
However, all eight of these lens shapes, though seemingly ordinary at first glance, are distinct and unlike anything else upon closer inspection, possessing a unique form that transcends time. This reflects designer Nakagawa's characteristic approach, exhibiting a pleasant sense of nonchalance and an unpretentious atmosphere. One might even say he stops just short of overdoing it.
This also strongly resembles the atmosphere of vintage glasses from the period when eyewear design was in transition, before classic shapes like Boston and Wellington emerged.
— Recognizable by those who know
Regarding this, the designer himself says he's just not good at design. For example, the no5 lens shape, categorized as round within 10 eyevan, appears distorted when drawn as a perfect circle in an illustrator program, so he manually corrects it later, resulting in its unique form.
However, no matter what he says, as even someone from the company that produces 10 eyevan's acetate frames mentioned, there are no other designers who dare to compete with such unique lens shapes. They are distinct 10 eyevan lens shapes, immediately recognizable to those who know.
— Beta-Titanium Temples
The temples of 10 eyevan, with a slightly elongated cross-section of 1mm vertically and 0.9mm horizontally, are ideally designed to have flexibility in the horizontal direction while being resistant to deformation in the vertical direction.
As someone who stands in stores and sells to customers, such unique temples are rare. However, with sufficient fitting skill, once adjusted, they are highly reliable temples that move in the directions they should for the user and remain stable in directions they shouldn't.
— Silver 925/K18YG Balancer Tips
Attached to the ends of these temples are end tips made of Silver 925 or 18k gold, which are heavier than the titanium material of the temples. The design, inspired by structures seen in glasses from around the 18th century, aims to reduce the burden on the nose by shifting the overall center of gravity of the frame further back.
This is one of 10 eyevan's characteristic details, balancing the necessary functionality as a tool with a compact and beautiful form.
— Temple Cores
While 10 eyevan's acetate frames use vintage celluloid fabric, their temples are not what you would call coreless.
On the contrary, the cores used in the temples not only have a semi-circular cross-section, but the flat side also features an intricately designed convex pattern based on the 10 eyevan logo.
While designer Nakagawa recognized the value of vintage items, he believed it would be disrespectful to customers to create something that would merely be chosen as an alternative to vintage, rather than something that would make them hesitate between the two when placed side-by-side.
This philosophy also applies to the temple specifications. Rather than designing simply out of admiration for vintage, the approach of incorporating a core for improved quality is embodied in these temple cores.
It's not about being merely decorative or extravagant; it's a design that appears almost minimalist externally, yet requires highly advanced techniques to produce.
Looking back, the 10 eyevan brand has taken many experimental and bold approaches, and it could be said that the overall finished form is, in a sense, a miraculous balance.
However, it is currently highly popular not only in Japan but also in overseas markets, with many enthusiastic fans who buy multiple color variations of the same model.
It is certainly due to the brand's uncompromising pursuit of lens shapes, materials, and design, even without overtly obvious features.
In fact, the wearing comfort is impeccable, every detail is perfected, and yet there is a certain understated charm. For true eyewear enthusiasts, it might be the only option that leaves no room for other infatuations.
Hiroki Makino
2011 Joined EYEVAN Retailing Inc.
2012 Manager of EYEVAN Osaka Gallery & EYEVAN Barneys New York Kobe Store
2016 Manager of Oliver Peoples Osaka
2017 Manager of EYEVAN 7285 Tokyo. Handled numerous flagship and special orders for EYEVAN 7285 & 10 eyevan.
2023 Became independent and opened AFTER.
