Brian Lara Vision Collection unveiled

A closer look at the BL eyewear.
A closer look at the BL eyewear.

UPDATE:

The Brian Lara Vision Collection was launched with flair at Brian Lara’s home in St Clair on Thursday.

Ferreira Optical Ltd teamed up with the cricketing legend to create a full collection of ophthalmic frames and sunglasses for both men and women.

Captured in the range are some of Lara’s records such as his 400 not out in Test cricket and 501 in first-class cricket, but they all include references to elements of Lara’s cricket career and beyond.

Ferreira’s aim was to create a unique product, and working with Lara allowed them to design a one-of-a-kind collection.

CEO Sean Francis, said, “This project has been two years in the making and we feel proud as a company to bring to market a premium eyewear collection which pays tribute to one of our country’s icons.”

Francis related the journey that began in 2009 when Ferreira’s decided to start producing its own brand of frames.

Beginning with Emmanuel Nissi in 2010, the company produced several other collections. In 2015, it took things to another level by getting a licence to produce a recognisable brand, and at the top of the list of people coming to mind was Brian Charles Lara.

When Francis contacted Lara, he said: “This for me was huge, but at the same time scary. It was huge because it was the brand Brian Charles Lara, it was scary because it was Brian Charles Lara.”

Questions arose as to how to honour Lara – a living legend – and how to represent the record-holder whom many regard as the quintessential stroke player who embodies style and flair.

Cricketing legend Brian Lara is flanked by Ian Marcus Lewis, marketing manager, FOL left, and Sean Francis, CEO, FOL.

In 2016, Amy, a London-based designer who had extensive experience and had worked on top brands including Gucci and Tommy Hilfiger, was selected.

Francis said: “As part of our brief to the designer, we required a brand that would be high-end in look and feel, current in designs and that would stand head and shoulder with top brands such as Tom Ford and even Cartier. The design elements were to include inspiration from Brian’s cricket accomplishments, elements of his cricket game as well as to reflect who Brian is today – a living legend, sophisticated and timeless.”

Amy and Ferreira’s incorporated the best materials such as titanium to signify strength, gold and platinum, Swarovski crystals, and the buffalo horn.

“We incorporated Brian’s signature shot: that ‘flick off the hip’ that ultimately ends up as four runs can be found as the logo on all our frames. The cricket ball can be found on the endpieces of many of the temple tips. The actual lens cloth is in the shape of a leather ball complete with stitching that would rival any Kookaburra super high Test ball.

“The boundary ropes that so many a times could not contain the ball from Brian’s menacing shots, can be found as the handles of the collection bag, and the texture of the bat handle has been replicated on some of the temples in this collection.”

Similarly to Lara’s 400 not-out innings against England, when no bowler was spared, Ferreir’s spared no effort in designing and producing a quality product.

Ian Marcus Lewis, marketing manager, spoke of the Look Forward Campaign to sell the eyewear.

“As we researched Brian’s journey and his success both on and off the field combined with his international acclaim, this new eyewear brand stands as a statement of success that everyone admires, regardless of their career choices, also to inspire others to achieve their own vision of greatness and share it with the world, and it represents someone who defines life on his or her own terms and enjoys it to the fullest. And so the imagery and language we have chosen to represent the collection suggests that everyone’s version of winning might be different, but aspirations of victory always start with a vision.”

A section of the crowd at the launch.

As Lara approached the podium he introduced a video of a few of his matches where he was seen ducking some extremely fast deliveries, and getting hit by others.

After the video he insisted those things didn’t happen because of bad eyesight, but because he turned his back to the deliveries, looked away and got struck.

At age 21, Lara suffered from pterygium, a little growth on the cornea, and he needed protection from the sun. He soon got an Oakley contract, never thinking of his own brand back then. But after meeting Francis a couple years ago, he said, “My pores raised when he mentioned that Ferreira Optical was interested in having my name on a branded eyewear that they will promote and distribute.”

It didn’t take much to convince him. He just wanted to it to go global. He said: “I am very, very proud. It took two long years to produce such eyewear. I knew it was not going to be a 100 or a double hundred, I knew it was going to be a record one, one of those long ones that is going to stand the test of time, and we needed to bring a product to you people in the market that is worthy of a brand that it represents.

“I hope that everyone here, when they have a look at the eyewear, they will like the aesthetics of it and how it fits – and I hope to see everyone in a BL or 400 or ‘one off the hip,’ whichever one they decide on.”

ORIGINAL STORY:

The Brian Lara Vision Collection was officially launched with pomp and flair at Brian Lara’s residence in St. Clair on Thursday.

Ferreira Optical Limited (FOL), one of the leading optical providers in TT teamed up with the cricketing legion to create a full collection of opthalmic frames and sunglasses for both men and women.

Captured in the tiered range are some of Lara’s records such as his 400 not out in test cricket and the 501 in first class cricket, but largely, all tiers capture elements of Lara’s career during cricket and beyond.

FOL’s aim was to create a unique product and working with Lara allowed them to capture and design a one of kind collection which they can be proud of both locally and regionally.

Sean Francis, chief executive officer, FOL noted “This project has been two years in the making and we feel proud as a company to bring to market a premium eyewear collection which pays tribute to one of our country’s icons.

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