- OT
- Industry
- Eyewear and lenses
- Porsche Design releases new collector’s edition
Porsche Design releases new collector’s edition
The frame commemorates Porsche Design’s partnership with Patrick Dempsey
10 May 2021
Porsche Design Eyewear has launched a new limited edition version of its ‘P’8928’ frame in tribute to its 2021 brand ambassador, Patrick Dempsey, the Hollywood actor, director and racing car driver.
The partnership with Dempsey was announced earlier this year, with Porsche Design Group CEO, Jan Becker, describing it as “a perfect combination,” and adding that it will help to “further increase visibility for our eyewear category worldwide and have a positive effect on overall brand awareness.”
Now Porsche Design has launched the ‘P’8928 P Collector’s Edition’ to commemorate the collaboration with Dempsey.
The frame is based on the ‘P’8928’ squared aviator style, which is itself a modernised take on the brand’s classic ‘P’8478’ – created in 1978 by Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche as the first sunglass frame with an interchangeable lens mechanism.
The ‘P’8928 P’ is available with four additional pairs of coloured interchangeable lenses in a soft traveller box. The lenses can be swapped to match different styles or lighting conditions, and the shades feature Porsche Design’s Vision Drive lens technology which also provides scratch protection and UV400 protection.
The frame became available on 1 May, with Dempsey commenting: “The classic design is iconic while evolving with technology. I really love the elegant colour palette of the lenses.”
Through the brand ambassador partnership, the 2021 Porsche Design Eyewear campaigns will feature the actor and highlight four models in the brand’s new collections.
Technical twists for spring/summer
The spring/summer 2021 collection features new frames with futuristic takes on the brand’s classic shapes.
The shape of the ‘P’8924’ frame was inspired by the desire to create a frame that “looked like a continuous line drawn by hand,” with a straight line made from titanium, contrasting with the round lenses.
Meanwhile, inspired by the lens fitting hooks incorporated in the brand’s iconic ‘P’8478’ frame, the Hooks line introduces two new models – ‘P’8918’ and ‘P’8920’ – in which the lens fittings are revived for an “edgy and technoid” look.
The new frames; ‘P’8923,’ ‘P’8386,’ and ‘P’8387’ complement the Liquid Titanium range, inspired by the silhouette of the Porsche 911 car, and which also includes the ‘P’8688’ frame.
Finally, the brand’s Fusion concept aims to combine and contrast shapes, materials and surfaces: a high-performance plastic RXP, with stainless steel, shiny and matte surfaces and slim sides with a “striking” front. The new models, ‘P’8380’ and ‘P’8698,’ capture these contrasts in classic and lightweight shapes.
The perfect fit
During a press event for Porsche Design Eyewear on 26 April, Becker and Dempsey discussed the partnership and the frames in the collection.
Discussing what connects him to the brand, Dempsey shared: “I love the engineering, the desire to get better and improve, the durability and the iconic nature of Porsche Design. The extension all comes from motorsport and refining and improving. That’s what I’m excited about.”
Becker described the partnership as a “logical next step” for the brand, adding: “We are focusing on the segment, we want to build up our brand image on a worldwide basis.”
Sharing the most important factors in his eyewear, Dempsey said that he particularly pays attention to the lenses, highlighting the benefits of being able to change the lenses in his frames to suit the environment or activity.
The second most important element is how lightweight the frames are, Dempsey continued, particularly important when wearing sunglasses between takes or when driving. “The titanium is really nice and when you put them on, you forget about them,” he added.
Asked if his attitude towards eyewear had changed following the partnership, Dempsey explained he saw it as an “opportunity to learn something new,” and researched brands to compare how and where frames are constructed, the quality of the frames and thought behind them.
Offering his advice for picking out the best frames, Dempsey recommended taking a look at the frames in person to get the best fit, adding: “Make sure you have a professional help fit you.”
He also described his long-established interest in Porsche, from first seeing a poster of a Porsche car with a striking ‘whale tail’ feature in the 70s, to buying his Porsche 356 Cabriolet after his first ‘big job’. But his interest in cars really began as a child, he explained: “My father was a travelling salesman and every Friday night he would bring home matchbox cars for me. That’s when my collection, my passion for automobiles began.”
Advertisement
Comments (0)
You must be logged in to join the discussion. Log in