19 December 2023
Tom Davies has collaborated with Warner Bros. Discovery on the design of bespoke frames for the new film Wonka, released in the UK on 8 December.
In celebration of the release of the film, which stars Timothée Chalamet in the lead role, Davies has also developed a collection of Wonka-inspired frames.
Davies created two bespoke frames for characters in the Wonka film.
One design was required for the titular character’s nemesis, Fickelgruber, played by Matthew Baynton.
Davies designed a classic frame for Fickelgruber, in a style that would have been accessible only to “successful, dapper people,” the brand designer shared. A green lens tint was added to imply a sense of mystery.
A second style was needed for Abacus Crunch, played by Jim Carter. The frames needed to sit on the end of the actor’s noses and be functional for the actor to use, and the costume department also needed five pairs for use during the films.
Talking to OT about the design process, Davies shared: “The film is set in a fantasy time period that showcases a fictional recreation of circa 1930s London, but Abacus' frames were meant to be from a time 30 years beforehand.
“When I spoke with the costume director, they gave me the inspiration as Abacus was formerly a successful accountant but was older now and down on his luck. This meant that his glasses should look old. You can see him in his scenes wearing them and they sit on the end of his nose like a 1900's ready reader.”
To celebrate the release of the film, Davies has worked with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products to design a collection of seven Wonka-inspired frames.
Launching through the Catch London brand, every frame has a unique feature that pays homage to both the film and the creativity approach of the Tom Davies design house.
Included in the collection are frames that glow in the dark, smell like giraffe milk, or change colour when the wearer steps outside.
Tom Davies, CEO and designer, said: “I was so excited when Warner Bros. Discovery asked me to get involved in this project. Growing up, I loved Roald Dahl’s stories and always dreamed of running my own factory. Being inspired by Willy Wonka from a young age and now getting to design frames for Wonka very much feels like a childhood ambition fulfilled.”
“But it also gave me so many ideas for wild and wacky ways in which to create this new Catch London collection of frames,” Davies added. “I can’t wait for people to wear, and of course, sniff them.”
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