Andy Warhol’s art meets fashion

The controversial American artist, who flourished in the 1960s, left behind an extensive collection of artworks, from paintings to sketches, silk screens, sculpture and more.

This legacy includes a series of drawings put together for a newspaper feature in 1957, which focus on women’s eyewear. These drawings were characterised by classy female figures wearing sassy and mysterious 50s-style sunglasses.

Now, and why it’s never been done before is beyond me. 

Retrosuperfuture and the Andy Warhol Foundation teamed up and used these drawings as inspiration to create highly iconic sunglasses.

SUPER STYLISH. The Super x Andy Warhol Illustrated Series.

Interpreting Warhol’s original creations, designers experimented with materials, shapes and production techniques for a unique, collectable yet wearable collection. The result is a series of four different silhouettes that embody Warhol’s witty visual flair.

SUPER STYLISH. The Super x Andy Warhol Illustrated Series.

This custom series proposes an entirely novel approach to eyewear design. It’s eclectic, unique and unconventional. Unfortunately, the collection is extremely limited with 100 pieces per model worldwide. 

When asked the reasoning behind this approach, Gary Sher, brand manager of Retrosuperfuture SA explains, “Just as art is limited and exclusive, we wanted to do the same with this product. We were looking to inspire and push boundaries by translating art into fashion.

“This makes our product a true collector’s piece. We are not looking to make profits off this collaboration. While we can’t all afford an original Warhol piece that hangs on our walls forever, we can be inspired by him and his works.”

The four designs, named BabyBaby, Nicolou, Velvetdarling and Ultracandy, were created by Retrosuperfuture’s 
design and editorial team. 

UltraCandy. The Super x Andy Warhol Illustrated Series.

“We simply had a look at the final eyepieces and looked for names that we believe fitted each product,” Sher says.

“BabyBaby, for instance, is a sassy female name, due to the product looking like a mischievous pair of lips. 

“UltraCandy, on the other hand, draws its look from heart-shaped red pop candy, which can be seen through the lens shape and colourway.”