June, 16th, 2012

S tockholm | ANNA-KARIN KARLSSON : Eyes Editeur

Anna-Karin Karlsson was thrown in to the highest end of eyewear fashion at 19 after finishing her acting/art degree when she l anded a job in the oldest and one of the most renowned opticians in Lon don.

Her fascination for sunglasses started as a child when a friend’s mother returned from Florida equipped with 80’s glamour. But it wasn’t until she tried on a pair of Christian Roth sunglasses that this fascination developed in to a true passion.

She quickly advanced in the Old Bond street practise and dispensed and designed eyewear for Sultans, Princesses, Kings, Lords, Dukes, Fashionistas – and mere mortals. The men who had their bespoke suits made up on nearby Saville Row would come to the practice to have matching eyewear cus tom made. The Anna Molinari girls would shop for sunglasses to fit their new outfit. Karlsson was soon working the trade and fashion shows, setting fashions for the fashion forward and learning from the best.

Meanwhile, she grew ever more fascinated with the dark and the grime of the UK underground music scene. Music was a huge part of her life; while signed to independent music labels, Karlsson would write music in the evenings and record whenever she had a free hour. It was from this swirl of music, art, and acting that Anna-Karin’s unique vision and style was born, building on her deep admiration for the traditional skills she saw through her work on bespoke eyewear.

Today Karlsson has a h andful of clients around the world that she privately styles and designs for. Her first own eyewear collection is set to be released in 2011. Based on the Fairytales her collection is set to make a mark on the fashion world. As one fashion edi tor recently said: “I love them, I love them and I won’t return them”.

Anna-Karin Karlsson was nominated accessory designer 2011 at the “Rose et la Mer”, confirming Anna-Karin Karlsson as one of the most important designers in Swedish fashion.