A very limited number of autographed, first edition, hardcover copies of this landmark book are available at $399.
REVIEWS
“Were eyewear designer Moss Lipow’s vision for his book “Eyewear: A Visual History” (TASCHEN) to be tested, it would be 20/20, so acute is his understanding of the history of spectacles and sunglasses...it is (Eyewear) that has been consuming (Lipow’s) working days and nights, painstakingly tracing the evolution of how we’ve aided our sight since the seventeenth century, or found ever more stylish ways to shield our eyes from the sun than simply raising our hands, with many incredible and cool examples from the early 1900s onward. Along the way (Lipow) manages to turn a history of a design form into a compelling narrative with cultural and social import, with plenty of brilliant and eye-catching images.”
Vogue, New York
"...this visual history is one tome not to be missed."
Vintage Vault Website, London
"Moss Lipow: eyewear designer. Ouuu, eyewear, we thought. We’ve always been partial to a nice pair of specs, and those leather framed numbers...”I’ve got a book coming out this year: a decorative history of eyewear, combined with elements of autobiography. TASCHEN is publishing it. I’ve seen the layouts – it looks really beautiful...the book’s 400 pages along with about 1,200 images and will hopefully become a reference for eyewear."
10 Magazine (Women), London
“Designer Moss Lipow traces 1,000 years in the evolution of eyewear and showcases examples from his vast and vibrant collection, culled from eBay, auction houses, garage sales and flea markets around the world. Whether your style is more aviator or bedazzled cat eye, Eyewear is a sight to behold.”
Arrive Magazine, Phoenix
“This book is an eyewear joy”.
Eyesylist.com, London
“Twenty years worth of diligent exploration and crate digging in auction houses, garage sales, flea markets and online led Moss Lipow, an eyewear designer and collector, to amass a massive collection of glasses and their photographs. Now he’s compiled the highest quality examples from his collection, as well as prominent collections from around the world, into a hefty TASCHEN tome titled Eyewear. Tracing back over 500 years, the pieces include monocles, frames made of leather and wood, a bone-based sunshield and the ever popular aviator style glasses. A lot has changed since the 16th century, with eyewear growing from practical necessity to a fully embedded staple of our consumer society. Over 1,000 examples of glasses are included in this 360-page hard cover book, augmented with a rich history of the spectacle researched through ancient texts, vintage magazines and out-of-print publications.”
Lostinasupermarket.com
“Here is the definitive word, with pictures, on designs and styles you have never seen before, from variations on the pince-nez and monocle to aviators and cat-eyes – altogether half a millennium of spectacles, from the classic to the outrageous.”
World Magazine, New Zealand
“...an absolute joy with page after glorious page of amazing eyewear designs. Moss Lipow’s book is an eyewear design treasure trove, providing exactly the visual history it’s title promises. It’s eyewear eye-candy, at times you don’t know where to look! His writing is entertaining and informative and includes numerous little-known gems. But this book is first and foremost about the images, approximately 1,200 of them and every one is presented at a scale such that you can spot wonderful detail. Well worth investing in.”
Eye Wear Glasses, London
“Dank der Sammelleidenschaft des amerikanischen Brillendesigners Moss Lipow gibt das Buch Eyewear spannende Einblicke von praktischen bis zu skurrilen Modellen.”
Diva, Wien
“Mein Fazit: Klar, dass man die Welt der Brillen lieben muss, um die Bilder und Texte dieses Buches voll genießen zu können. Auf wen das zutrifft, darf damit rechnen, all seine Erwartungen an eine solche Hommage erfüllt zu sehen.“
www.amazon.de, Luxemburg
“Per me gli occhiali sono tra gli accessori più affascinanti. Sono in grado di cambiare completamente un viso attraverso forme, colori e vari ornamenti. La bella notizia è che è appena uscito un libro molto interessante ... intitolato Eyewear, A visual history (Ed. TASCHEN, pp. 392) che fotografa un’incredibile collezione... Curiosi? La storia è questa: per più di 20 anni, il designer americano Moss Lipow ha cercato occhiali spettacolari su E-Bay, nelle aste, nei mercatini in giro per il mondo, nelle vendite private, insomma ovunque, accumulando una collezione grandiosa. Il nuovo volume di TASCHEN racconta, attraverso le fotografie di quell’incredibile collezione, l’evolversi degli occhiali negli ultimi 500 anni ... L’ampiezza dell’apparato iconografico di Eyewear è accompagnata da testi critici di varia origine (compresi testi antichi, cataloghi, riviste vintage e pubblicazioni di tutti i tipi) che completano la panoramica che Moss Lipow regala ai lettori."
blog.atcasa.corriere.it, Milano
"Eyewear. A visual History (TASCHEN) è un saggio scritto da un addetto ai lavori, Moss Lipow. Disegnatore e ideatore di occhiali, ne ha collezionati oltre 500 paia e li ha fatti fotografare per l'occasione. Un modo per conoscere la storia del complemento più utile ma anche decorativo." Marie Claire, Milano
"Gafas con mucha historia. Nada es verdad, nada es mentira, todo depende del color del cristal (de gafas) con que se mira. Tanta perspectiva cambiante queda al descubierto si se traza el recorrido histórico de las lentes, esos artilugios ópticos que desde tiempos de la neblinosa Edad Media ayudan a leer, caminar sin tropezar y percibir la realidad con mayor nitidez. Quien ha puesto puntillosa mirada sobre ellas ha sido el diseñador y coleccionista Moss Lipow en el libro Eyewear a visual history (Gafas, una historia visual), un repaso antológico de las gafas de toda forma y condición. De hecho el autor ha creado algunos de los impactantes modelos para la cantante (Lady Gaga). La selección de Lipow es sintomática de cada época y permite desvelar viejos aspectos sociales y económicos a través de estos dispositivos móviles."
El Magazine de El Mundo, Madrid
"Eyewear. A visual History (TASCHEN) è invece un volume che degli occhiali traccia un percorso decorativo intrigante, lungo cinque secoli, attingendo a varie collezioni, tra cui quella di Moss Lipow, eyewear collector & designer newyorkese."
Vogue, Milano
“Visually stunning, the wealth of images (over 1,000!) in this wide-ranging volume are accompanied by a history of eyeglasses informed by a wide variety of sources, including ancient texts, old catalogues, vintage magazines and out-of-print publications.”
Vision Monday Magazine, New York
“Hingucker zum Ahne: Mit grellen Farben und irren Formen kämpfen Brillenmacher seit Jahrhunderten um die Gunst der Massen. Ein neuer Bildband zeigt die schrägsten Modelle der Brillengeschichte - und verrät, dass die Sehhilfe ihren Erfolg gar nicht Designern verdankt. Sondern der Billardkugel.“
www.spiegel.de, Hamburg
“Sunglasses styles have veered wildly over the years. From showy glitter to swirling plastics, find your perfect pair in the coffee-table tome.”
Toni & Guy, London
“El coleccionista –tiene 3.000 monturas- y diseñador de gafas Moss Lipow recoge 500 años de historia ocular en un libro trilingüe Eyewear, a visual history, y da un repaso a todo lo que por necesidad o placer los humanos se han puesto ante los ojos.”
ADN, Barcelona
“El famoso diseñador de gafas Moss Lipow, que cuenta con fans de la talla de Lady Gaga, David Bowie y Elton John, recoge 500 años de historia visual en su libro Eyewear, a visual history, de la editorial TASCHEN, un repaso a las lentes más extravagantes y emblemáticas de la Historia.” La Gaceta de Intereconomía, Madrid
Spain "È possibile raccontare i cambiamenti della società e del costume attraverso l'evoluzione del design e degli occhiali? Questo libro, opera di un grande collezionista, dimostra di sì. L'invenzione di Hollywood, del glamour e dello star system li trasforma da strumento d'uso a oggetto icona. L'ottimismo del dopoguerra li modella in forme fantasiose e colori vivaci. Gli anni '60 e '70 li connotano come espressioni di anticonformismo, gli '80 e i '90 come simboli del lusso. E oggi? Ricerca e vintage convivono: voglia di futuro e, insieme, di radici."
BravaCasa, Milano
"Il y a beaucoup d’inédits dans ce livre, réédité pour être désormais à la portée de toutes les bourses (sans jeu de mots), et non plus seulement en série limitée contre une somme à quatre
chiffres. Furieusement fétichistes et tellement à la mode, les «Fräulein» d’Ellen se nomment Vanessa Paradis, Eva Green, Kate Moss, Vanessa Paradis, Monica Belluci, Eva Mendès, Dita von Teese...et tant d’autres, plus dénudées, plus tentatrices, plus offertes les unes que les autres." Artravel, Paris
“The result of two decades spent scouring auction houses, garage sales, flea markets and more recently, eBay, Eyewear: A Visual History showcases everything from the simple and refined to the decadent and outrageous, opening the doors to the world’s most distinguished collections, one of which belongs to Lipow himself. Compiled chronologically, and interlaced with a stunning series of stills, and images taken from magazines and adverts, the first section of the book takes an illuminating look at the early examples of frames. Benefiting from the spectacularly high resolution in particular is a set of horn scissor glasses featuring pearl and faux tortoise shell patterns, and a set of beautifully decorated French miniature telescopes from the 18th and 19th centuries respectively. Subsequent sections go on to exhibit a dazzling array of designs from such illustrious names as Pierre Cardin, Oliver Goldsmith, Silhouette, and Ray Ban amongst others. While Lipow finds space for discussion, examining the subject of brand licensing and the impact of the Asian eyewear market, Eyewear is, above all, a deliciously rich photomontage. Snippets of insider information are found throughout, including a particularly fascinating highlight: how the birth of the eyeglass can be linked to the demise of the ornamental hair comb.”
AnOther Magazine website, London
"In dieser Fülle bemerkt der Betrachter einmal mehr (oder auch zum ersten Mal), was für eine überraschende und faszinierende Entwicklung die Brille in den vergangenen 500 Jahren erlebt hat. ... Ein Buch, das in jedem guten Augenoptikerbetrieb an prominenter Stelle ausliegen sollte. Und natürlich auch ein schönes Geschenk für jeden Augenoptiker und Brillenliebhaber."
EyeBizz, Ulm
“Ein Muss für alle, die mehr sehen wollen.”
TextilWirtschaft, Frankfurt am Main
"500 ans de créations, rien que pour vos yeux. Moss Lipow, auteur de Lunettes, une histoire visuelle, a fouillé les greniers de l’histoire ophtalmique pour accoucher ce mois d’un pavé de 360 pages. Les planches richement illustrées présentent des modèles fous et des pubs rétro."
20 Minutes, Lausanne
“Friends and family didn’t get you what you wanted for Christmas? Don’t worry, it can happen to the best of us. Instead of wallowing in cake-induced misery, start early on the retail therapy. Eyewear a predominantly womenswear focused book but let that put you off, it’s still a must read.”
Selectism.com
“For any eyewear lovers, we highly recommend this book. It would make a perfect Christmas gift! Buy Eyewear a Visual History!...Moss Lipow is an amazing eyewear designer and definitely someone the design world should pay attention to. Celebrities such as David Bowie, Lady Gaga,
M.I.A, Mary Kate & Ashley Olson and Elton John are true fans of this avant-garde, bold, and extravagant eyewear artist. His masterpiece frames have been featured in prestigious fashion magazines such as Newsweek, Vogue Italia, and L’officiel...The book ‘Eyewear a Visual History’ is an incredible historical depiction of eyewear and eyewear trends over the years. ‘Eyewear a Visual History’ contains 1200 images of his own collection of museum-quality vintage frames and his own incredible custom made frames. Accompanying the wealth of images is a detailed history including: prehistoric whalebone eyeguards, 13th century Italian clergy wooden spectacles, medieval leather goggles, 19th century lorgnettes, 20th century aviators and everything else that gave birth to the eyewear fashion industry as we know it today...‘Eyewear a Visual History’ is extravagantly illustrated and is true eye-candy for those in love with vintage eyewear!”
Kingsofpast.com
“TASCHEN books, along side eyeglass designer and collector Moss Lipow, have found success in their work to represent the last 500 years of eyewear evolution. The collaboration produced this visually beautiful publication depicting all of the major advancements in eyewear. This attractive and informative coffee table book is saturated with hundreds of stunning photos, most of which were intentionally represented true to scale... The book is filled with the most exquisite examples of the evolution of eyewear. The pieces chosen by Moss Lipow are relevant and mark the changes in the journey from the rudimentary to the ornate. The guide is chronological and innately representative in that, essentially, with each photograph, we can see through a window into the corresponding eras... Moss Lipow did a wonderful job introducing us to some of these precious collectible "instruments of fashion". Make no mistake, there are many more styles just as unusual, precious and unique to discover. Yes, some just as relevant, yet, even more breathtaking than those depicted in this beautiful work, EYEWEAR a visual history.” Cateyespectacles.com
“This book is for outrageous eyewear fans. It features more than 1000 glasses spanning from pre-1900 to today and it beautifully presents the evolution of eyewear, from an Eskimo, blinded by glare, carving a slit in a piece of bone and strapping it to his eyes, to the plastic frames innovation on the 1940s,”
New Zealand Herald, Auckland
“La historia del accesorio fetiche. Conciente de la fascinación que despiertan, la editorial TASCHEN ha recogido en un libro de imágenes los modelos de gafas de sol que han marcado la historia de la moda. Una divertida retrospectiva llena de colores y formas y acompañados de celebrities que las llevaron como nadie.”
Woman, Barcelona
“Eyewear is for flicking through. Each page is marvelously illustrated with carefully photographed life-size frames, most of which come from Lipow's own collection. As well as this array of stills, he has sourced amazing pictures from old magazines, catalogues, advertising and films... Eyewear is providing Eye Wear Glasses with some much need early eyewear education!... Moss Lipow's book is a eyewear design treasure trove, providing exactly the visual history its title promises. It's eyewear eye-candy, at times you don't know where to look! His writing is entertaining and informative and includes numerous little-known gems. But this book
is first and foremost about the images, approximately 1,200 of them and every one is presented at a scale such that you can spot wonderful detail. Well worth investing in!”
Eye-wear-glasses.com
"Pas moins de mille lunettes plus extravagantes les unes que les autres illustrent l’évolution de cet accessoire devenu très mode. Préhistoriques ou médiévales, pince-nez et monocles sont présentés au fil des pages avec également des photographies d’époque. Riche en iconographie, le livre est agrémenté d’essais composés à partir de textes, catalogues et publications anciennes. 500 ans de design lunettier sont évoqués ici."
Inform Optique, Paris
"Un joli livre à l’iconographie riche, agrémenté de textes issus de catalogues, de magazines anciens et de publications épuisées."
Too, Echirolles
"Todo está reunido no bello livro Eyewear (TASCHEN), que retrata os últimos 500 anos da evoluçao do accesorio que vive na nossa cabeça."
Vogue, Sao Paulo
"Moss Lipow non avrebbe mai immaginato che la sua collezione avrebbe superato la sua ben vasta produzione. Realizzata in oltre vent'anni con oculati acquisti effettuati su eBay, in aste e mercarini, racconta con oltre 1000 esemplari l'evoluzione del design dell'occhiale negli ultimi 500 anni."
Case&Stili, Milano
"C'erano una volta gli aviators, i monocoli e il tettuccio parasole di osso... L'affascinante evoluzione degli occhiali raccontata nel volume Eyewear (edizione TASCHEN): 500 anni di design attraverso le immagini di vecchi cataloghi, riviste d'epoca e pubblicazioni vintage out-of- print. Ma, soprattutto, un viaggio nella collezione dell'autore del libro, lo stilista Moss Lipow che per due decenni ha frequentato mercati delle pulci, case d'asta e svendite di garage."
Book Moda, Milano
“Eyewear: A Visual History published by TASCHEN features highlights from Moss Lipow's world-famous collection of sunglasses, eyeglasses and everything in between — over 1,000 of them, covering nearly 500 years of design. From a crude bone sunshield and curious contraptions of leather and wood to lorgnettes, pince-nez, monocles, aviators, and bejeweled cat eyes, Lipow accompanies the lavish illustrations with a deeply researched history of eyewear design, related in an engaging style as delightful to read as it definitive...Sure to be given pride of place on the shelves of every design enthusiast, not to mention quite a few modernist coffee tables, the book is a must-have addition to any style library.”
Justluxe.com
"Mode à lire. Plein la vue. A l’ère des lentilles de contact, les lunettes sont plus que jamais des accessoires de mode et/ou une posture de style. Cette esthétique particulière est aujourd’hui l’objet d’un gros volume chez TASCHEN. Baptisé Eyewear, il explore l’histoire stylistique de la
lunette. Modèle Esquimau en os, micro-télescopes bijoux du XIXe siècle, design basique ou modèles théâtraux des années 50: on y croise des formes familières ou, au contraire, totalement oubliées et déconcertantes. A voir, absolument."
Madame Figaro, Paris
“Se na sua origen os óculos serviam (apenas) para se ver melhor, hoje os aros sao um accesorio de moda...Moss Lipow sabe disso. O desenhador e coleccionador de Nova Iorque que reuniu no livro Eyewear, A Visual History –prestes a ser lançados pela TASCHEN, os modelos mais emblemáticos y extravagantes.”
Sábado, Lisbon
“Dieser Bildband lässt tief blicken, hat er doch auf 360 Seiten hunderte von kuriosen und wunderschönen Brillen aus über 500 Jahren versammelt, gespickt mit spannenden Stories über unser liebstes Nasenfahrrad.”
StepFashion
“A todos esos que en el colegio decían lo de <los gafitas cuatro ojos, capitán de los piojos>, de verdad esperamos que les regalen el libro Eyewear de TASCHEN, porque significará que ahora entienden el arte de saber llevar gafas. Un repaso a la historia del complemento diario más necesario para miopes, hipermétropes, y gente con vista de lince.”
Tendencias
"Woody Allen sarebbe lo stesso se non avesse i suoi occhiali da vista calcati sul naso? E Groucho Marx, senza lenti? Irriconoscibile. Come del resto i Blues Brothers, impensabili senza i Ray-Ban neri. Che siano da vista o da sole, gli occhiali sono un accessorio intramontabile. ... E a tracciare una storia degli occhiali è ora il volume Eyewear (TASCHEN, pp. 360), scritto da designer Moss Lipow, che racconta l'evolversi di questo accessorio nel corso di settecento anni." Il Venerdì - La Repubblica