In the first part, Tetsuya Okada, CEO of “Globe Specs,” explored Brazil’s cities and natural landscapes.The inspiration for this trip came from *LAPIMA*, which Mr. Okada discovered at a trade show in Milan several years ago. Captivated by the beautiful photographs of Brazilian landscapes displayed alongside the eyewear, he felt compelled to see the scenes that inspired the designs with his own eyes. How does the Brazilian landscape come together in a single pair of frames? In Part 2, we’ll visit the LAPIMA store in São Paulo, as well as the home and workshop of the designer couple in Campinas.
São Paulo – A minimalist space that showcases eyewear.
During his trip, Mr. Okada also visited two LAPIMA stores in São Paulo: the “LAPIMA CONCEPT STORE,” located inside a shopping mall in the commercial district, and the company-owned “LAPIMA GALERIA,” which just opened this past June.
In the concept store, eyeglasses are arranged to appear as if they are floating on suspended copper displays, and a bench designed by Brazilian designer Cláudia Moreira Sales is placed in the center.
The Galleria, on the other hand, features a white space reminiscent of a contemporary art gallery, with a design that incorporates organic curves. The cylindrical fixtures are movable, allowing the spatial layout to be freely reconfigured. Both stores feature simple interiors that highlight *Rapima*’s distinctive colors and three-dimensional quality.
Displaying boldly shaped eyewear frames in a minimalist space. With that impression in mind, Mr. Okada visited the couple’s home, where he discovered another side of “Rapima.”
Campinas – A home brimming with artistic sensibility, serving as the starting point for this couple’s creative work.
About an hour and a half by car from São Paulo, in Campinas—where *Rapima* is based—Mr. Okada first visited the home of Gustavo and Gizela Assis. The space flows seamlessly and effortlessly from the floor to the wooden deck in the garden and on to the pool beyond. The living room walls and sideboard are densely adorned with Brazilian contemporary art, and the table is piled high with books on design and art.
"When I looked outside, I saw rugged trees, and the vintage surfboards collected by Gustavo—who is also a surfer—had become part of the space, just like works of art. I really felt their deep love for Brazil."
Brazil's Natural Beauty, Which Left Mr. Okada Speechless in Part 1But here, it blends seamlessly with the couple's daily life.
They have been involved in the fashion industry for many years, having previously run a boutique. In 2016, the couple launched *Rapima* with the goal of creating eyewear—a passion they both share—through their own unique vision, but before that, they set out to build their ideal home.
"As a result of trying to express everything he had absorbed up to that point in a three-dimensional form, he arrived at these two forms of expression: his home and eyewear. He apparently believed that building a house and building a brand were one and the same."
While the couple’s artistic sensibilities were condensed into a single pair of frames at the store, at home they extended throughout the entire space—the colors and shapes of nature, architecture, and art. The richness of the things they see and touch every day seems to be at the heart of those eyewear designs.
Campinas – Take a peek at the meticulous handiwork of artisans that brings bold designs to life.
The office in Campinas serves as the place where the sensibilities cultivated in the streets of Brazil and in the couple’s home are actually transformed into eyewear. What surprised Mr. Okada was that the design department and the workshop where artisans craft the pieces were both housed under one roof.
"In the eyewear industry, those two areas are generally located in completely separate places, quite a distance apart. At , however, they’re separated by just a single door. I’ve never seen another brand that can bring designs to life so quickly."
It all starts with hand-drawn sketches. To ensure we’re constantly surrounded by art and architecture—our sources of inspiration—photos and art books are displayed throughout the office. Next, we convert the uneven surfaces and curves in the designer’s mind into 3D models on the computer. After creating prototypes using a 3D printer, we determine whether the design can be reproduced using actual materials.
Among these, the process of polishing the frames is what left the strongest impression on Mr. Okada.
"I've seen many studios both in Japan and abroad, but I've never seen anywhere else that devotes so much time to the polishing process. While shaping the piece with a machine, they file the intricate, detailed parts by hand, repeating the polishing process in multiple stages."
One of the charms of is its voluminous thickness and intricately layered, three-dimensional frame. The depth of its design was made possible by the “hands” of each artisan, who painstakingly spent time polishing the pieces. The words “ARTESÃO ESPECIALISTA” are embroidered on the back of the dust-proof suits worn by the artisans, reflecting their pride in their work.
The frame, meticulously crafted down to the finest detail, truly reveals its charm when worn on the face.
"At first glance, this design might seem a little challenging. But when you try it on, you'll find it actually complements your face surprisingly well. Precisely because these are eyewear you've never seen before, you can discover a new side of yourself. I hope you'll enjoy that experience."
When I think of *Rapima*, which I first encountered in Milan, I now see it overlaid with images of the Brazilian landscape, the couple’s daily life, and the artisans’ skilled hands. To truly understand a single pair of eyewear, one must actually travel to the world that lies beyond it. This approach—which Mr. Okada holds so dear—may also be what allows us to discover aspects of our own charm that we hadn’t yet realized, right there in the store.
PROFILE
After working at a major city bank and then at a large eyewear retailer, he opened “Globe Specs” in Shibuya, Tokyo, in 1998. Starting in 2017, he won the “BESTORE AWARD” for two consecutive years at the “MIDO” trade show in Italy. The store was named the world’s best eyewear store.
Instagram:@tetsuya_globespecs
Photo by Suguru Saito
Video_Tiago Navas
Text_Sana Tajika
