Cutler and Gross goes back in time

Cutler and Gross is celebrating 45 years of its flagship boutique in Knightsbridge with a new Heirloom Collection that spans the key moments of the brand’s aesthetic journey

It’s hard to believe that almost half a century has passed since one of Britain’s coolest eyewear brands – launched by friends and opticians Graham Cutler and Tony Gross in 1969 – opened its first flagship boutique in London’s Knightsbridge. Designed by architect Piers Gough, known for his work in the redevelopment of the London Docklands, the Cutler and Gross eyewear boutique has come to occupy its space on the Knightsbridge map as confidently as Harrods and Harvey Nicks (albeit on a smaller scale), and is today synonymous with quintessential British style.

Since the beginning, the success of the brand has been down to two things: craftsmanship and bold design. Collaborating over the years with some of the hottest names in fashion (Bella Freud, Martin Margiela, Comme Des Garçons, Giles Deacon and Erdem among them), its frames have graced the faces of cultural icons including David Hockney and Madonna, Sir Elton John, Grace Jones and Bono. Today you only have to flick through the style pages of a magazine or watch a movie to find celebrities sporting a pair of Cutler and Gross, from Michael Caine and Colin Firth in Kingsman to Michael Fassbender in The Counsellor. And it’s not just us Brits who are fans: Michelle Obama, Rihanna and Martin Scorsese each have a soft style spot for this iconic British brand.

To celebrate 45 years in Knightsbridge, Cutler and Gross are launching the Heirloom Collection for one month only, featuring ten unique models that represent the chronological key moments of the brand’s aesthetic journey. Among our favourites is the 0431 frame (above, bottom left), as worn by Iggy Pop, Bono and Princess Diana, and the model 0410 (below left), with its wraparound ear detail, designed and produced by Algha in 1939 to fit under gas masks during First World War. If you want to pick up a piece of optical history, then this could well be your moment. You’ll be in good company.

The Heirloom Collection will be available worldwide from the 30 June for one month only at cutlerandgross.com, Cutler and Gross stores and selected retailers worldwide

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