In the contemporary eyewear world, Barton Perreira has long stood for a timeless sensibility that resists passing trends. The brand’s success is rooted in an almost obsessive attention to exquisite detail and a singular talent for fusing California’s free-spirited ethos with Japan’s top-tier craftsmanship. We were privileged to hold an in-depth conversation with founder and designer Patty Perreira and CEO Cedric Moreau, during which Patty introduced her latest proud creations. At the same time, as the brand formally joins the Thélios family, how will Barton Perreira maintain its uncompromised heritage of “100% handmade in Japan” while benefiting from significantly greater resources? Through this interview, readers will not only gain insight into the brand’s current operating model but also step into the designer’s creative world and explore the luxury eyewear house’s new strategy and ambitions for the Asia–Pacific market.
V.MAGAZINE: Could you describe the sources of inspiration for your designs?
Patty: I usually start by putting together an inspiration board with things that spark ideas for me when I’m designing. A lot of that comes from interesting architecture and color palettes that I’m drawn to, but also from personal interests, cars and motorcycles have always been a big inspiration for me. When I’m designing for men, I try to think about what they’re naturally drawn to. A lot of the men in my life are really into things like cars, watches, and motorcycles, so I often pull elements from that world into my designs.
Nature also plays a big role in my process. I spend a lot of time in California and Jamaica and it is really inspiring for me. The sunsets, the flowers, and the blues and greens of the ocean are incredible. It’s a place where I feel really good creatively, and I actually end up doing a lot of my design work while I’m there.
V.MAGAZINE: Please introduce some of your beautiful designs.
Patty: The ARMSTRONG is a nylon rimless frame with some really beautiful titanium details, including a coin-edge filigree and our signature crosshatch engraving at the temple tips. It was originally designed as an optical frame, but it also translates really nicely into sunglasses, so we’ve created a few sun options as well.
▲ ARMSTRONG
I always love aviator and navigator shapes, and I wanted to create a version that felt unique yet refined. I designed the RIZZO frame using a combination of titanium and ultra-thin acetate, which gives it a really beautiful balance of strength and softness. The acetate is inserted around the lenses, so it creates this subtle layer of color and texture against the titanium. That contrast adds warmth and depth to the frame while still keeping it light and elegant. It’s a small detail, but it really changes the feel of the piece. It also features a custom eye wire with a gold texture that adds richness to the design, along with our icon plaque as a signature detail.
▲ RIZZO
This frame has a timeless classic look that works well for men, but I also love how it looks on women. One of the details that makes the DONDI stand out is the bevel, which is set toward the back of the frame rather than the center of the eyewire. That placement gives the frame a more architectural feel. From the front it still reads as clean and classic, but when you look a little closer you notice the depth and shape, which makes it more interesting. The translucent acetate adds another dimension to the design. Because of the way the material catches the light, it creates this subtle halo effect around the lens from the bevel.
▲ DONDI
The EUCLID is a titanium–acetate combination style with subtle laminate detailing. It was designed as part of our Alternative Fit collection, with adjusted sizing and measurements to better serve the APAC market. Much of Barton Perreira is meant to feel timeless, pieces you can wear season after season. This frame includes beautiful filigree detailing and a hidden icon, which adds a quiet signature to the design. For the colors, I paired a transparent crystal acetate with tortoise temples to create contrast while keeping the look balanced. We do really well with these combination styles that mix acetate and titanium, they offer a nice blend of structure, warmth, and texture.
▲ EUCLID
We developed bespoke gradient wash lenses to incorporate into our optical designs HAMPTON and REVERE. A lot of people want just a bit of coverage, but not something too dark, so this offers a really nice balance. It adds a subtle layer to the frame, just enough tint to feel distinctive while still keeping the look light and wearable. It makes the optical styles feel a little more special.
▲ HAMPTON (left)、REVERE (right)
V.MAGAZINE: Have there been any changes at Barton Perreira after the acquisition by Thelios?
Cedric Moreau: First of all, it’s very important to us to have product made in Japan, 100% handcrafted in Japan, because that’s part of the DNA of the brand. It’s part of the culture of the company. We continue to strengthen our partnership with our Japanese factories, creating synergy between Barton Perreira and Thélios. As you can imagine, Thélios has more resources than we do, which has allowed us to make targeted investments to strengthen our production planning and procurement capabilities. We now have a dedicated team member in Japan working closely with our supplier partners. In parallel, we have added a global demand planning specialist to enhance forecasting accuracy and optimize inventory. Together, these initiatives are improving delivery performance, supply chain efficiency, and our ability to reliably support growing demand.
We outsource certain services to Thélios, but in terms of distribution, they give us the possibility to access countries where we don’t have distributors, agents, or a team—this is particularly the case in Europe and APAC.
When it comes to North America, we still have the same team, so it’s a partnership. In terms of product and brand DNA, there have been no changes after the acquisition.
Patty is the creative force; she’s the core, the creative director, and nothing has changed in that regard. Everyone can contribute ideas, but ultimately, everything is validated by Patty and the team at Barton Perreira in terms of marketing, branding, and connections.
Patty: We decided to sell the company to Thélios, the LVMH Eyewear division, because both LMVH and Thélios understand how to protect what makes the brand special. That was very important to us. They recognize the value of the brand’s identity and the things that set it apart, and they’ve been committed to preserving that. With another partner, there was a concern that the focus might have shifted toward cutting costs or moving production somewhere cheaper. That can sometimes happen after an acquisition, and we wanted to avoid that. With Thélios LVMH, that really hasn’t been the case at all. There’s been a shared commitment to protecting the quality, the design integrity, and the way the brand is distributed. For us, it’s the right fit to ensure the brand stays true to what it’s always been.
V.MAGAZINE: How do you conduct business in China?
Cedric Moreau: When it comes to distribution in APAC, we work directly through our partnership with Thélios, at the same time, we are reassessing our partners to ensure alignment with our standards and shared commitment to the brand. Gradually introducing an “alternative fit” collection for the high-end market. This involves refining shapes including temple length and bridge width to ensure proper fit and greater inclusivity showing our commitment to the APAC markets.
V.MAGAZINE: Have any of the brands under LVMH featured Barton Perreira glasses in their fashion shows?
Patty: Many brands within the LVMH portfolio produce their own eyewear collections, so we are not able to participate in those shows. However, for brands that do not yet have dedicated eyewear lines, Barton Perreira styles have been successfully integrated into their runway presentations. We had the opportunity to collaborate with PATOU, which was an incredible experience. The way our eyewear was incorporated into the show was beautifully executed and truly highlighted the product within the overall creative vision.
