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Proving people who don't have it made in the shade are apparently very good at making shades for themselves, TAKEMOTO Eyewear's the product of an "ordinary peasant" from China's Xiang Lake region who combines the artisan skills he honed growing up (carpentry, painting, "hard work") with optometry know-how (gleaned during an apprenticeship in the "glasses industry") to hand-produce small batches of unique specs. Crafted using exotic woods and other natural ingredients, the final product is a "near magical collaboration", kind of like Penn & Teller, because in addition to magic they're also apparently meant to be funny.

Materials: Generally constructed from a single source, whether bamboo, zebrawood, rosewood, sandalwood, ebony, or ox horn, the frames are occasionally accented with contrasting acetate details, and can be laser-engraved with a custom design or phrase at the temple. He can install 'em with a custom prescrip, go colored/polarized, or leave them lens-less, because pretending to have a physical handicap is the new black.

Styles: Contemporary looks include an unnamed ovoid design, and a narrow, rectangular joint called the Love, while the vintage tip's represented by aviators, Capote-ish rounded affairs, and a Wayfarer knock called the Walker, a necessary possession for people whose lack of shade makes them very good at having a sunstroke.

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