Will.i.am talks retro specs

Will.i.am wants to add the “vintage” which is missing to his range of glasses, called ill.i Optics by Will.i.am.

Will.i.am wants to marry “retro” with “futuristic” for his new spectacles.

The 39-year-old musician and producer is launching ill.i Optics by will.i.am. next month, and the designs are created for both genders to wear. He is known to be a fan of innovative pieces, but also incorporates a classic sense of style into his appearance – a theme he has leant to his eyewear.

“When you see today’s glasses, they are missing a little bit of what vintage glasses had. Then when you see vintage glasses – because I’m a collector, that’s my hunt – you just wish they had a little of today in them, so I wanted to marry the retro feel with futurism, take yesterday’s sensibility with today’s aesthetic,” he told WWD, rocking a black acetate frame with gold stripes as he spoke.

will, whose real name is William Adams Jr., co-designed the range with Australian designer George Gorrow and he is funding the entire project himself.

To get a feel for the glasses, the star has decided to try them out personally. However that means he’s left with scratches and marks on the frames.

“I buy a lot of glasses; the new stuff is Linda Farrow and Dita, the old stuff is Porsche, Carrera, Persol, Gazelle. But lately I’ve been wearing ill.i because it’s exactly what I’ve been looking for,” he added. “I’m a collector so I buy glasses all the time. Plus, I’m hard-core with my usage.”

There will also be styles such as cat-eye, ‘nerd’ frames and round tortoise finishes.

Prices will start at $300, and the line will launch worldwide on September 16.

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