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If you go to the cinema to see Wes Anderson’s latest film The Phoenician Scheme this weekend, keep an eye out for Benicio del Toro’s Zsa-Zsa Korda in a chic pair of Oliver Peoples sunglasses. If you like them, they’re about to hit the market.
The Los Angeles-based eyewear brand is selling just 10 pairs of the sunglasses designed for Anderson’s new film (handmade in Italy, of course), available across the brand’s five New York boutiques from 6 June (the film’s theatrical release date). (Those interested outside the city can contact the brand to purchase.) Each frame features custom “Anderson / Del Toro” temple stamping, as well as the film’s logo. The dark mahogany shades come in a vintage prop-inspired case with a matching cloth. Price is available only upon request, but the brand says it’s aligned with the Oliver Peoples precious materials collections, which are very limited releases for which pricing is also only available in store.
“We have always been huge fans of Wes Anderson, so it was an incredible honour when he asked us to commission sunglasses for The Phoenician Scheme,” Oliver Peoples president Rocco Basilico says of the on-screen collaboration. “Wes had a clear vision for the character, and it was so exciting to bring that to life.”
The method of parsing this out to a sellable product followed the same logic, Basilico says. “Every element reflects the film’s unique world,” he explains. “We’re proud to add this collaboration — and a Wes Anderson film — to our rich history of cinematic appearances.”
Fashion brands are increasingly waking up to opportunities in the film world, getting involved in everything from production to costume design and funding. The benefit for the brands is the lasting, more elevated impression that a favourite film leaves, with the ability to recruit new fans thanks to the association. Making what viewers see in a film shoppable is still nascent — but the Oliver Peoples collaboration will put it to the test.
It isn’t Anderson’s first foray into fashion. Last year, he directed a commercial to celebrate the centenary of the Montblanc’s Meisterstück pen, as requested by the brand’s executives. Anderson took things one step further, and, of his own volition, designed a pen. Prior to that, he had directed an advert in the style of a short film for Prada.
In The Phoenician Scheme, too, Anderson tapped Cartier to create a bespoke rosary for Mia Threapleton’s Liesl. Montblanc collaborated with the director once again, designing two bespoke pens for the film: a recreation of a twenties Heritage Rouge et Noir Coral with a Serpentine Clip, and a Meisterstück 149 “50s Look”. And Edie Parker collaborated on a gemstoned lighter case and cob pipe. Like the Oliver Peoples sunglasses, only 10 cob pipes will be available to purchase (for $150).
Oliver Peoples is no stranger to film, either. Over the years, the brand has stayed close to its Hollywood roots. Since 2008, Oliver Peoples has produced a number of short campaign films, or “brand marketing films”, as it calls them. The first was Mindgames for the brand’s 20th anniversary collection, in collaboration with Hollywood producer Robert Evans (who produced The Godfather). Most recently in 2022, Oliver Peoples tapped director Eva Vik, formerly Eva Doležalová, to direct its Nineteen Sixties short film. (Not unlike how Montblanc had Anderson direct its short-film-cum-advert.)
Oliver Peoples has also appeared in films including American Psycho (“He also has a penchant for… Oliver Peoples glasses,” Patrick Bateman’s villain says), To Kill a Mockingbird and Fight Club. And, back in 2019, Oliver Peoples released a collection of sunglasses in partnership with actor Cary Grant’s estate, inspired by his role in North by Northwest.
“Oliver Peoples is a natural fit for the screen,” Basilico says. “The absence of overt branding on our frames allows the character to speak for themselves — they become subtle clues to who the character is, rather than defining them.” The same logic can be applied to entice an IRL ‘if you know you know’ consumer.
It’s a smart choice — especially for a brand selling $500-odd sunglasses. Like brands collaborating with prestige television, by partnering with cinema that’s considered ‘high brow’, fashion can tap a certain audience. This was the logic underpinning the decision to make 10 pairs of glasses sellable. It’s a niche, collector’s edition, appealing to those keen to signal — if discreetly — that they, too, are across the latest Anderson film. Selling just 10 pairs, this collaboration isn’t solely about the sales. It’s also about maintaining the brand’s Hollywood ties. “Much like a special prop created for a film, we approached this collaboration as a super-limited, collector’s edition,” Basilico says.
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Correction: Updated to reflect that pricing for the precious materials collection is only available in store.
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