ONES TO WATCH: BOLD DOTS
First soft-launched in March by founder Akshar Patel, Bold Dots has officially weathered the COVID storm and is officially rolling out its line of new eyewear for the summer season.
Patel, a first-generation Indian-American, has been obsessed with eyewear his entire life. A self-proclaimed sunglasses aficionado, Patel has a robust collection of over 100 designer and vintage frames. As Patel collected sunglasses, he realized every frame he owned was licensed to the same big eyewear brands. Looking to support independent brands, he found the market to be lacking in something that looked different, used high-end materials, and relied on design rather than statement logos. Like many entrepreneurs at this point, Patel took a leap of faith, quit his consulting job in design, and created Bold Dots.
His new unisex brand draws inspiration for each piece from his interests in modern and contemporary architecture, his Indian heritage, and his global travels. The collection is created using high-quality acetate from Milan, stainless steel, and polished titanium, electroplated in many silhouettes with 24 karat gold. For every pair sold, Bold Dots will donate a pair of glasses and funds for an eye examination to people in rural India.
“I wanted to create a collection of eyewear drawing inspiration from my Indian heritage and interest in modern design that is different from what I have found in the market,” said Patel. “I’ve always had an interest in accessories, especially sunglasses, and wanted to create a brand sourcing the best materials in the market. I also wanted to give back to my family’s community in India and am proud to donate a pair of eyeglasses and an eye exam to someone in need for every pair sold.”
The inaugural collection includes three styles: The Madison, an acetate ovular silhouette that is offered in three colors: crystal ($187), island havana ($187), and bengal havana ($196); the Bryant, a rectangular silhouette, with a nose bridge inspired by traditional Indian palatial architectural motifs, that is featured in three colors: black tortoise x gunmetal ($220), bengal havana x 24 karat gold ($200), and jungle havana x steel ($200); and the Jean, a pentagram-shared, pure titanium framed silhouette inspired by contemporary architecture and features three colors: matte black titanium ($210), rose gold titanium ($220), and 24 karat gold titanium ($220).
Additional styles in both acetate and metal frames will be added to the collection throughout the summer. The Bold Dots collection is currently sold on bold-dots.com.
