Sunroom Q+A: Lapima Sunglasses
Curves, movement, and COLOR — we're in love with LAPIMA, the Brazilian sunglasses line pushing the limits in every way when it comes to creating beautiful, unexpected sunglasses that are true statements.
Based in São Paulo and led by the couple Gisela and Gustavo Assis (a dancer and retail veteran, respectively), their pieces are a study in constant experimentation, challenge through design, and breaking boundaries. Below, Gisela and Gustavo were kind enough to answer a few questions for us about their work, process, and ongoing inspirations...(and click here to shop LAPIMA at Sunroom)
What inspired LAPIMA? Tell us about your origin story:
We are fond of objects and interested in volumes and shapes, and from there the geometric lines of Lapima play with this dialectic between light and shadow. Designing sunglasses is an ongoing aesthetic exercise.
What part of the design process do you love the most?
We love the creation of ideas, the evolution from paper to the product... and having our own studio means can experiment. We turn all the designs into glasses to see how they fit on different faces and to understand how we can improve each product.
What part of the design process challenges you the most?
Turning the idea/inspiration into a product, mixing free-hand drawing with technical standards. After all, the fitting and comfort must always take precedence. So, combining the designs with ergonomics provides lots of challenges for us.
How does your Brazilian context and background inform LAPIMA's designs? Curves, naturalness, spontaneity, improvisation, colors... everything that Brazil offered us in our upbringing as people gets put back into the product. We are flexible.
We feel most creatively fulfilled when:
When we meet someone on the street wearing our sunglasses. It’s great seeing that someone else also shares the same tastes as us.
What does a day in São Paulo look like for you?
Hectic and inspiring. The city’s architecture, the greenery, the traffic, and the beauty all mixed together. The most creative people from the country are based in São Paulo, it’s really energizing!
What’s one impactful piece of creative advice you have been given?
If you believe in your aesthetic, be resilient.
How have your respective personal styles influenced the ethos and aesthetic of the brand?
Classical with boldness. At Lapima we try to produce timeless design, pieces that can be used forever, which is our style too...
