It took a loan shark and the love of friends to start AM Eyewear—or, so says the cleaning cloth that comes with each pair of the Australian sunglasses. Designed and founded in 2003 by Queenslander Simon Ponnusamy, it has taken many years and the leaving of a business partner (the label was originally called Andhra and Mulcahy until Mulcahy left in 2005) to bring the label to worldwide recognition.

Each frame is created with quality materials sourced from around the world. Italian scratch-resistant lenses and French spring hinges are applied with handmade care, impressing the likes of Sienna Miller and Kelly Osbourne as the label moves from the sunny Gold Coast to London Fashion Week. This season, ’70s rock, Italian alfresco culture and pop art are the themes behind the detailing of each pair of AM. Using the chequred likeness of Italian scooters to create Grizlie or fitting chain accessories on the Jamo pair—each design is named after one of the designer’s inspirational and supportive friends—Ponnusamy says the creation process is somewhat like how Andy Warhol worked in The Factory, using “the quintessence of [Warhol's] silver factor.”

For more information, see www.ameyewear.com.

—Retna Wooler
www.ameyewear.com