What do Gigi Hadid, Jennifer Lopez and Hailey Beiber all have in common? Other than being some of the most glamorous, well-known women in the world, they’re also all fans of AMAVII eyewear, the super chic brand created by Canadian-Chinese designer Doris Ngie. Each pair of sunglasses uses the coveted Aerospace Titanium technology, which gives the wearer the lightest sunglasses you’ll ever wear, and also the most durable as this tech uses a specific metal that’s in fine jewelry and spaceship engineering-when you wear these you’ll really be able to say your sunglasses are ‘out of this world’! LAFM sat down with Doris Ngie to hear all about the making of AMAVII eyewear, and why you need them now, read all about it below!
LAFM: Doris, we love your sunglasses-they’re diverse but sleek & so soooo stylish, can you tell us your story and how you created AMAVII?
Doris Ngie: I stepped into the industry as managing director of my family business, apparel distributors GL Group, and as Co-Founder of luxury fashion platform BKRM in Asia. When I went to Milan on a work trip, regarded as the fashion capital in the world, I visited countless stores in search of fashionable aviators but I couldn’t find any that fit under my wider face, they were always too tight or slid down as I moved. I thought to myself, why weren’t there size options for eyewear like they do with clothing?!
I started asking my friends if they had the same problem and found not only did some of my friends experience this too, I had a friend who was a successful, sophisticated bachelor tell me he shopped in kids eyewear because his head was small and narrow, and those were the only ones that fit! I knew then I had a pain point I could solve and provide added value to customers by creating the most comfortable, stylish sunglasses and opticals ever in 3 size fits. I spent over two years on research and development with a luxury eyewear production house, working through 32 prototypes to create the best 3 size fits that would fit any face shape, while handling the lightweight yet strong nature of Aerospace Titanium, requiring 100 steps of hand-craftsmanship and 3 months to make every pair.
So, after over a decade in the industry, seeing the need for personalized frames to suit every face shape, I launched AMAVII, creators of problem-solving luxury sunglasses in 2018.
LAFM: Can you tell us about Aerospace Titanium and why it was important in including it into creating your sunglasses?
Doris Ngie: We scoured the market for the most innovative and sustainable materials that can be used for eyewear, which is Aerospace-grade Titanium-the same metal used to build spaceships-because we feel it’s important to create the very best sunglasses and opticals for our customers. AMAVII is the first eyewear brand to exclusively use premium Japanese aerospace titanium material to create lightweight, durable sunglasses and optical frames. Socially conscious about environmental impact, AMAVII products proudly showcase sustainable titanium from Japan, a 100% recyclable eco-metal that does not deteriorate or rust.
LAFM: I love that AMAVII gives back, can you tell us about the company efforts of planting a tree for every pair of sunglasses sold, and why this is so important to incorporate with the AMAVII brand?
Doris Ngie: Since day 1, it’s been our mission to create a brand that gives back, because we believe that every company should do their part in contributing to the planet and/or society in some way, it’s greatly needed. There’s so many real issues to address still-inequality and racism, climate change, women’s rights-these are just some of the many issues on my mind, as I think about the kind of world I want to leave for the next generation. Striving to be carbon neutral as an e-commerce company, we partner with Trees For The Future to plant trees to offset our carbon footprint and have planted over 20,000 trees so far, which we will continue into the future.
LAFM: I love that, giving back is so important! My next question is what are your favorite pair of shades??
Doris Ngie: My absolute favorite pair would have to be the MYLO in our new aria collection-they’re incredibly lightweight and the versatile design makes coordinating outfits a total breeze!
LAFM: Those are one of my favorite styles as well! And lastly, what’s next for AMAVII?
Doris Ngie: We’re working with incredibly talented creatives to bring our products to life through more interactive & captivating content this year! Also, we’re expanding into new markets in Asia Pacific and Europe, exploring more opportunities for innovative sustainable materials-our Italian acetate is made from plant-based bio cellulose acetate, 100% biodegradable leaving no impact on our environment-and expanding AMAVII Home with a range of aromatherapy for stress and anxiety!
Sustainable sunglasses with next-level titanium technology at an amazing price?! How many can I get before my boyfriend notices?!?! AMAVII has something for everyone, and I’ve rounded up my top favorite must-have styles so you can shop instantly, check it out below!
