Edward Beiner, Purveyor of Fine Eyewear, opens its 13^th store at The Mall at University Town Center on Oct. 16.  Edward Beiner himself, prominent eyewear designer and retailer, has his sight set on Sarasota and plans to provide the area with eye-conic frames, fusing together fashion and function.

Alongside your eponymous collection, Edward Beiner boutiques carry a wide variety of brand-name eyewear. How would you describe the selection in your stores? Retail is my forte and it’s what I love. We bring the most finely curated products into the market. I’m traveling to France for five days to attend an optical show to acquire items unavailable in the U.S. Customers appreciate our international sourcing, bringing them the best from around the world. Each one of our boutiques showcases hand-selected collections that are special to each location.  You describe your personal collection as “unbearably cool chic.” Where do you look to find inspiration when starting a new line? I’m originally from Brazil. I’m living what inspired me as a child and I’m living it right here in tropical Miami. It’s the energy of the beach culture, the beautiful blue skies, the vibrant colors in flowers and a lot of green that you find in Sarasota, as well. My collections are also largely inspired by the ‘50s-‘70s. I design pieces that emanate a classic vintage feel with a contemporary twist.  Eyewear not only affects how we view the world, but also shapes how the world sees us. From an aesthetic perspective, what advice would you offer someone looking to experiment with new styles? Frame shapes are important to different shaped faces. I like to keep it simple—if you have a square face, look for a round frame. If you have a round face, find a square frame. The perfect face is an oval face, so wear whatever is the opposite to create the illusion of an oval shape. Often times, people are wearing the wrong things. From a fashion point-of-view, if you’re wearing a suit and tie, you shouldn’t be wearing a pair of Oakley glasses. It just doesn’t look right. You should have an elegant pair of Persols on.  What styles are trending now for the Fall/Winter ‘14 season? We’re seeing a lot of round frames—both colored with different tones of greens and blues  and classic black and tortoise. We’re bringing in the Illesteva collection, featuring the “Leonard” round frame. It’s all over fashion magazines and very difficult to come by.  Your stores are exclusively in Florida, giving you insight into the particular needs and requirements of eyewear for the Sunshine State. What factors should local buyers consider before purchasing? Lens performance in Florida is crucial. Exposure to harsh UV rays can lead to cataracts and other eye diseases in the future. If you bike or run, you want glasses that won’t crack into your face if you fall. You might be looking at products from Oakley or Maui Jims. If you’re a boater, you’ll want polarized, UV coated glasses so you can see the fish. We make it a priority to ask the customer what their hobbies are, knowing if they bike, run, boat ski etc.  What’s in store for the future of Edward Beiner? We’re continuing to expand throughout Florida and are opening a store at Freedom Tower in NYC. Our Sarasota store will have licensed opticians on the premises who will work with prescription glasses. In the future we’re planning to put an optometrist on the premises to do eye exams and assist customers throughout the whole process.

Edward Beiner