Durant Sessions launches limited-edition line of tinted eyewear with Vikram Vij

Durant Sessions owner Eric Dickstein is no stranger to offbeat collaborations. Earlier this year, the local entrepreneur—who also owns Gastown denim shop dutil—conducted a photoshoot with Vancouver-based rapper Matt Brevner ahead of his EP release, and now, he’s partnered with renowned chef Vikram Vij to craft Celebrate Your Senses, a limited-edition collection of tinted lenses.

The Straight attended a private launch party for the eyewear line last Thursday (June 9), where we spoke with Dickstein and Vij about the eccentric, Indian food–inspired specs.

“We wanted to create something using curry colours, because in India, especially, curry has so many different kinds of colours to it,” said Vij. 

The 23-piece collection was created in celebration of Durant Sessions’ (315 West Cordova Street) first anniversary, and is meant to showcase the premium eyewear shop’s ability to customize just about anything—including the colour of your preferred lenses.

Dickstein used a mix of special optical dyes to custom-match each lens’s shade to a specific ingredient that Vij employs in his dishes. Among the edible muses were cinnamon, eggplant, red chili, kidney beans, and cilantro, each of which was showcased at the event alongside frames by Oliver Peoples, Jacques Marie Mage, Frency Mercury, and more.      

“It’s really, really exciting to work with Vikram,” said Dickstein, who originally connected with the award-winning chef on a whim via email. “It was a cool process—he’s got a lot of ideas and inspiration, and we just kind of clicked.”

Unfortunately, the collection is not available for public sale, though Dickstein stresses that Durant Sessions can produce similarly tinted lenses for new or existing frames.

Either way, the hyperlocal collaboration is definitely worth a peek—check out some snaps from the launch party below.