Last night Australian cult eyewear brand AM Eyewear celebrated their 20th birthday in the heart of Sydney Australia, surrounded by musicians, creatives, models, friends and family, right where it was born all those years ago.
By 7pm as the event kicked off, a celebrity-studded line of guests stretched from Oxford Art Factory up along Oxford Street. As a memento of AM Eyewear’s 20th Birthday celebrations, the brand introduced a Limited Edition line of frames on display at their Free Sunglass Bar set up inside the venue, where guests could grab a pair of exclusive, specially released sunglasses and show them off to professional photographers. Featuring lenses from AM’s globally acclaimed Beach to Bar range, the light responsive lenses turn dark when exposed to sunlight to protect eyes on the brightest of days, making them the perfect companion for all occasions, from festivals and beach clubs to nightclubs and favourite bars.
Playing MC for the evening, perpetually entertaining Australian television and radio presenter Danny Clayton slid comfortably into the role, engaging the vibrant audience between the lineup of leading Australian artists.
Throughout the party, the stage was lit up by CLYPSO, indie dance music maker and distinctive voice in Australia’s alternative electronic music scene; Telenova, the enigmatic, cinematic electro-indie-pop trio featuring members of Slum Sociable and Miami Horror Y.O.G.A (Peking Duk’s Reuben) and Jimi the Kween, with their joyful, wild and outlandish combination of glitter glam and cowboy chic; and KLP, who with Multiple ARIA Award nominations and platinum records is renowned for big house music energy, guaranteed to deliver good vibes and sweaty dance floors wherever she takes to the stage.
The star-studded guest list of artists, models, influencers and industry creatives didn’t disappoint, from Grinspoon’s Phil Jameson who quickly adopted a new pair of shades to replace the 2005 frames that carry his namesake, to Sarah Marschke snapped trying on different frames at the Free Sunglass Bar before selecting a perfect pair. Tim Blackwell, Dan Conn, Onye Agbbarakwe, Selina Chhaur and Jamie Azzopardi, were also seen enjoying the live music along with drinks behind the bar provided courtesy of DJ FISHER’s Fizz seltzer and the Inspired Unemployed’s Better Beer.
Founded in Australia in 2003, AM Eyewear was born from a fanatical love of old school frames that were hard to find in the country. From a cheeky young upstart into a cult brand respected worldwide, AM has comfortably matured into a global lifestyle brand, always holding quality and comfort on the same level as design.
AM Eyewear’s mission has always been to create beautiful and exceptional eyewear that lasts, says founder Andhra-Kumar (Simon) Ponnusamy.
“Right from the start, the vision of AM Eyewear was to look great, live well, take care of our environment, and see through the difference,” he says.
“We’ve always been about quality, in our design, materials and aesthetics. For decades people have commented on the quality they can feel when they hold our frames in their hands. Our artisan approach to crafting elevated eyewear has been the reason we’ve connected so consistently with fashion-conscious people all around the globe.
“For 20 years we’ve committed to being the brand we want to see in the world – in that time we’ve instituted our long-standing partnerships with the incredible Zeiss Lenses, bio-based Italian and Japanese Acetates, and the focus on sustainability all through our supply chain, all the way to our frame buy-back offering to donate reworked, preloved frames to underprivileged communities.
“The whole team at AM Eyewear are proud of the life the brand has lived this far, and are excited for all the life ahead of us,” he says.