Lou Reed Launches 'Lou's Views' Sun Collection

The legendary American rocker Lou Reed, in Italy for the only date in Milan of his European tour, on Sunday presented his new sun eyewear line, Lou's View, to be produced in partnership with Davide De Blasio, chief executive officer of Tramontano (the historical leatherwear company of Naples) and a friend of the star.

He had the idea in '94 when he took part in the Paul Auster film, Blu in the face; in the movie, set in a Brooklyn tobacco store, the actors improvise their lines and it was then that Lou Reed first talked about the prototype of blended sunglasses, his invention, with flip-up lenses. Nine years later, they're going into production.

"Everything began because I had to wear corrective glasses and didn't want to take them off when I wasn't using them", the singer explained, 'so I came up with making a prototype with lenses that can be lifted up from the frame when they're not needed. Better to push up the lenses than to stick them on top of your head or have them hanging from a cord like an old maid!"

The Lou's Views collection, which aims first and foremost at being practical rather than fashionable, will be launched in Italy in June with six models (one of which will be in limited numbers) and will use the network of Tramontano stores. Production is in the hands of a Veneto company producing top-level eyewear.

In September the collection will be distributed worldwide through the 'Tramontano' network, in selected optics stores, in furnishing and design stores and on the Internet.