Watching cult movies such as The Italian Job and Bullitt, we can’t help but feel that driving has lost the golden pizzazz that it once possessed. iPhone leads that plug into car lighters and plastic cup holders have superseded creaking leather driving gloves and that reassuring whir of classic sports car acceleration. Naturally then, we were near ecstatic when we stumbled across Autodromo’s new collection of sunglasses designed especially for driving (and making you feel a bit like Steve McQueen).
Reassuringly, the Autodromo brand specializes in products that enhance the driving experience – previous collections include motoring watches and stringback driving gloves. The Stelvio sunglasses collection is a welcome addition. Comprising one classical silhouette in three different colourways – bottle green with gray, horn with cognac and tortoise with vintage green- the design was inspired by the curves and hairpin turns of the infamous Stelvio Pass, the greatest and most challenging driving road in Europe.
The production of each pair of Stelvio’s is a journey in itself. Each set of frames is handmade in Japan from high-quality Japanese acetate and requires over 130 separate operations to craft, with just the tumbling and polishing process alone taking two weeks to complete. Elaborate craftsmanship aside, other awesome design features include stainless steel fastenings and polarized lenses to improve visibility come sun or snow. The quilted leather case and wiping cloth included with each pair makes this the perfect Christmas gift for him (or you). Steve Mcqueen quiff optional but preferable…
