How LINDBERG Has Ruined Me For All Other Sunglasses

If you know me, you know that I break things. And if you were to meet me, you'd probably guess after a few minutes that I break things. I don't try to be clumsy but I am. And while age and experience have taught me to walk slower and to generally take better care of my stuff, I can't help but trip on things, spill things, and sit on things every once in awhile. When I'm not doing the above, my kids seem to carry the clumsy torch for me. And so, aside from a pair of designer aviators that have miraculously managed to endure two years of trauma at my hands, my sunglasses collection is strategically low-end. 

I've heard about LINDBERG for years, the award-winning Danish eyewear company who specializes in insanely gorgeous glasses but for all the reasons listed above, I've chosen to ignore the awesomeness. Why invest in a pair of glasses that I'm guaranteed to destroy? Still, when I get the call to interview Peter Warrer of LINDBERG, I have to say yes. I've heard all the hype and am super curious to see how the other half live - you know the part of the population who can actually take care of things.

Peter is here from Denmark for a special event at Josephson Opticians to preview the new optical collection from LINDBERG. He comes at me all cool and Danish - I can tell it's him right away because he's wearing the raddest pair of glasses I've ever seen on a man. Peter has been with LINDBERG since the '80s but from the moment we sit down, I can tell that he isn't remotely jaded about the brand. He talks passionately about the company's philosophy - 'discreet elegance' and 'carefully considered simplicity' - and how their obsession with great design shows itself in everything they do. From the brochures to the display cases to the glasses themselves, the LINDBERG aesthetic is clearly on another level. 

In a hushed, almost reverent tone, Peter eventually asks if I'm ready to see the glasses. I don't know that I am but I whisper 'I think so' anyway. He whispers back, 'Are you sure?' Yes, definitely yes. With a flourish, he opens the case and after the dry ice clears and the angels stop singing, I see them - the most beautiful glasses I've ever come across in my whole entire life. Pair after shiny pair of perfect shades beckon me to try them on. I am definitely going to destroy them all. But I can't help myself. I gingerly pick up a pair and oh em geeeee they are so light! Like statement and oversized yet impossibly light. And sooo comfortable. My world is rocked. My mind is blown. 

Peter explains that LINDBERG frames are made of titanium, giving them incredible strength and flexibility without the weight. Plus, as Scandinavians are prone to do, they've done away with anything non-essential - meaning their patented, award-winning designs have no screws, rivets or welds.  You can literally bend the arms and bridge in every direction and I'm pretty sure even I couldn't break them. He then explains that every pair of Lindberg glasses is custom - meaning that not only is each pair measured and made to perfectly fit your face but you also choose the frame shape, materials, and lens colour. Once each frame is customised to your preferences, it's hand-finished, individually numbered and even monogrammed. The moment I tried on my first pair I was sold, but now I'm fully in it. Now to decide...

The patented screwless design up close. 

Cool epitomized. 

Truth: macarons make hard decisions easier. 

Debating the pretty pink ones. 

I decide on a pair of tortoise cat-eyes with a gold browline detail - modern and cool but classic all at once. I order them, then go home and camp out by my door for a few weeks. Once they arrive, we sit down and I make a solemn promise to take care of them forever, to not drop, scratch or destroy them. And while I can't promise that my kids won't somehow track them down and rip them apart with their sweet little hands, I vow to store them on a very high shelf in my closet - just in case. As I'm admiring my new LINDBERGs, I find a sweet surprise engraved inside...

Right?? This. Is. EVERYTHING. 

Ready to experience LINDBERG for yourself? Check out all things LINDBERG here, then head to Josephson Opticians to try them on. You might fall in love. You'll probably walk away with the most beautiful pair of glasses you've ever owned. You've been fully warned ;) 

WHAT'S GOOD | Yoga Design Lab

Testing out my gorgeous new mat from Yoga Design Lab. 

Ask any yogi whether great workout wear affects their practice, and they'll all admit it's a must. From pants that stay put to tops that don't get in the way of tricky poses, the gear plays a huge role in the whole yoga experience, right down to the mat. When it comes to hot yoga, the mat becomes especially important since slipping and sliding really messes with your flow. 

When Yoga Design Lab reached out to see if I wanted to test-drive one of their new mats, I was stoked. I had a flimsy Pepto-pink mat that I'd picked up on the way to my first hot yoga class and was in major need of an upgrade.  Yoga Design Lab just launched in Canada but has already shaken up the yoga scene in the States with a growing celebrity following and Harper's Bazaar calling the mats 'stunning works of art'. One look at the mat collection and it's obvious why the yoga world is struggling to catch its collective breath. 

Luckily, there's substance behind the style, too. The mats consist of a natural tree rubber base that's bonded to a sueded microfiber surface, solving one of yoga's biggest problems - slipping. These mats are designed to become even grippier with sweat, making them ideal for everything from hot yoga to power yoga to ashtanga. The Combo Mat construction is unique on the market and took over a year to develop. 

While the mats have it down in terms of design, it's the brand's story that really sticks. In 2014, Canadian surfer/yogi/hottie Chad Turner sold all of his things, moved to Bali and launched the brand.

"I was seated in the back of a packed yoga class while on vacation in Ubud, Bali. Looking around, all I saw was a sea of unoriginal, massed produced, solid colored mats. My thinking was, there must be a way of creating a highly functional product that was also aesthetically beautiful. So the journey began. Long story short, I sold my stuff in Vancouver, packed up a couple bags and moved to Bali with the goal of creating a stunning line of yoga products that inspire more people to get excited about yoga. Really looking forward to finally launching the brand in Canada. It’s a special moment for me.”  

I tried out my new mat a few times last week and cannot believe the difference a great mat makes. Oh, and bonus: the minute I brought my mat into class, my fellow yogis all had to know where I got it. Looks like our yoga class is getting an upgrade. See and shop the full collection on yogadesignlab.com now, and keep watching for exciting new collabs - the company has already teamed up with leading New York Designer Mara Hoffman for a series of limited edition collaboration mats coming out shortly. A must, right? Just consider it an essential (and beautiful) investment in your health.

Happy Fri! xx