How did you come up with the name Society of the Spectacle? Was it based on the book by Guy Debord?
It was a funny process and there were some martinis involved. Amy and I were doing word association. We knew the book existed but we didn’t know too much about it. We wanted the store name to sound somewhat classic—older—not something like “Optix 2007!” We wanted it to have a different feel. Then we discovered the book. It is a profound piece of philosophy, plus the double entendre worked well. The name has also led to some amazing conversations, because a lot of people are really into the book. I guess it’s an interesting juxtaposition that our shop is named after a book that’s about not consuming. It talks about what happens when the pursuit of everything external results in internal deterioration because we’re all busy pursuing spectacle. Although we do have items for sale, I think that’s also a credible backstory for what we’re trying to do—it’s all about being who you really are rather than just chasing the trend of the moment. What’s your favorite eyewear brand? It has to be LA E
