By Jillian Urcelay

JU: Can you describe the design process for creating your frames? What do you use for inspiration?
TK: My dream was always to be an architect and work with interesting materials and structures. My extensive travel experience has afforded me with profound inspiration of architectural structures from cultures all around the world. I truly enjoy constructing frames using exciting materials and building unique designs that capture these experiences.

Which materials are most commonly used in your collections and what are your personal favorites to see on frames?
Currently, the base of our frames is metal (stainless steel, titanium) and then we build off of that by adding additional materials such as wood, horn and leather. Buffalo horn is my all-time favorite material, there’s always variation and surprise in each piece, which makes every buffalo horn frame truly unique.

In terms of materials, what do you think men and women currently prefer most? Do you think this is common throughout the industry or is it more specific to your clientele?
If I had to generalize, I believe women prefer acetate and men favor metal. The industry as a whole right now is an acetate industry, however, fashion-forward designers like myself have been shifting toward metal (stainless steel, titanium). Our specific clientele base know us for our unique materials added to metal frames.


Where do you see the future of Teka designs moving in terms of materials and production techniques?
Teka Eyewear is moving toward bolder stainless steel and titanium designs with layering techniques such as rim inside rim, giving each piece additional dimensions and colors. We are also working on
adding more textures and filigree, which accents the depth and
colors/shades of a frame.  ■