The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2023 - Issue 33

biteaccessories TRIBAL ËYËS U pon discovering she couldn’t find a pair of statement sunglasses to suit her nose and face, Atlanta family physician Ona Utuama decided to fill the gap in the market for creative eyewear. The missing ingredients were ethnic patterns and the need to focus on wider nasal bridges. In 2020, she founded Tribal ëyës, an eyewear brand that prides itself on infusing diverse and ethnic designs into colourful acetate inspired by her West African roots. Her eyewear appeared at London and Paris Fashion Week in 2021, leading them to be stocked at retailers in Dubai, Canada, Georgia and California. Ona describes the unisex designs as going beyond the physical boundaries of a pair of glasses, infusing culture and fitting into an everyday wearable kaleidoscope of traditional motifs. “By focusing on bigger noses, wide nasal bridges, high cheekbones or no nasal bridges, we are changing the narrative that eyewear is not a one-size fits all or monochromatic fashion accessory.” The physician turned entrepreneur graduated from the University of Benin School of Medicine in Nigeria and Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and Morehouse School of Medicine inAtlanta, Georgia. She is a 40 under 40 award winner of Emory University. She enjoys networking and meeting the brand’s eyewear tribe at pop-up events and endeavours to volunteer more and travel the world. Inspired by the brand’s spirit animal, the peacock, found in Africa, India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar in southeast Asia, the AW21 ‘Gather Your Tribe’ collection brought a community of people together who are not afraid of colours, patterns and diversity in eyewear fashion. Sun and eyeglasses in acetate or polycarbonate with metal handles featured neutral designs with African patterns and Asian chakra art such as the oversized Badu, Amë, Afi, KA and KB Cat Eye Sunglasses in black with or in fully multicolour kente print. Amal Cat Eye Reflectors in pink gold features chakra art on the frame, and Lucky Cat Eye Sunglasses in black multicolour look sensational in dashiki print. The other aviator reflectors are Ace Blue and Amber Orange. The neutral eyeglasses include Mocha Brown Eyewear in a two-tone square frame; women’s Rosé Wayfarer Sunglasses in pink; the unisex Rake Small Wayfarer Sunglasses in brown; Sade Sunglasses in a cherry red square frame; Champagne Sunglasses; and Highlife Aviators metal frame with yellow lens. The butterfly’s transformation during metamorphosis inspired the new ‘Butterfly’ collection. “They are unique in their polychromatic nature, beautifully sculpted wings and the ability to travel long distances. The cultural application of their popular motif in literary and visual arts make them a force of nature.” The limited-edition collection dreamed in Atlanta and handmade in Italy from Mazzucchelli cellulose acetate boasts cat eye features, sculpted angular edges and vibrant colours. With each style taking its name from a specific noun and their places, the Monarch is home to North America, captured in the unisex eye and sunglasses in a Havana print. The Angolan found in Nigeria, Ghana, Angola, and most of western and southern Africa lends its name to the white eye and sunglasses. The Wanderer from India, Southeast Asia, and Australia looks bold in “I WANT THE WORLD TO SEE PEOPLE AND THEIR CULTURE THROUGH THEIR OWN EYES” - ONA UTUAMA. Cristina Lloyd admires Tribal ëyës’ neutral and tribal eyewear selection from the Gather Your Tribe and Butterfly collections that will turn heads.