The OPR flagship location puts luxury eyewear center stage.

 
NEW YORK—For many of us, the COVID lockdowns of 2020 and 2021 provided some time to slow down, to reassess and to try to get some rest—but for Idriss and Federica Nestor, the opposite was true. Instead, the married couple used that time to develop OPR Eyewear, their home-grown, family-owned eyewear business in New York City. Idriss told The Independent Eye, “My wife and I have always been very passionate about glasses until one day, during COVID, we decided to finally invest in our dream and create our own brand. I had a consulting company while Federica had a legal background—very different worlds that, nevertheless, prepared us for what we were about to create.”

The Nestors have called New York City home for over 10 years, so it only made sense for them to build their business in the city, too. OPR’s first flagship store is located in Hudson Yards, where their handcrafted, Italian-made eyewear takes center stage—but it doesn’t stand alone. Idriss said, “Our Flagship store is a one-stop shop built for a seamless experience, with both a doctor’s office and a lab… we carefully selected our doctors to ensure our clients and patients receive the best care and service possible.”

When it comes to OPR Eyewear, luxury is the benchmark. The frames are 100 percent handmade in small batches in Italy by six artisans. Idriss said, “Quality has always been a core value of the brand, therefore producing in Italy and trusting the know-how of highly skilled artisans was the obvious choice. We loved the idea of investing in their incredible talents to preserve the concept of ‘100 percent handcrafted in Italy.’”

All eyewear is designed in-house, drawing inspiration from the Nestors’ family history, as well as art, pictures and movies, then reimagined through a modern lens.

This small-scale manufacturing also means OPR can put sustainability first, Idriss said, and means that OPR eyewear can be customized to every face. Idriss said, “We are a sustainable brand, both from a manufacturing and packaging standpoint, dedicated to celebrating diversity and inclusivity, hence the possibility of customizing any frame to ensure a perfect fit for any face.”

Frames are crafted from plant-based cellulose acetate and packaged in recycled material derived from fishing nets. Small-batch production means less waste and better water conservation, too. With Zeiss lenses, handmade artisanal frames and an eco-conscious mindset, OPR is able to combine luxury and sustainability in a unique, forward-thinking way.

Still a new brand, OPR has already established itself as a luxury foothold in New York City—perhaps the toughest luxury market in the country. Idriss concluded, “OPR is a new young brand that in a short amount of time has gained the trust and love of people looking for quality, style and customer service. We feel grateful and proud for having many returning customers and for the support they have shown us by expressing to others their love for OPR… OPR is a family/black–owned and run business rooted in values such as quality, sustainability and diversity and we could not be prouder of having created a brand that in so many ways is setting higher standards for the eyewear and fashion community.”

Idriss and Federica Nestor founded OPR Eyewear, located in Hudson Yards in New York City. Image via opreyewear on Instagram


OPR Eyewear is 100 percent handmade in Italy. Image via opreyewear on Instagram