Rigards Model RG1979GBS For Geoffrey B. Small 2019-2020

Designers: Ti Ning Kwa, Ti Siang Kwa, Rigards - Odd Skin Out Limited, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, SAR
Manufacturer: Odd Skin Out Limited, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, SAR

The Magic of the Human Hand

Created to parallel Geoffrey B. Small’s Paris Prêt-à-porter presentation, called Just “Another Boston Guy” in homage to the starkly bold aesthetic of new wave rock visionary and The Cars founder Ric Ocasek, RIGARDS x Geoffrey B. Small RG1979GBS developed from an admiration for monocoque and unibody structures in the automobile industry — notably the impossibly cool, craftsman-built Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia. The magic of this showstopper emanates from its entirely hand-built details: lean and sleek beta-titanium arms that provide ultra-comfort and superior fit, and a frame front carved out of a single block of pure Japanese titanium, with no soldering points — just as Karmann-Ghia has no cuts to mar its flowing lines. The sum of these gorgeous parts manages to weight just about 0.2 ounces or 6 grams. Whereas traditional aviators typically have a welded-on connecting top bar, RG1979GBS bucks the norm with a fluid unitary brow bar, stylishly edged with just the subtlest eave canopy detail that gives literal form to the concept of “shades”.