SHEVOKE is the Sydney sunglasses label Lisa Hyde started in 2014, with one eye on the 1990s and the other on how a frame actually sits on a face. I like it for glasses that feel familiar without looking borrowed.
SHEVOKE Sunglasses: Frames Worth Trying
A Sydney label with an eye for the past
I have a weakness for sunglasses with a little backstory, and Shevoke has a good one. Lisa Hyde grew up on the Sunshine Coast, drawn to art and travel, and by 17 she was already designing and making clothes for local markets. She went on to work in design, sales and marketing before landing on eyewear, and she founded Shevoke in Sydney in 2014. I went deeper on a related idea in Miu Miu Glasses Guide: Sunglasses Frames Worth Knowing. I went deeper on a related idea in BRU Eyewear Sunglasses: A Guide to Great Frames.
Her starting point is refreshingly practical. In Australia, sunglasses are part of everyday life, so the shape has to feel right on a face before anything else. In the brand's own account, the design language mixes vintage references with contemporary shapes, drawing especially on the 1990s and early 2000s.
Hyde is the founder and creative director, and I like that the references never ask for a full costume. Anne Hathaway was spotted in the Zulu in black on the set of The Devil Wears Prada 2, which is a nice moment for a label that still feels like a well-kept secret.
Frames for the face, not just the outfit
What I notice first is how different the shapes are from one another. Zulu Sunglasses keep a rounded oval that suits most face shapes, and Silon Sunglasses go slimmer and lighter, more oval-rectangle. Jen 002 Sunglasses take the most graphic route, a brown wraparound made with Jen Ceballos' Endlessly Love Club.
Picture her in Jen 002 on a long walk in hard sun, then in Zulu Sunglasses with a slip dress and blazer for something softer. Jen 001 Sunglasses and Riko Sunglasses sit in the same family for anyone who wants a second shape. Zulu Blue Light Glasses are the quiet one, for the days spent at a screen instead of a beach.
My practical note: try a wrap frame against your face shape before you commit, especially if your face is narrow. What I would skip is picking by color alone.
A second pair, a different mood
The rest of the range is where the personality gets louder. Alaia Sunglasses, Sumi Sunglasses and Gini Sunglasses are the ones I would try first for a vintage mood with cleaner proportions, and Kebe Sunglasses and Coco 003 Sunglasses round out the shelf. Rowa Blue Light Glasses are the practical sibling.
I would start with the silhouette I wear most often, then let a second pair be the one that surprises me. Although I will admit the sensible frame is the one that usually leaves the house.
