Kuwahara, who  has a doctorate of optometry degree from UC Berkeley, first gained international acclaim as the creator and designer of the exclusive KATA Eyewear brand. His groundbreaking use of engineering and production techniques to create texture and detail for KATA Eyewear reinvented the way eyewear design is approached today. He launched his exclusive eponymous collection of sunglasses and optical frames in Fall 2015.His personal philosophy is that eyewear should enhance your personality and not be a substitute for one. It should also feel as good in the hand as it does on your face. By using laborious production techniques and a lot of handwork, an inner silhouette is encased in an unexpectedly fresh outer shape. This seamless fusion of two frames and the juxtaposition of contrasting form and color create a design tension that is thoroughly modern yet comfortably familiar. Each frame is handmade in Japan.

Blake Kuwahara brand ethos is to bring to market eyewear that is “artful yet wearable”. Using the construction of laminating a “frame within a frame” is just one means to this enBlake Kuwahara brand ethos is to bring to market eyewear that is “artful yet wearable”. Using the construction of laminating a “frame within a frame” is just one means to this end.

We live in a very visual world and are knowingly or unknowingly influenced by our surroundings and peers. We’re all amateur photographers and recorders of life thanks to cameras on our phones. And, we’re all art directors and editors thanks to Instagram. For him, designing an eyewear collection is pretty much the same. Life and influences can often be captured in a snapshot. Art, architecture, fashion, interior design, travel, and culture are all put through his visual filter. The output is a distillation and highly curated collection of eyewear that reflects a soulful, tactile, and artisanal sensibility. It’s artful but wearable.