Category: Blog

With great pride, we want to inform you about our most terrific step outside the borders of our beloved Greece. If you follow us on our social channels (and if you don’t, we invite you to do so, you can find us as Kopajos everywhere). You will already know that we are officially open in Miami, in the United States of America!

The area we have chosen is Wynwood, a place that until a few decades ago was poorly frequented and somewhat abandoned to itself but which has experienced a cultural and social renaissance in recent years. Today, the neighborhood is a trendsetter for many events. The most important of all the Miami Art Basel. The city, but in particular, Wynwood is transformed for a week, becoming the center in the world for contemporary art for that time.

Having increased interest around, Wynwood has allowed the neighborhood to be cleaned up and made safe occasionally. Today, the streets are full of restaurants, shops, and recreational activities. Indeed, if you want to avoid spending the day trapped in the concrete of Miami Beach. Come and admire the beautiful murals for which its buildings are famous!

Kopajos has decided to enter a market of fierce competitors. Already crowded by giants such as Illesteva, Warby Parker, and Rayban, without fearing confrontation. The experience gained in Mykonos and Santorini has allowed the group to look for new ideas for the brand’s growth.

The decision to avoid an area like the Design District is determined by the fact that the concept Kopajos wants to explore now can only be realized in Wynwood. In Mykonos and Santorini, the brand has developed its narrative concerning local roots, focusing on creativity and with an eye to the luxury it intends to convey with its product.

Suppose eyewear brands such as Oliver People or Celine. Other higher-end brands such as Dita, Dior, Gucci, or Linda Farrow have chosen the Design District. In that case, it is to pursue the needs of the luxury market. Kopajos doesn’t aim to be just that but wants to convey superior quality with a more adherent narrative of its product and history.

Not even Brickell, Coral Gabes, or Aventura seemed suitable for a stylistic choice. Only Wynwood has given us the best vibes. It’s one more reason to explore this area of Miami and understand how Kopajos fits perfectly there!

On the other hand, it will be easy to spot us. In fact, our sign hasn’t changed: the stylized white fish that has always represented us immersed in its blue sea and the Kopajos logo have always been our calling card everywhere.

What to expect instead from inside the store? The same as what you might see in Mykonos or Santorini. Kopajos has made its layout an indispensable element of recognition. Like the great Aegean sea, the blue resin floor, the rippling waves that reach the side furniture, like rocks covered in sunglasses, the central white table, and the large mirrors. Light is the key element to wearing our creations!

In an exclusive preview, the brand new collection of sunglasses in beta titanium is also already available in the Miami boutique, designed to guarantee an ultra-light thin product with an unmistakable Greek style. Indeed, the waves drawn on the temples invite us to sail the Aegean seas and join us in our beautiful land, Greece! Experience Frederick Gray, Paloma, Raul Silva, Tracy, and Xenia!
Furthermore, the new acetate collection for the 2023 season will soon be available, with more than five new models designed for you. We will have new aviators, squares, a fancy cat-eye, and a wayfarer with an interesting browline. Soon they will also be available on www.kopajos.com and in our stores in Greece. Anastasia, Anoula, Chang, Dario, and Paula are eager to get to know you!
And where are we? Our address is 176 NW – 26TH Street; we await you in Miami!

Both fashion and face proportion studies have stimulated sunglasses production across the years. Could you believe that less than 100 years ago, opticians would offer only circular and squared shapes? Clients’ appearances weren’t considered. 

Facial shape is one of the elements to consider when choosing a pair of sunglasses, whether our beauty lies in the diversity of our proportions, defects, or smooth and sharp edges.

Somebody can suit more frames than others. When choosing a pair, we encourage everybody to follow their style: we must like our sunglasses, not the others!

Facial shape studies are based on general principles to be applied to as many people as possible. Consider them as a starting point and try to be true to what you like! If you’re seeking suggestions, our guidelines could be a solution. You may consider frames you would have never taken into consideration! 

We look at the measures of: 

– Forehead (considering its widest extent);

– Cheekbones (including the outer corners of the eyes, from side to side);

– Jaw (from below the ears, where the bone begins, to the center of the chin. This measurement should be multiplied by two);

– Length of the face (from the hairline to the end of the chin).

These preliminary elements offer an idea of how the face is long, broad, and sharpened and help us understand which parts we want to enhance.

We want to also know the eyes’ distance: the wider it is, the longer the bridge must be. It helps to fill a gap in the face, otherwise empty.  If the eyes are closer, choose thicker arms, enhancing the face margins. 

The next step is analyzing the different ranges of existing faces, finding the one we are close to the most, and the suggested sunglasses. Let’s see them in detail.

ROUND SHAPED FACE

A round shape face is defined by soft margins, rounded jaws, and a broad forehead. Cheekbones are strong, and their distance is similar in size to the overall face length, helping to form a round.

In this case, we suggest a rectangular or square shape, offering a stretching effect to the face, making it look thinner. 

We want to point out from Kopajos collection, one of our best sellers, that came back this year in stock with new innovative combos. 

Quist has an acetate skeleton, an elegant hinge, and a low 25mm bridge. The lenses are 45mm, and the arms are 145mm each. Summer season is perfect for wearing Quist; it goes perfectly on a classic outfit (to give it an original twist) and casual too. Quist is available here at this link: www.kopajos.com/product/quist

We then recommend two other acetate sunglasses from our collection, Mauris and Carlos, still among our best sellers. Mauris sunglasses have a trendy shape you can also find in Retrosuperfuture design and in Symbole by Prada: all these sunglasses enhance the acetate manufacturing around the lenses. The 2023 Mauris collection has new colors and combo here: www.kopajos.com/product/mauris

Carlos has a thinner appearance and a funkier style, matching the summer. Refrain from comparing these sunglasses with others from other brands, like Illesteva, Chrome Hearts, Dita, or Linda Farrow, because you can find them only in Kopajos! The 23mm bridge is comfy and balanced with the 45mm wide lenses, which we designed to well cover the eyes. More information on www.kopajos.com/product/carlos

Orlov sunglasses close our suggestions for a round shape face. Orlov has a classic titanium rectangular frame. The chance of combining lenses and frames allows a high customization rate, despite its simple look. For the new combo, please click here www.kopajos.com/product/orlov

OVAL SHAPED FACE

An oval shape gets all the sunglasses! It’s commonly said that the oval proportion and perfectly balanced. Let’s give a look at the main aspects of the oval structure. First, we have a harmonic contour with a forehead broader than the oval jaw. The face’s lower part has a narrow chin, more extended than the upper part. 

High cheekbones will be enhanced with the right sunglasses. Their distance is less than the one between the hairline and the chin. It’s crucial to detect which part we want to underline. For example, a squared frame with well-defined borders enlarges the face contour. In contrast, round shades will make it more rounded and gentle. 

Kopajos Vargas Wayfarer delivers a traditional look but is still more original than a boring Ray-Ban; it’s a timeless classic, suitable for any event. It Is a choice for those who don’t like to be daring with sunglasses and don’t want to attract attention. Our color list is incredible, we recommend you visit this link: www.kopajos.com/product/vargas

The second recommendation is a design with round lenses 44mm wide. It’s Isabella sunglasses, an acetate model with a metal skeleton completing the rim-eye. Isabella’s inspiration comes from far away, recalling the ’30 and ’40 styles, but its own contemporary makes these sunglasses unique. Isabella is available here: www.kopajos.com/product/isabella

We conclude with metal sunglasses. These, in particular, matched a trend of a few years ago, when high fashion pushed on small frames. We’re talking about Shady Tree, with thin, 51mm stretched lenses: these sunglasses offer a unique look to your sight. You’ll be, for sure, the center of attention! Discover more on www.kopajos.com/product/shady-tree

SQUARED SHAPED FACE

Squared-shaped face look sharp-edged, with a narrow forehead but more solid cheekbones. Chin seems squared, with a smooth curve and a more defined jaw. We first suggest selecting oval or round sunglasses to harmonize the face.

We especially prefer thinner frames that help underline the face contour gently without enhancing the sharp angles. 

Which are the suitable designs from our collection? Let’s see it together.

Krilencu sunglasses are light thanks to the titanium skeleton, thin and super simple in its round frame. The lenses are 50mm wide, making it a medium caliber. The bridge is 21mm, and the arms are 140mm. The spring hinge increases the fit and stretch. Suitable for an optical prescription. Visit www.kopajos.com/product/krilencu for more.

Let us tempt you with Petra, an acetate design with perfectly round lenses. It’s a super easy pair of sunglasses with no exceptional details but a refined hinge. If you want to stick with a classic look, add something new; Petra can be the suitable solution. These are the technical details: 46mm (lenses), 24mm (bridge), and 145mm (arms). 

You find Petra here: www.kopajos.com/product/petra

Acetate rim-eye and gold or silver metal parts for the skeleton, Benz is a combo of two materials we often use in our collection. These sunglasses is the last we suggest for square-shaped faces. The 20mm wide lenses come with a 50mm length. Comfy nose-pads help the fit. Arms are 140mm longer, with a spring hinge improving the stretching. Benz combos are available here: www.kopajos.com/product/benz

Click here and access the second part of our guidelines. We are gonna talk about the triangular, diamond, and heart-shaped faces.

E-shop-updates.

Although the 2022 season came to an end, Kopajos doesn’t go anywhere! We’re planning a hectic winter to grant our sunglasses to reach the entire world.

Above the designs we introduced this year, we have some news. In the idea of a never-ending renovation and improvement of our products, some of our sunglasses’ new productions carry significant modifications to improve the quality and, most of all, the comfort.

Let’s start with one of our classics, the big caliber of our Dr. No, Big No, and Big No Rim. We said goodbye to the previous arms, a combination of different materials, for a new entire acetate temple of 140mm.

The proportions are still the same: the 44mm lenses are perfectly balanced with the 26mm bridge. The hinge is the same one we use for some of our sunglasses, like Tee Hee. Its style recalls the strong waves of the Aegean Sea, one of the primary inspiration sources you find in our boutiques’ layout. Both designs can be optical glasses too.

Besides the classic black, honey, and tarta dark, we have enlarged the available colors with pastel blue, green, and red.

The previous versions of Big No and Big No rim are available in our stores of Mykonos and Santorini, but also online: you can email us at mykonos@kopajos.com, and our staff will be glad to help.

Big No are available here.

Big No Rim at this link.

The new line of Moonraker is in titanium, which will make the ultra-light sunglasses fan happy. In fact, wearing this updated version of this aviator, infact, will be like having no pressure on the nose. Nose pads make a significant part of the job because of their flexibility. Still, the material choice is fundamental for the scope.

We added a new color, metal blue, to the previous one already in the collection. Even the Moonraker can be used for any optical prescriptions: their rim-eye is congenial.

Sizes are the same. The lenses are 55mm, the bridge reaches 19mm, and the arms are 140mm. Temples are also defined with the spring hinge that makes them flexible to follow the head’s shape and improve the fit.

The new Moonraker are here.

Sandor gained significant attention thanks to the Giambattista Valli catwalk in October 2021 for the 2022 spring-summer ready-to-wear collection. This summer, they have been absolute protagonists. We thought it was necessary to increase the available combos, with skeletons in more strong colors, like metal blue and red. The new lenses are transparent orange.

For those who don’t know these sunglasses, it’s a unisex square design with defined angles that are perfect for small and broad faces, thanks to their shape. Lenses grow in length, reaching 58mm, so the bridge tightens at 20mm. 140mm arms have the spring hinge.

Watch the Giambattista Valli show and our sunglasses.

You find Sandor here.

Irma Bunt sunglasses join the titanium design of our renewed collection. The previous metal edition has been appreciated, but it was too heavy if worn for a long time.

The rounded lenses are still 48mm, and the bridge is 21mm, with 140mm arms, still fantastically flexible. We maintained the original detailed skeleton necessary to keep the front together with the rest of the shape. The same kind of details is on another of our models, the aviator Tamburino.

Metal blue is the newly available color. Irma Bunt can be suitable for prescription glasses.  Irma Bunt are available here.

They have been the absolute stars of the 2019 summer collection, so restocking in our stores was necessary. This time we offer more options with new colors, some more summery, like the transparent and the havana, and others more wintery, like honey and pastel tones, a sure trend for the following year.

Let’s focus more on these sunglasses. It’s a small caliber, with oval lenses of 43mm (easily convertible in optical) and a 25mm bridge we designed to not tighten the sunglasses too much on the face to avoid distortion of the appearance. The temples measure 140mm, and their caps have on our design that recalls the waves of our Aegean Sea.

All the metal parts of Kisch are gold or silver. We suggest this design to those that are looking for something funny but straightforward. If you like oval sunglasses, we recommend looking at our Naom (in metal www.kopajos.com/product/naom) and Rene Mathis (www.kopajos.com/product/rene-mathis). Discover more about Kisch here.

Let’s conclude this overview with two other sunnies, Peter Frank and Fluffy, that are very different among them but share the significant success they both had this summer.

Peter Frank sunglasses are an acetate design with rounded lenses and small caliber, reaching 46mm. The bridge is 21mm in size, improving the comfortable fit thanks to the nose pads we merged in the shape without affecting its elegance. The arms are 145mm long and have caps with the typical waves of our acetate spectacles.

No need to say that Peter Frank can be ideally used for any optical prescription. For more information, you can click here.

The last sunglasses we would like to discuss are one of the designs we prefer the most. Fluffy are the result of a long study that allowed us to catch a small lens inside a bigger rim-eye without filling it completely. These cat-eye are in titanium, making them light and fragile at the same time. Take care always of your Kopajos sunglasses!

An accurate sight may find two small central canals on the perimeter of the lenses. In fact, an almost invisible nylon wire helps keep the crystals stuck on the lower side of the frame. That’s the reason why we do not suggest these glasses for any optical prescriptions unless you do not have a serious professional for this kind of precision cut.

Arms have a spring hinge, and nose pads can be adjusted to improve the fit.

We have found an exceptional ambassador for Fluffy: Italian actress and TV emerging host Mariasole Pollio wore Fluffy Matt Gold/Mirrored Gold in one of her Instagram stories.

You will find Fluffy available at this link.

Try to search for “Greece” in any search engine. More than once, you find a beautiful panorama from Oia, Santorini, and the famous Three Blue Domes Church, the blinding white of the houses overhanging the caldera, the other islands of the archipelago, Thirasia, Aspronisi, and the two active volcanoes of Palea and Nea Khameni: Santorini is beautiful thanks to its unlucky position too, in a volcanic area of East Mediterranean.

Its name comes from Saint Irene, chosen by the Venetians, rulers of the island for four centuries until 1576. Before being Santorini, the ancients called the island Thera, with a caldera born from a previous eruption. In its center, there was the Strogili volcano, which emerged by the sea year by year.

The oldest settlement, Akrotiri, dates back to 4500 b.C. and it was located at the south of the island; it grew becoming a prosperous town with more than 30.000 inhabitants, even double of the population Santorini register today. Until 1800 b.C., it was a fundamental trading port of the Aegean Sea and a clear example of thalassocracy. Today Akrotiri is nicknamed “The Aegean Pompei” because they have shared the same unfortunate destiny.

A first violent earthquake partially destroyed the town, letting the people escaped on the hills. Still, the following shakes broke the magmatic chamber of the Strogili volcano by determining the beginning of the end. Some signals alarmed the population: a smoke column more and more intense appeared, seen from Crete far away more than 140km; the overheated water came to the ground, splitting the surface with geyser; sulfur exhalations killed the fishes in the caldera.

The Akrotiri people asked the priestesses, political rulers of that society, the meaning of those omens. Animal sacrifices first, and human later, seemed not enough to appease the Gods. Worries and desperation spread among everybody. None of this avoided the extremely violent eruption, the most destructive witnessed in modern human history, which happened between 1628 and 1610 b.C. The volcano exploded, expelling the pyroclastic flows in every direction at 300 km/h, like scorching bullets that pulverized everything they smashed. The 10km high smokey column hid the sun for two weeks shocking the Mediterranean weather for two years. The noise was strong enough to shatter the eardrums at a 16 km distance from Santorini; the following tsunami caused 20 meters high waves that hit Crete, determined more than 30.000 casualties. It’s a widespread opinion that these events were some of the causes of the Minoan civility decline. For at least 200 years, no one could reach Santorini, as the waters around the island were mud.

The island got its shape from this event, becoming an archipelago with the two volcanoes coming out in the caldera around the IX century. The last eruption occurred in 1950.

Akrotiri anyway disappeared, covered by ashes, well preserved until the excavations began in 1967. Because the population ran away from the island before the eruption, no crystallized bodies were found until now, not even valuable items, only a golden ibex, today exposed along with some fresco paintings at the Museum of Prehistoric Thera in Fyra, the main town of modern Santorini.

The story of Thera probably inspired the Atlantis myth, first narrated by the philosopher Plato, about a legendary island that disappeared under the sea after a natural catastrophe.

What we recommend visiting?

The Archaeological site of Akrotiri, close to the Red Beach in Santorini;

The museum of Prehistoric Thera in Fyra;

The Archaeological Museum of Athens, with some fresco paintings of Akrotiri.

30 minutes away by ferry boat from Mykonos you can visit the inhabited island of Delos, today an archaeological park under the sun; by a legend, it was Apollo’s and Artemis’ birthplace (hosting one of the most relevant rituals of this god of the ancient times) but most of all home of the famous Delian League, founded right after the Persian wars as an alliance between all the greek poleis.

Δήλος takes its name from Apollo. As the god of the sun and the light, once he was born there, the island was flooded by light, a verb that in greek can be translated with δηλόω (“deloo”), meaning “to show”, since the island was finally revealed to human beings.

The first settlements were established around 3000 b.C., but only around the IX century b.C. and for the next one thousand year Delos got a main role in the Aegean Sea. The religious celebrations became so relevant that Delos’ soil was consecrated. This had two significant consequences: no births and no deaths were allowed there, and the poleis of Athens was demanded to ensure it; second, the urban structure was clearly influenced, and a lot of temples found space in the town. In alternate periods Delos was also a rich trading port (and one of the central regarding the chattel slavery), so more buildings were necessary, like the theatre, built around the II century b.C. The Romans recognized a strategic role to its harbour until Puteoli in south Italy took its place for all the Middle-East tradings, causing its decline. Around the IX century a.D. the island was abandoned, for at least one thousand years before the excavations to begin, and still ongoing, in 1870, to bring to the light all of its stratifications.

The best moment to visit Delos is spring for sure: the flowers, especially crimson poppies, dominate an ancient landscape, surrounded by a colourful nature. The roundtrip ferry costs 20.00€ that does not comprehend the entrance ticket to the archaeological park (12.00€).

The boat then leaves for Mykonos after three hours: what to see? Here are our suggestions:

1) The Lions’ terrace of Apollo and of Naxos’ people. Copies are outside, whereas the original is inside the Delos Museum (one of them was stolen by the Venetians around 1400 and since then in Venice);

2) The three temples dedicated to Apollo and the one of Artemis, in the ancient agorà;

3) The climb of Kynthos mountain, enjoying the panorama on the near islands (Mykonos, Rhenia, Naxos and Paros);

4) The Isis, Serapis and Anubis temple on the Mount Kynthos ascent, of the Roman age;

5) The Dionysus Temple, of which a gigantic phallus remains; all the statues are shown in the Delos Museum;

6) The Delos’ Mosaics, decorations of a lot of houses of the site, like the Dyonisus house, the dolphins’ house, the masks’ house, the Trident’s house, and the lake’s house, all names inspired by the representations found in each place;

7) The II century b.C. theatre, for 5000 people.

The list could go on, but these are our picks. What are yours? Let us know if we have missed something you consider a must to see in Delos. And if you visit Delos during summer, be sure to have water, a hat, a pair of sunglasses and comfy shoes. If there will be no wind, the island will be scorching!

One of the ancients, or at least what remains of it is located in Oia, dedicated to Saint Nicholas (‘Αγιος Νικολάος), built by Venetians once they were the Lords of the island, for more than three centuries. It’s a significant mark of this place’s history because it goes back to the XV century, but mostly it defined how the villages and town developed on Santorini’s caldera. The island would have been easily conquered on its south side, because of the easy access to the coastline; a fortress located on the north, looking towards all the directions, helped manage the surveillance. That’s why the main settlements of Santorini overhang the caldera.

When the Ottomans came, no relevant events changed the appearance of the Castle. Centuries of neglect continued, and the area became a private property and houses were built immediately around that place. In 1956, a violent earthquake shook both Amorgos and Santorini, causing invaluable damages; a relevant section of what remained of the fort fell in the Ammoudi Bay immediately below.

The annexed church was partially saved and carried away from that dangerous area, now part of the Panagia Platsani complex in the village’s central square. Thanks to some archaeological constraints, Oia’s castle ruins are still there, but carelessness and urban stratification drastically changed this area’s appearance in the last 40 years. Unfortunately, there are not many witnesses that remind the castle, but some photos were taken before and after the castle’s collapse. The living of the castle information is neither available, but we sincerely hope that all the area will be soon completely open and protected.

Of the watcher-tower, walkable freely with no restriction, only the base remains, letting a daily flood of tourists come, look at the caldera and Oia itself, and assist at the sunset from a privileged view. Since the area is very crowded in the hour and a half before the sunset, go there with a little early, grabbing something to drink (but please, leave the area cleaned as you will find it).