Alex Israel Teams With Oliver Peoples to Support Wildfire Recovery

Artist Alex Israel and eyewear brand Oliver Peoples have their sights set on a chic way to raise funds for wildfire recovery for Los Angeles.

The two partnered on a limited edition line of sunglasses featuring Oliver Peoples’ Oliver Sun frames with 100 percent of the sales being donated to Steadfast LA’s modular housing initiative, which serves to help underinsured residents remain in their communities following January’s wildfires for qualified residents in Altadena, Malibu, Pasadena and Pacific Palisades.

The line of Oliver Sun frames are being offered up in three color combinations, including black, tortoise and clear. The frames feature a custom core wire etched with Israel’s fin motif, which is a nod to his sculptural series and local surf culture. It’s paired with Israel’s pop-inspired reinterpretation of the original 1987 Oliver Peoples symbol logo.

Israel, who was born and raised in Los Angeles, said the project is “deeply personal” for him because of his roots, adding that he believes it’s essential to “do what we can” to support the community and keep “the magic of this city alive.”

“The Oliver Sun was a natural starting point — sharp and timeless, it’s the frame I wear every day. I’ve always loved the Oliver Peoples logo; reductive yet still playful, it reminds me of the geometric shapes and post-modern patterns I grew up with in L.A. in the ‘80s and ‘90s,” Israel continued in a statement. “For this collaboration, I wanted to bring that logo forward and celebrate it, to reimagine it alongside another ubiquitous L.A. shape: the surf fin. The fin is a nod to L.A.’s beach identity, our connection to sea-life, and to the incredible feeling of riding a wave. In French, fin means ‘the end,’ but here it comes to symbolize a force to propel things forward. To me, that’s what this city is all about: Reinvention, imagination and the freedom to keep going.”

For the campaign, shot by photographer Justin Campbell, Israel and Oliver Peoples drafted models including Diplo, Miranda Kerr and Eric Nam. “As a brand born in Los Angeles, this city is at the core of everything we do,” said Oliver Peoples president Rocco Basilico. “Alex brings its spirit to life in such a meaningful way, and this collaboration reflects the beauty of what happens when design, purpose and community unite.”

The Alex Israel and Oliver Peoples collaboration is now available online and in Oliver Peoples boutiques for $675.