Meet The Creative Director Behind Darylynn Eyewear: Darylynn Ayala

You should know by now that sunglasses are a MUST for protecting your eyes from the sun so we won’t lecture you on the importance of wearing them. We’ll  just tell you where to go to get a super stylish pair…..Darylynn Eyewear!  A favorite of celebrities, these sunnies have been spotted on stars such as Heidi Klum, Carmen Electra, and Kat Von D, to name a few.  Founded by Darylynn Ayala and her husband Joseph, the duo has brought luxury back to everyday life with their collection of exquisite, Italian  crafted sunglasses for men and women.  Intrigued? So were we. We had to know more.  We recently caught up with Darylynn.  She told us how the brand came to be, shared her influences, and what’s next for her luxury brand.  Read on to find out what she wants you to know about finding your perfect pair!

FASHIONKRUSH:  Every great brand has a great story as to how it came to be. What is the story behind Darylynn Eyewear?

DARYLYNN AYALA:  I’ve always wanted to become an entrepreneur but it wasn’t till my love for eyewear became a passion that the decision was made to launch the brand. On my worldly travels I began to collect vintage garments, gloves, eyewear and luggage. The vintage collection of eyewear inspired me most of all so I started to research the history of eyewear as well as the industry itself. That led to me meeting some influential people who helped me source eyewear factories in Italy. I flew to Italy to start the design process. Shortly after that my husband Joseph and I founded Darylynn Eyewear.  It was a huge financial risk but we both knew our collection was something special so we pushed for it.

FK:  What is your background? Have you always been in the fashion industry?

DA:  Studied Accessory Design at Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC then went on to work as a footwear designer/design director for 12 years.

FK:  Who is the woman that wears Darylynn Eyewear? What’s she like?

DA:  Our frames are statement pieces. The person who wears them has a unique personal style.  Anyone can follow trends but having great style is an art within itself.

FK:  Where can we get our fix? Where can we buy your sunglasses?

DA:  We are sold in Paris, London, Ibiza, Colorado, Las Vegas & NYC. You can find Darylynn Eyewear at Little Lon Shop (LON), Selima Optique, Eyewear Concierge, Mandalay Bay Casino Shop.  Clients can also buy direct from me at [email protected] We will be launching an online shop next month as well that will be an extension of our web site.

FK:  Can you share some tips on how to choose the right pair of sunglasses? Anything we need to keep in mind while searching for the perfect pair?

DA:  Some people say to me, “I can’t pull that frame off, my face is too big, or too round or too small”.  In my opinion, it’s all in the attitude and the fit.  Audrey Hepburn lived in her large over sized frames on her thin, small face. She is a style icon.  Audrey owned her looks with the right mixture of attitude and confidence, same thing should go for choosing frames.

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FK:  What are your customers coveting right now? Is there a particular style that everyone is gravitating towards?

DA:  Bestseller continues to be style Bugsy, our largest frame, it’s massive.

FK:  Designers have amazing style. Can you describe your own personal style?

DA:  As a vintage clothing and accessories collector, I mix old pieces with modern pieces. I’m mostly a girly girl who likes to dress up in pin up inspired looks but also have an edgy side. Nothing beats a classic rock T-shirt, some converse and a little leather.

FK:  What are your influences? How do you stay inspired every season?

DA:  Art, Cinema, interesting people, vintage influences and architecture all play a large role in my daily inspiration. Most importantly I never follow trends, creating timeless classics is always my goal. It’s part of my job to be aware of the trends but I don’t dare follow them.

FK:  Most people look to the celebrities for what’s hot and happening. Darylynn Eyewear has an enviable celebrity following. Any other celebrities you’d love to see in Darylynn Eyewear? Who?

DA:  I would love to see celebrity yogi Hilaria Baldwin, actors Kate Winslet, Eva Mendes, Drew Barrymore, SJP, Michael Ealy; musicians Jimmy Page, Rita Ora, Jack White and Anthony Kiedis in my frames. They all inspire me so to have them enjoy my art would be amazing.

FK:  Do you have any style icons? Is there anyone who’s style that you just can’t get enough of?

DA:  Holly Thomas, she does casual chic perfectly. Modern day style icons : Dita Von Teese, Kate Moss and Victoria Beckham. Classic style icons include, Katherine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn, Marlene Dietrich, Bettie Page and Jean Harlow.

FK:  Name 5 things you can’t live without.

DA:  Coffee, music, converse sneakers, my husband  Joseph and of course my DE sunglasses.

FK:  Creative minds tend to pursue other creative projects. Do you have any other design aspirations?

DA:  I’m a fine arts sculptor who specializes in sculpting busts of people out of clay. I study under master sculptor Carter Jones in his midtown NY studio. Just recently sold my first sculpture, which was encouraging.

FK:  When you’re not working on your next collection, what do you like to do? Do you have any hobbies or other interests?

DA:  Love to sew and reconstruct vintage clothing into modern pieces for my girl friends and I. Enjoy traveling, watching performing arts, reading biographies and practicing, Bikram Yoga.

FK:  Do you ever get to take a break from it all? Where do you like to go to relax and recharge?

DA:  Love going to the North Fork of Long Island for quick getaways from New York. North Fork is the perfect mixture of farmland and beaches. My favorite escape is to any tropical island…headed to Antiqua to get sun kissed in a week.

FK:  What’s next for Darylynn Eyewear? Are there any plans for expanding the brand that you could talk about? .

DA:  We started off with only sunglasses but I’m excited to announce we will be launching our optical line this September in Paris.

FK:  Thanks so much for taking the time out of your busy day to  chat with us! We can’t wait to see the new optical line!