Oh hello JL Spex – St Albans very own eyewear collection

The JL Spex launch has been one of those moments at EYES that reminds us why we love what we do.

Over the past few weeks we’ve been introducing customers to the new collection designed by Jez and handmade in Italy, and the response so far has been fantastic. Frames have been tried on, favourites have quickly emerged and there have been plenty of “ooh, those are different” moments in front of the mirror.

JL Spex has always been about bringing together experience, personality and a little bit of confidence in what eyewear can be. Seeing people discover the collection for the first time – and then spotting the frames out and about in St Albans – has been incredibly rewarding.

One of the details that people have been enjoying most is the naming of the frames themselves. Each style takes its name from a St Albans pub, blending Jez’s own history in the city with his long-standing love of supporting local pubs and live music venues.

If you know St Albans well, you’ll probably recognise a few of the names straight away. The Horn, for example, has hosted more than its fair share of memorable gigs over the years, while The Boot remains a perfect place for a quiet pint and a moment watching the world go by near the Clock Tower. And yes, there are stories that go back to the days when Jez was somehow being served at The Duke of Marlborough at the tender age of twelve. Different times.

Behind the scenes we’re also working on a full gallery for the website so you’ll soon be able to explore each style and colour combination online. The launch photography is being finalised at the moment, and once everything is ready we’ll be adding the images so you can browse the collection in more detail.

We’re also putting together a JL Spex look book to sit alongside the leaflets available in-store. This will celebrate the heritage behind the collection, the inspiration for the frame names and the St Albans connections woven through it all. Expect a few local stories, a few musical references and almost certainly the odd tale from Jez’s slightly misspent youth along the way.

If you’d like to explore the collection itself and learn more about the thinking behind it, you can visit the JL Spex collection page here:
https://www.eyesonstalbans.com/collections/jl-spex/

In the meantime, the frames are here in the shop and being worn around the city already – which is exactly where they belong.

Spex, hugs and rock’n’roll.