From Paris to Peers and Fisher: The excellence of independent eyewear

It’s about a lot more than eyesight – it’s about what you feel, how you look and what you see; it’s about comfort and style and the personal touch and it’s about who you are. That’s the ethos behind Peers and Fisher Optometrists, and it has inspired the incorporation of distinctive frames into their wide-ranging offering that are found nowhere else in the country.

Located in the upmarket Johannesburg suburb of Dunkeld West, Peers and Fisher was founded in 1992 by Michelle Pencharz and Shana Cohen, both optometrists committed to ensuring that every client’s unique visual needs are met. Together they have built a reputation for clinical excellence and a keen eye for design.

To stay at the forefront of developments within the field of optometry and to ensure their range reflects the needs and preferences of their customers, the partners regularly attend an annual international optometry expo in Paris. It was there that they first encountered – and were delighted by – the Parisian eyewear brand, Tarian, created by designer Jérémy Miklitarian.

“Jérémy’s designs have a Parisian edge while encompassing quirky elements,” says Michelle Pencharz. "They highlight a deep understanding of the need for eyewear that is comfortable and stylish, while also reflecting individual personality. We knew immediately that Tarian eyewear would have significant appeal in our practice.” Their instinct proved accurate and, since introducing the brand as exclusive to South Africa, Peers and Fisher has seen an enthusiastic uptake of his pieces.

In turn, Jérémy’s first meeting of Michelle and Shana was as positive; he instantly appreciated their sense of style, their warmth and their attention to detail, recognising that that their practice has ‘soul’, which he describes as a rare commodity seldom found in his international travels .

This was Jérémy’s first introduction to the South African market and he quickly embraced the energy, diversity and confident style that epitomises the country. He knew that Tarian would find a home at Peers and Fisher.

 The steady growth of the Tarian brand over the intervening months brought Jérémy to South Africa for the first time in his life in April this year, to meet existing and potential customers of his eyewear and to work more closely with the optometrists in ensuring the best selection and service for their market.

 “We pride ourselves on our carefully curated eyewear ranges as much as we ensure world-class quality in our optometric services,” says Michelle. “Every aspect of our offering is designed to enhance our patients’ vision and confidence, from state-of-the-art diagnostic technology to expert fittings and performance assessments. Independent brands such as Tarian are a natural complement to our overall offering, because we believe that everything must have a story to tell. Our clients love the fact that when they wear Tarian, no one else will have the same frames.”

The story behind Tarian is inspiring. Jérémy, who has lived with severe near-sightedness since childhood, received his first pair of glasses at age 11 – designed by his father, the renowned Alain Mikli, a French-Armenian designer of high-end handmade eyewear and accessories. Renowned for bold colours and sculptural forms, Alain Mikli’s creations have achieved global acclaim among artists, celebrities and design connoisseurs, both in Europe and in the US.

 Jérémy, who had become a highly accomplished ceramicist as a young man, studied graphic design followed by two years in product design before establishing his own brand in Paris in 2011. He followed in his father's footsteps and began his own adventures with original eyewear designs and different manufacturing techniques. The name, Tarian, reflects his pride in the legacy his father is creating – the syllable ‘ian’ means ‘son of’.

 Jérémy continues to incorporate ceramics into his creative processes, noting that the disciplines of ceramics and eyewear creation feed off each other. Over the years, Jérémy has earned recognition for originality and a gift for collaboration with craftsmen and artists that has delivered innovation at all levels of his work.

Michelle notes that the Tarian frames “are amazing to wear”, adding, “It’s the quality of the workmanship and, more importantly, the careful selection of materials that define their uniqueness.”

The right eyewear will make a difference to how you see the world, how you see yourself and how the world sees you. Or, in the words of naturalist and essayist, Henry David Thoreau, “It's not what you look at that matters; it's what you see.”

Visit www.peersandfisher.co.za.