Ronit Furst, eyewear with a difference, comes to Heathfield

Ronit Furst (far right) visits the Heathfield Melina Joy Opticians. Pictured outside with two dispensing opticians – Catriona and Jane

Heathfield was the first town to be visited by the eye wear designer Ronit Furst, on her recent tour of the UK,when she popped in to see Melina Joy Opticians.

They have been stocking the eponymous brand, since it rose to fame, after being worn on TV by GBBO’s Pru Leith. Ronit Furst has a creative background in ceramics and this is where she drew her inspiration for eye wear from. Failing to find a frame that would satisfy her mood for reinvention, she decided to paint on one of her existing frames. The result was exactly what she had been looking for – a colourful, lively and super original piece of eye wear. In a way, she attributes this one self-made hand painted frame to changing her life.

The hand painting is how they can produce almost every pattern and colour combination that Ronit can imagine. If you look closely you can actually see the paintbrush strokes and the texture of the paint, just like a painting on canvas. After the painting is done the frames undergo a special coating procedure, which gives the finished look – crystal shiny or sandy matt – and this also protects the painting from dirt and other unwanted effects. The frames are designed to look different from every angle, with fine detail and tiny embellishments, graduated colour schemes and asymmetric designs. The ethos of the range is to create quirky, individual styles that capture the wearer’s personality.

They are known for bright colours, but you will find all sorts of combinations from bright stripes to more muted shades and black fronts. There is something for everyone.

Choosing your frames is the first step, there are classic heavy shapes, through to lighter ones which can come with single coloured or black fronts or multi coloured. The sides are even more varied with hundreds of options to choose from.

“I recently chose my new Ronit Furst frames – I wanted a classic look with very muted colours. The vast range was a bit of a headache to start with, but actually it’s part of the fun looking at all the options and then choosing your own version. Now with a six week wait I am impatient already,” a customer commented.

A local fan, Nicola Magill, Secretary of the Heathfield Show explained what led her to commission a pair:

Nicola Magill, The Secretary of the Heathfield Show

“I wanted Ronit Furst frames because I saw Pru Leith wearing them. When I went into Melina Joy they were just getting them in. Surprisingly, it turned out my existing frames were already Ronit Furst and I hadn’t noticed!  Just shows I really liked the frames and it wasn’t just because they were what Pru was wearing – I’m not really a designer label person. The reason I liked them was the colour combinations – fantastic.  If I have to wear glasses, I like to make a statement.

“The reason I go back to Melina Joy Opticians is because they always get my varifocal prescription right, which is essential for me doing so much reading and  computer work which is what I really need them for.  I wear them all the time.”

If this has whetted your appetite, the Ronit Furst website will give you an idea of the full range of shapes and colours, or pop into Melina Joy Opticians for a chat with one of their friendly dispensing opticians. Prices are comparable with all other quality frames and the bespoke glasses take about six weeks to arrive.