The story of Altina Schinasi’s youth units the tone for exploring how she got here to create her iconic frames. Schinasi (pictured) was born in 1907, right into a household that was fabulously rich due to the efforts of her father, Moussa, who after migrating from Turkey grew to become an American millionaire after inventing a patented design for a cigarette rolling machine. Moussa’s inquiring thoughts and eye for design actually handed to his daughter, who developed inventive pursuits in her youth. As her expertise developed, she started a profession as a window dresser for varied Manhattan shops.
It was throughout this time that Schinasi grew to become conscious of the dearth of modern glasses frames for girls within the window of a close-by opticians store, and have become decided that she may develop a brand new design that was each elegant and trendy. Her Harlequin frames, which she dropped at market within the Nineteen Thirties in partnership with the high-end optical boutique Lugene, and her modern design quickly grew to become a serious trend merchandise, worn by numerous display heroines resembling Lucille Ball, Audrey Hepburn, and Marilyn Monroe. In 1939, she obtained Lord & Taylor’s American Design Award for the already iconic frames.