I was recently invited to a party at the Copper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum to celebrate the Warby Parker x Copper Hewitt partnership. The party marked my first time visiting this museum, which is incredibly beautiful, and I can wholeheartedly say that I understand why the collaboration is perfect. Copper Hewitt, which was Andrew Carnegie’s mansion, embraces historical and contemporary design. Warby Parker, known for its unique eyewear, has a similar appreciation for learning and developing innovative, functional designs. The partnership started off with a month-long class that the two brands co-designed for high school students at the museum’s Cooper Hewitt Design Center in Harlem. The class strives to deal with community issues using design-based solutions.

The partnership then continued its path of design with the two brands co-creating a pair of glasses. Fittingly, the glasses are called Copper, and the round shaped frames are reminiscent of the ones that Andrew Carnegie wore, yet they have some modern, innovative details. They’re available for both men and women in a hue called Heritage Bronze, a color that was inspired by Andrew Carnegie’s drawing room. The glasses definitely showcase an appreciation for intriguing history and contemporary design.

In the spirit of this appreciation, I was fascinated by the museum’s combination of historical artifacts and modern designs. There are plenty of rooms where you can get informed about buildings, designs, techniques, and the like that were from earlier times, but there are a number of contemporary designs as well, such as digitally lit posters. There are also a number of interactive features where you can design things such as a hat, a table, or a chair using a digital pen. You can even save those designs if you want to view them at a later time. The museum is truly exceptional as is Warby Parker. What a fitting collaboration!

Cooper in Heritage Bronze

Inside the museum

Inside the museum

Inside the museum

Inside the museum

Inside the museum