By Dathan Kazsuk
At some point during a visit to Framed Eyewear, you’ll realize this isn’t going to be the usual hunt for a new pair of glasses.
Nobody hands you a frame and simply says, “Those look good.”
Instead, you might find yourself talking about your face shape, your skin undertones, what you do for work, how much time you spend looking at a computer, and even which feature you’d like your glasses to emphasize.
And then there are the glasses made from vinyl records.
Welcome to one of the newer additions to downtown Wake Forest’s South White Street.
Framed Eyewear was created by co-owners Angela Brinkmann and Anne Hanekom, whose distinctly different backgrounds are exactly what make the boutique work.
Brinkmann brings the science. A licensed optician with more than two decades of experience, she has a background in biology and ophthalmic dispensing. Hanekom brings the fashion, with experience in personal styling, image consulting, and seasonal color analysis. Together, they’ve created something that lands somewhere between an optical shop and a personal styling studio.
At Framed, selecting eyewear starts with more than whether you like what you see in the mirror.
Brinkmann considers the prescription, how a frame sits on the bridge of the nose, where it falls along the cheeks and temples, and what type of lens will work best for how the customer actually lives.
That’s especially important with progressive lenses. Someone who spends eight hours a day working at a computer might need something different from an artist doing detailed close-up work or someone who needs glasses primarily for driving and distance.
Then Hanekom adds another layer.
She studies facial geometry and color undertones, looking at how different shapes and colors can balance a face or draw attention toward someone’s eyes or cheekbones. Customers may even be encouraged to try something completely different from what they’ve worn for years.
Rather than sorting the showroom into traditional men’s and women’s sections, Framed displays its eyewear by brand and encourages customers to explore. The goal is to find something that fits physically but also feels like the person wearing it. framed eyewear
The frames themselves help distinguish Framed.
Its collection includes names such as Chopard, Lindberg, Matsuda, Porsche Design, SAY-OH, Barton Perreira, Maui Jim, Anne et Valentin, Blackfin, Quay and Rudy Project, along with smaller independent makers whose stories are often as interesting as the eyewear.
Rather than focusing primarily on familiar luxury logos, Brinkmann and Hanekom sought out independent brands, artisan construction, and unusual materials.
One example is Danish brand Lindberg, known for sleek, minimalist eyewear. Another is SAY-OH, whose handcrafted frames combine acetate with Damascus steel. During our visit, Brinkmann explained that the frames are produced in Japan in small quantities rather than being mass-produced. framed eyewear
And then there is Vinylize.
The Budapest-based company turns actual vinyl records into eyewear, with each frame assembled and finished by hand in Hungary. The company says its workshop takes roughly six weeks to produce a frame, making the grooves of the original record part of each piece’s individual appearance.
For me, one particular pair was going to be dangerous for the wallet.
Vinylize collaborated with German industrial-metal band Rammstein on a limited collection featuring vinyl frame fronts, the band’s “R” emblem, and details inspired by audio equipment.
Being both Hungarian and a Rammstein fan, I didn’t need much convincing.
There’s something considerably more fun about saying, “My glasses were handmade in Budapest from vinyl, and they’re Rammstein glasses,” than telling someone which rack they came from.
That also gets to Hanekom’s larger point: Why do so many people own only one pair of prescription glasses?
We don’t approach the rest of our wardrobe that way.
We have different shoes for different occasions. Different handbags. Different watches. Different jackets. Yet many people buy one pair of glasses and wear them every day, with everything, for years—myself included.
Hanekom sees eyewear increasingly becoming another fashion accessory—a way to change a look rather than simply correct vision.
She practices what she preaches, choosing different frames based on what she’s wearing and encouraging customers to think beyond the safe pair they’ve selected repeatedly for years. As she and Brinkmann explained during our conversation, sometimes the frame someone would never have picked from the shelf becomes the one they like best once they’re guided toward the right shape and color. framed eyewear
Framed also offers its Vision Suite for remote eye examinations, although the owners stress that those exams aren’t appropriate for every patient. Anyone with medical eye-care needs should continue seeing an in-person optometrist. The boutique can also work from a current prescription obtained elsewhere. Framed
“Framed is an open-access provider, so anyone is welcome to visit us regardless of their insurance provider,” says Hanekom. “Customers with VSP out-of-network benefits may be eligible for reimbursement on frames and lenses, and we are happy to submit claims on their behalf. The exact reimbursement amount will depend on their specific plan.”
Ultimately, that’s probably the easiest way to understand Framed. You can certainly walk in because you need glasses.
But Brinkmann and Hanekom would much rather help you find the pair you actually want to wear.
And perhaps a second pair while you’re at it.
