Google is celebrating cat-eye frame designer, Altina Schinasi’s 116th birthday with a Doodle. She is a famous American artist known for creating iconic eyewear, especially the Harlequin eyeglass frame, generally known as the “cat-eye” frame.
In addition to her remarkable accomplishments in fashion, Schinasi ventured into filmmaking. She made a documentary in 1960 called “George Grosz Interregnum’ about George Grosz, a well-known artist who was also her former mentor. The documentary gave her an Academy Award nomination and even the primary spot position at the Venice Film Festival.
Who is Altina Schinasi?
Schinasi was born to immigrant parents on August 4, 1907 in Manhattan, New York. Schinasi’s artistic life started in Paris and ended with her creative commitments to the universe of fashion and film.
After coming back to the US, she registered at the Art Students League in New York, where she enhanced her skills as an artist. Her creative life took a strange turn when she became a window dresser for different stores on Fifth Avenue. These chances gave her to the universe of design, and later she found motivation in teaming up with influential artists like Salvador Dalí and George Grosz.
Where did Altina get the idea for the cat-eye design?
When Altina was working as a window display designer, she saw that there weren’t many stylish choices available for ladies’ eyewear, which led to the idea for her cat-eye frame.
From the harlequin masks used at Venice, Italy’s Carnevale festival, she got an inspiration and decided to challenge the status quo. She considered that the masks’ sharp edges would perfectly highlight a woman’s features. Undeterred by her early setbacks from big manufacturers, Schinasi continued to pitch the design and succeeded when a local retailer saw the potential in her creation.
In the late 1930s and mid 1940s, the ladies in the US wanted the Harlequin glasses because of their quick growth in popularity. Schinasi got a lot of attention for her creative invention and she was awarded the prestigious Lord & Taylor American Design Award in 1939. The notable designer cemented her goodwill as a forerunner in the field of eyewear style by showing up in significant publications like Vogue and Life.
What are the other achievements of the Altina Schinasi?
The cat-eye designer is not limited to the invention of eyeglass frames; she also ventured into the universe of filmmaking, producing the acclaimed documentary “George Grosz’ Interregnum” in 1960 about her former mentor and artist, George Grosz, and got a nomination for an Academy Award while winning first place at the Venice Film Festival.
In addition to her creative interests, she composed her memoir titled, “The Road I Have Traveled,” in 1995, offering understanding into her extraordinary life and accomplishments. She also volunteered as an art therapist, sharing her enthusiasm for art to have a beneficial impact on others’ lives.
She also invented exceptional portrait chairs and benches named ‘Chairacters’, displaying her diverse ability as a craftsman and innovator.
Today, almost 100 years after its initiation, Altina’s cat-eye design continues to be an impactful and a powerful style symbol globally. Her creative spirit and determination made a permanent mark on the fashion industry, motivating endless designers and artists to consider new ideas and think afresh.