Light fantastic

Polaris founder Staffan Preutz is influenced in his design by the people and landscape of northern Sweden, with his first taste of optics and frame design coming in the 1950s as a 15-year-old at his father's opticians in Boden. Having made his entry into frame making at an early age, he went on to set up his own optical shop selling his designs in 1971, before opening his own factory in 1979. Since then he has won numerous design awards for his upmarket rimless styles that sell across the world.

What differentiates Polaris product from designer frames is the personalisation that can be achieved, ranging from lens tinting, to faceting, frosting of edges, engraving and colouring the lens grooves. While these decorative elements are more likely to appeal to women, who make up 70 per cent of the clientele, the company is making sure that Polaris eyewear is of interest to a wider market by launching new styles that can also be personalised.