Designer makes vintage frames for Katy Perry, Jay-Z

August 18, 2010

You may not have heard of Corey Shapiro, but among some of Hollywood's elite, he's a household name. The 28-year-old designs vintage sunglasses for some prestigious clients, including pop stars Katy Perry and Jay-Z, according to the Montreal Gazette.

Though Shapiro creates vintage sunglasses frames for the stars, he does not utilize used glasses to create his masterpiece. Instead, the designer scours frames manufactured in the 1950s and 1980s that never made it onto store shelves.

Shapiro's love of vintage frames began when he took notice of his grandfather's Cazal 951 glasses, which were large specs that could be adjusted for sporting or casual wear. Since then, Shapiro has revamped the sunglasses and now wears them himself.

According to the news source, Perez Hilton described Shapiro in an email as "not only a great guy, but also a very smart business man! He's created a niche for himself in the world of vintage frames. He is the go-to guy in that market."

While Shapiro doesn't sell his glasses to the public, sunglasses are an important accessory on sunny days. According to the American Optometric Association, sunglasses should screen out 75 to 90 percent of all visible light.