Madeline
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Madeline
Sunglasses
A very small hexagonal lens in a fine metal rim, worn close to the eye. Three colourways.
Polarised lenses — a lightweight metal frame built for outdoor and everyday wear.
Small enough to be a decision
This is one of the smallest frames in the range and the shape is cut hexagonal rather than oval, so the lens reads as a faceted rectangle sitting just over the eye. Nothing about it is subtle in effect even though almost nothing is there: a fine wire rim, two straight arms, and a shape that is unmistakably deliberate.
Photographed here in the gold frame with a dark lens. The same frame is offered in three colourways.
Six sides, one wire
The rim is a fine run of metal bent into six short straight sections around each lens, joined by a slim bridge with small pads below it. There is no brow bar and no second line anywhere — what you see on the face is the outline of the lens and nothing else.
The arms are thin metal, running straight back from a small hinge into a moulded dark tip. It has a lightweight metal frame; on a piece this size the weight is close to nothing across the nose.
It has a lightweight metal frame and polarised lenses.
Where it sits
- A very small hexagon that sits just over the eye rather than covering the socket
- A fine wire rim keeps the weight low — the frame is barely felt across the nose
- Small pads at the bridge set the height on the nose
- Thin arms disappear at the side, which keeps the look clean in profile
- Reads small and graphic on any face, which is the point of the shape
Polarised lenses
The lenses are polarised on a lightweight metal frame. Polarisation is what removes the flat white shine that bounces off a wet road, a windscreen or open water — colours look deeper and you squint less in bright conditions.
The lenses carry UV400 filtering.
Three colourways, one frame
Two colourways use the gold-tone rim and differ in the lens; the third is the same frame in black metal.
Why it costs what it costs
A hexagonal wire rim is more work than a round one. Six short sections have to be bent and brazed to match on both sides, and on a frame this small an error of a millimetre shows on the face. None of that is where the usual shelf price comes from.
We sell direct. There is no shop floor between the frame and you and no distributor taking a cut on the way, so the retail margin that normally sits on top of a piece like this is simply not in the price. What that money pays for instead is the build — a metal rim and a polarised lens rather than a moulded plastic front with a plain tint.
- Sold direct — no retail margin stacked on the frame
- Polarised lenses rather than a plain tint
- Metal rim and metal hinges instead of moulded plastic joints
- Six-sided rim bent and brazed rather than pressed
- Three colourways at one price
| Frame | Lightweight metal |
|---|---|
| Finishes | Gold-tone and black |
| Rim | Full rim, small hexagon |
| Hinge | Metal hinge |
| Bridge | Slim bar with small pads |
|---|---|
| Temples | Thin metal with moulded dark tips |
| Lens | Polarised |
1 × Madeline Sunglasses · 1 × case · 1 × cleaning cloth
Is it too small for a wide face?
It sits small and close to the eye, which is the whole point of the shape.
Are these UV rated?
Yes. The lenses carry UV400 filtering.
What does polarised actually change?
It removes the flat glare that bounces off horizontal surfaces — wet tarmac, a car bonnet, water, snow. Colours look deeper and you squint less.
Can the fit be adjusted?
The metal arms and the pads can be eased gently by an optician. On a frame this fine it is worth letting them do it rather than bending it by hand.
Will the gold finish wear?
It is a gold plating, and it keeps its finish best when the pair goes back into its case rather than loose into a bag.
How should it be cleaned?
Rinse under cool water to lift grit, then dry with a soft cloth. Dry-wiping a dusty lens is what causes the fine scratching people blame on the coating.
Three colourways, and not many of each
Each finish is held in a small run. The gold with the brown lens is the one that goes first, and when a colourway goes it is not always brought back.
Pick your colourway above and add it to the bag. If it is not right on your face, send it back — the only thing you risk is missing the one you wanted.