Google celebrates the 116th birth anniversary of ‘cat-eye’ eyeglass frame designer Altina Schinasi. She was born on August 4, 1907 in Manhattan, New York to immigrant parents.
Google Doodle pays tribute to American artist, designer and inventor Altina Schinasi. She was the designer of Harlequin eyeglass, which is known today as the widely popular ‘cat-eye’ eyeglass frame. Google honors Schinasi on her 116th birthday.
Her son Terry Sanders helped Google in this project and said on behalf of his family, “Happy Birthday, Tina! Thank you for your courage, kindness and inspiration.
Much love, always.”
Altina Schinasi born in 1907 in New York
Altina Schinasi was born on August 4, 1907 in Manhattan, New York to immigrant parents. Her mother was a native of Salonica and father was a Sephardic Jewish Turk. After graduating high school, she studied arts in Paris and sparked her appreciation for the arts. Once back in the US, she studied art at The Art Students League in New York and took a position as a window dresser for multiple stores on Fifth Avenue.
She worked with and learned from prominent artists she admired such as Salvador Dali and George Grosz.
Altina Schinasi’s time working as a window display designer inspired her to create the Harlequin glasses. At window display of nearby optician’s office, she noticed women had only option of round glasses with mundane designs.
This observation inspired Schinasi to create a different option for women, mimicking the shape of the Harlequin masks she saw people wearing in Venice, Italy during the Carnevale festival. She found the pointed edges flattering to the face and started by cutting paper demos of her innovative frame design.
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Altina Schinasi invented ‘Cat-Eye’ eyeglass frame
She approached many major manufacturers of eyeglasses but they all rejected her, claiming her creation was too edgy. But she didn’t give up and one day luckily, a local shop owner believed in her vision and asked for an exclusive design for six months. Then, Schinasi’s design became popular and trendy accessory among women in the US during the late 1930s and 1940s.
Her invention made her win the Lord & Taylor American Design award in 1939, and was recognized by popular magazines including Vogue and Time. After that, Schinasi patented many other inventions throughout her career.
Altina Schinasi produced a documentary
Altina Schinasi also worked in the world of films. In 1960, she produced documentary about the celebrated artist and her former teacher George Grosz titled George Grosz Interregnum. This documentary was nominated for the Academy Award and won first place at the Venice Film Festival.
Schinasi wrote and published her memoir The Road I Have Traveled (1995), volunteered as an art therapist, and even invented unique portrait chairs and benches which she called Chairacters.
Even after 100 years, ‘cat-eyeglass’ frame is a popular design in the fashion world.
“Happy birthday to the woman who was a visionary in more ways than one!,” Google wrote in a blog.
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