Made once. Finished by time.
Paper eyewear, made by one person in London.
From twenty-eight grams.
A frame is not finished when I finish it. The colour deepens. A shine comes up where there is friction, as the paper fibre settles.
It holds its shape and its edge. It is made to be worn for years, and kept after that.
I sand it. I oil it. I leave it overnight and read it again in the morning.
Release 01
The first TANAKA language.
Type-I, Patina and Black Archive
A round lens held beneath a straight upper line.
Type-RO, Patina and Black Archive
A firmer contour drawn toward the cheekbone.
Black Archive £950. Patina £1,350.
Pick it up and you know at once how steady and light it is. Then you notice it is friendly to the skin. Worn, it is comfortable and secure.
Gow Tanaka
Winner, Heritage & Craft, Surface Design Awards 2026, for Patina as Performance.
Press: Disegno, The Mavericks, TEF, The Observer. September 2026
Japan‑born, London‑based
From face to frame
I cut hair for the first time in 1993, in a salon in Osaka. That work came before the first frame.
Hair taught line.
The camera taught distance.
The face taught consequence.
“I want my work to get better with age. I hope I do too.”