Rock icon Patti Smith has partnered with luxury eyewear brand Jacques Marie Mage to launch a limited-edition collection of spectacles and accessories, commemorating the 50th anniversary of her seminal 1975 album, Horses. This collaboration marries Mage’s meticulous craftsmanship with Smith’s legendary rebellious style, offering fans an exclusive piece of rock and roll history imbued with artistic integrity and profound symbolism.
For devoted fans of classic films and iconic figures, the convergence of artistry and legacy is always a cause for celebration. This month, that celebration takes the form of a truly unique collaboration: the legendary Patti Smith, renowned for her groundbreaking music and poetic spirit, has joined forces with the esteemed luxury eyewear brand Jacques Marie Mage (JMM). This limited-edition collection marks a significant milestone, honoring the 50th anniversary of Smith’s landmark album, Horses, and offering a tangible connection to her enduring style.
The Art of Eyewear: Unpacking Jacques Marie Mage’s Philosophy
At the heart of this collaboration is Jérôme Jacques Marie Mage, the French-born, Los Angeles–based designer who founded his eponymous brand in 2015. Mage’s philosophy centers on a relentless pursuit of “the purest form of product design expression” and “true craftsmanship,” which he describes as a “very human way of creating something meaningful” according to an interview with Harper’s Bazaar. Before JMM, Mage honed his skills designing apparel and technical eyewear for major brands like Burton and Quicksilver.
Each pair of JMM glasses is a testament to this dedication. Crafted in workshops in Japan and Italy under Mage’s stringent direction, a single pair can take up to 18 months to complete. These aren’t mass-produced accessories; they are “optical art,” made in small, numbered, limited runs. This meticulous approach extends to every detail: the weight and thickness of the acetate, the impeccable fit, and the discreet arrowhead motif—a powerful, universal symbol found across cultures and eras—that replaces overt logos or branding.
Mage draws inspiration from a rich tapestry of decorative traditions, spanning from the French Empire to the American West. The names of his frames, such as Dealan, Yves, and Enzo, are direct homages to iconoclastic figures like Bob Dylan, Yves Saint Laurent, and legendary race-car driver Enzo Ferrari—personalities who embodied an “effortless cool” that JMM strives to imbue in its wearers.
Patti Smith’s Vision: The Horses Anniversary Collection
The collaboration between Patti Smith and Jacques Marie Mage is more than just a fashion statement; it’s a profound homage to Smith’s legacy, launched on October 21st to celebrate the 50th anniversary of her seminal album, Horses. This limited-edition collection is hinged on JMM’s popular Dealan model, a design loosely inspired by the distinctive cat-eye glasses worn by Bob Dylan during his iconic 1965 tour of England.
Smith herself acknowledged this historical connection, stating, “When I look back at photos from around the time that ‘Horses’ came out, when we were on tour, I was almost always in shades. Of course, they were the same as the ones Bob Dylan wore, whom I admired so much,” as reported by WWD. This personal resonance adds an unparalleled layer of authenticity to the collection, transforming each pair into a wearable piece of music history.
The attention to detail in the Patti Smith for JMM collection is extraordinary and deeply fan-centric:
- Each pair arrives in a sophisticated black linen box.
- The inner case features the iconic Robert Mapplethorpe-lensed portrait from the original Horses album art.
- An oversized cleaning cloth is included, along with a special book curated by Smith herself, featuring a selection of her photos and handwritten lyrics.
- The lenses are available in three unique colors, each named in reference to the 19th-century French poet Arthur Rimbaud, a lifelong source of inspiration for Smith.
- The core wire of the frames is subtly engraved with lyrics from Smith’s powerful song “Land.”
- The inner temples are foil-stamped with Patti Smith’s signature, making each piece a personal artifact.
More Than Just Shades: Patti Smith on Anonymity and Cool
Beyond the aesthetic and historical connections, Smith shared her personal philosophy on sunglasses in an interview featured on JMM’s website. She wasn’t thinking of a “rock-star connotation” but rather a love for dark glasses and their ability to provide a “very European” sense of cool. She fondly recalled film stars like Marcello Mastroianni, highlighting how shades “allowed you to mix with people and keep a certain amount of anonymity and intimacy.” Smith also noted their practical and emotional utility: “You can be shy, or sad. At a funeral, they hide your tears. For me, all the symbolism of dark glasses is positive.” This insight reveals the profound personal connection Smith has to the very accessory she helped elevate.
A Shared Obsession: Craftsmanship Meets Iconoclasm
The synergy between Jérôme Jacques Marie Mage and Patti Smith stems from a shared dedication to uncompromising creativity. Mage described working with Smith as “dramatic” and “intense,” noting, “for her, creativity and being true to that creativity is a way of life… anything she does, she approaches with an intensity of purpose and artistic vision.” This mutual pursuit of “excellence and authenticity” forms the bedrock of their collaboration, making it far more than a simple brand partnership.
This collection is not merely about owning a pair of stylish sunglasses; it is about investing in a piece of optical art that embodies a legend’s spirit and a designer’s unwavering commitment to craftsmanship. For fans of Patti Smith and connoisseurs of fine eyewear, this collaboration is a definitive guide to feeling cool, connected, and truly obsessed.
