Hasta La Ideas

Vintage-inspired, handcrafted frames in custom contemporary colorways

Driven by a lifetime of poor vision and years spent behind uninspiring frames, former vintage menswear dealer Jason Pollak founded Deja Vu Refinery to supply those like him with an iconic frame of the highest quality. From what he describes as a “closet full” of antique frames, Pollak drew on the idiosyncrasies—both positive and negative—of each to design his own ideal silhouette, the Debonair.

Every pair of glasses is handcrafted using cellulose acetate (zyl), a plastic material that lends itself very well to coloration processes—thus allowing Pollak to create numerous custom shades unique to Deja Vu Refinery (the Debonair is also available in classic tortoise and black). All frames come with traditional seven-barrel hinges and extra-long arms for that tip-of-the-nose look.

According to Pollak, the Debonair is “as good as the aviator or wayfarer paradigm shapes that fit with wardrobes from the 1920s, all the way up until now.” In other words, Deja Vu Refinery’s frames are made to pair just as well with a chambray shirt and Red Wings as with a designer suit. As for the name of the brand, Pollak says, “what I’m doing is essentially vintage reproduction. It’s something you’ve seen before but better.”

The line comprises more than 30 possible combinations of silhouettes with 10 custom colors and a handful of lens shades—clear, cobalt blue, polarized beer bottle green, deep purple, polarized beer bottle brown—in both prescription and non-prescription form. The Debonair is available online for $333. Plus, Pollak tells us Deja Vu Refinery is set to release additional men’s accessories in the near future, so keep an eye out for more to come.