Are you wearing cat-eye glasses to look smart and sassy? Little did you know who created them... It's Altina Schinasi, an American artist and designer known for coming up with the Harlequin eyeglass frame which is popular in recent times as "cat-eye"s specs. On her 116th birthday, Google celebrated the life of the inventor with a special Doodle.
Google Doodle Celebrates Altina Schinasi's Birth Anniversary
With an orange frame that shined and reflected the image of Altina, the Doodle made internet users aware of the personality. In their note about her, they pointed out that she won several awards for her design of eye glasses, making it never go out of fashion. "Today, almost 100 years after its inception, Altina’s cat-eye design continues its influence in fashion accessory trends worldwide. Happy birthday to the woman who was a visionary in more ways than one!"
Who was Altina Schinasi?
Born in 1907 in New York, she grew up with a passion for art. She studied painting in Paris and drew appreciation for her works. She became a window dresser in her later years when she created her very famous 'cat-eye' frames. Things weren't easy for her as the idea faced rejection from many manufacturers, but Altina didn't step back. A local shop owner welcomed the Harlequin glasses and the product entered the market to receive great publicity and acceptance.
It is said that Altina had observed that most women's eyeglasses were boring and round with no options to choose from. This inspired her to roll in something quirky for the ladies and launch her innovative design.
