‘My friend Josh used to have a store in LA and he carried a lot of international designers from Japan and Italy. And I found myself buying a lot of Massimo Alba,’ explains Garrett Leight, the eyewear designer from LA behind Garrett Leight California Optical. ‘I didn’t have a chance to meet him until I asked Josh to connect us about a year and half ago and, first and foremost, we got to know each other through shared interests and passions – there was an instant connection. We’re both people that are inspired by people, love to eat and laugh and listen to music, and have a bit of nostalgia for the old, traditional world that doesn’t exist anymore.’

It was a meeting that would prove creatively productive too. As their friendship deepened, Leight and Alba started to talk about collaborating on a collection of glasses. At this point it is worth noting that Garrett Leight is descended from eyewear royalty: his father is Larry Leight, founder of Oliver Peoples. And like his dad’s, Garrett’s aesthetic tends towards the classic with a hint of retro. Little wonder then that he and Alba got on, as the Italian is known for his understated, elegant yet distinctive style, which carries a nostalgic nod to Italy of the ’50 and ’60s.

‘Massimo has worn this one frame for decades,’ says Leight of how the new collaboration came about. ‘It has no markings on it – he bought it years ago. We don’t know who made it. I didn’t want to change it, so we just decided to bring back this vintage frame.’

‘Glasses represent a lot to me,’ says Alba. ‘They are not only a functional accessory, they represent an element of style and personal expression. Glasses can transform the way you look, showing personality and character.’

The result of the duo’s discussions is a ’70s-style pair of glasses in acetate with a double bridge that comes in three colours – black, olive and a tortoiseshell. They are available as optical glasses or sunglasses.

‘As for the names – Brera, Sun and Light,’ says Alba, ‘I wanted to evoke a sense of familiarity and belonging while also remaining true to the Californian imagery and its bright, natural landscapes. The Brera eyewear pays homage to the city of Milan, where it all started, and refers to the neighbourhood of the first Massimo Alba shop, which opened in 2006.’

In its retro styling, this model perfectly epitomises the common design vision of the two friends who conceived it – both share a love of elegance and pride themselves on making pieces of the highest quality from the best materials that fit well and are comfortable to wear. And both combine a love of the past with a desire to make pieces that are relevant today.

‘The collaboration fits into the Massimo Alba universe as it perfectly reflects understatement and the way we work with colours,’ explains Alba. ‘It was important for us to produce in America. For the first time, I wanted to have the product made elsewhere [other than Italy] in the country where I most want to open my next flagship.’

Each pair of glasses carries a discreet golden clover engraved at the temple, a detail introduced by Alba to complement the gold GLCO trademark. There is also a lens cloth for cleaning that resembles a printed handkerchief. Handkerchiefs are something Alba enjoys creating for his own collection and these often carry personal messages from the designer. The one on the cloth that accompanies the new glasses says: ‘To have someone understand your mind is a different kind of intimacy.’

Alba says that a handkerchief ‘is a sentimental, forgotten accessory used to dry your brow, tears, hands and, for those who wear glasses like me, to clean the lenses.’

The Garrett Leight California Optical x Massimo Alba glasses, £450 for optical frames, £465 for sunglasses; garrettleight.eu and massimoalba.com; also available at GLCO and Massimo Alba stores