St Albans optician launches Courtney Pine range of glasses
WHEN jazz legend Courtney Pine played the at the Alban Arena, just down the road from a city centre optical practice, he was still a “shy glasses wearer”.
But the virtuoso musician, most famous for playing the saxophone, was intrigued when he saw the Black Eyewear range at Robert Roope Opticians in George Street.
Courtney said: “When I looked on the website I knew I had to go and meet Robert, find out more about what he does and try the frames.
“I realised he was a huge jazz fan and when I visited we ended up talking for hours.”
He added: “I wanted something really unique as well as fashionable – not just another ‘Clark Kent’ style.
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Courtney ended up buying two pairs from the range on his first visit – and then went back for more.
Since then, Robert has designed a “bespoke” Courtney Pine range of frames, which bear the musician’s signature.
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The musician can be seen wearing a pair on the back cover of his new album, House of Legends.
Robert, a jazz fan since his teenage years and an optician since the seventies, said he was flattered by Courtney’s admiration for the frames.
He added: “Courtney’s enthusiasm and desire to wear my frames is a great tribute, but they are not just for jazz fans.”
