Iñaki Uribesalgo has been working as a master carpenter for more than 30 years, completing jobs to the satisfaction of a public that has become increasingly demanding. Influenced in part by his mother, who introduced him to the fashion design industry, Uribesalgo began to experiment with the way to take wood to people’s wardrobes. That was when he began to create wooden glasses under the Nardaya brand.
His glasses’ perfect finishings and the simplicity of their shapes don’t overtly show the incredible amount of labor and handwork that goes into each piece: selecting the best wood, cutting it, applying moisture and heat, and pressing it in a way that respects its original fibers. His collection of sunglasses is water resistant and made using a vertical curve design system – a method that brings together 3D printing with the delicacy required of a master woodworker.
Uribesalgo has also launched three models of graduated glasses, manufactured with a system that is even more complex: the horizontal curve design system, a much appreciated traditional technique that respects the grain of the wood while also providing the product with robustness and flexibility.
When his busy schedule allows (he divides his time between his atelier and participation in many trade fairs), he experiments by combining wood with other materials like buffalo horn, ceramic, carbon fiber, and acetate to come up with creative limited editions. His designs, completely made in the Basque Country, are sold exclusively by two fine eyewear shops, in Zarautz and Hondarribia. Those who use his glasses do not go unnoticed: the question is to see and be seen – always in style.
Nardaya
Tel.: +34 650 135 341