How Altina Schinasi Invented The Iconic Cat-Eye Frames
Google Doodle celebrates the 116th birthday of Altina 'Tina' Schinasi, the 'cat-eye' eyeglass frames designer.
Altina Schinasi was an American artist, designer and inventor, famous for designing the cat-eye or Harlequin eyeglass frame. She was born on August 4, 1907 in Manhattan, New York, in an immigrant family. She studied painting in Paris and after returnin
g to the US, she studied art at The Art Students League in New York and worked as a window dresser for several stores on Fifth Avenue. While working, Altina noticed that women only had one option for glasses: round frames.
This inspired her to create the cat-eye frame. She got the idea from the Harlequin masks that she had seen people wear in Venice, Italy, during the Carnevale festival. She designed frames based on this idea and approached manufacturers - but they all rejected her.
However, a local shop owner believed in her and asked for an exclusive design. The Harlequin glasses became a succ
ess. In the late 1930s and through the 1940s, the frame became a fashion accessory in the US. Altina was awarded the American Design Award from Lord & Taylor in 1939 for her invention, and was recognized by major magazines such as Vogue and Life .
After this success, she moved on to filmmaking. In 1960, she produced a documentary about artist George Grosz, who was also her teacher, and titled it George Grosz’ Interregnum. The film was nominated for an Oscar and won first place at the Venice Film Festival. She was also a writer and published her book The Road I Have Traveled (1995). Altina also volunteered as an art therapist.
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