Is there any accessory more iconic than a pair of sunglasses? The basic concept—putting a protective layer between one’s eyes and the sun’s rays—has been around since the dawn of human history, but sunglasses as we know them today have seen something of a renaissance in the last century or so, initially catalyzed by early and enthusiastic support from movie stars of the 1920s. They’ve only become more ubiquitous in the intervening years, but that popularity eventually came at the expense of craftsmanship; before long, shoddy, soulless pieces were flooding the market to meet demand.
If you’re reading this, you know that the team at Taylor Stitch doesn’t have much interest in anything shoddy or soulless. Neither, as it turns out, does Ashley Bezamat, who founded Dom Vetro in 2012 with the goal of restoring the industry (or at least his corner of it) to its former glory. After training under some of the world’s most renowned craftspeople in northern Italy, Bezamat relocated to Los Angeles and opened the city’s very first dedicated eyewear factory.
Though he’d moved across the globe, the man behind Dom Vetro stayed true to the old-world sensibilities of the Italian masters who showed him the ropes. As such, each and every product offered by the brand is built meticulously by hand with the finest components on the planet, and the entire operation is overseen by Bezamat directly. Best of all, this small-batch, hands-on approach allows Dom Vetro to offer fully customized pieces for creative clients (in fact, one such client, famed TODAY show weatherman Al Roker, ended up having a viral moment after debuting some custom-built blue frames back in 2019).
Beyond the products themselves, Bezamat is passionate about the stories—and the people—who build them. His experiences in Italy were downright inspiring, but they also opened his eyes to the fact that, as the world transforms, artisans are being left behind. Fewer young people are interested in dedicating the time to learning traditional trades, and it’s increasingly difficult to compete with well-oiled corporate operations. As he puts it: “after coming (to Italy) and seeing how things have changed… my mission changed to not only bringing this product to people but also bringing this story and the meaning of what goes into each one of these special pairs of glasses.”
Bezamat’s not kidding when he calls Dom Vetro’s eyewear special, and—even accounting for our biases—that goes double for our new collaboration piece, The Nelson in Vintage Tortoise. As far as sunglasses go, The Nelson is the real deal, boasting looks to kill and a hand-feel that just about screams quality. The frames are cut from fine Italian acetate, and the polarized mineral glass lenses offer stunning clarity and superior UV400 protection from the sun. Like everything Dom Vetro stamps their name on, these exceptional eyeglasses are made by hand in Los Angeles, which means a real human being (a highly skilled craftsperson, no less) shaped, assembled, and finished them. They stood by their work, and so do we.
If you can’t tell, we’re truly proud to have gotten a chance to work with the amazing team over at Dom Vetro. We love their products, but beyond the cool factor (of which there is plenty), we love the ethos behind their brand, the pride they take in their story, and the diligence with which they protect the legacy they’ve inherited. Ashley Bezamat started his journey with a simple goal: to offer a great product. As his brand grew, so did his perspective. These days, he’s not content with great products; he wants people to care about the craft. We think he’s well on his way.
