How Eyewear Designer Tom Davies Created Over 100 Pairs of '70s-Era Glasses for 'Cruella'

Disney’s most fashionable villain gets her turn in the spotlight in the live-action Cruella, in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access today. The titular character, played by Emma Stone, seeks to make a name for herself in the cutthroat world of high fashion, working at the atelier of the intimidating Baronness von Hellman, played by Emma Thompson. Accompanying the couture-level costumes by Jenny Beavan, Estella (who becomes the notorious Cruella de Vil) and the Baroness face off in bespoke eyewear created by Tom Davies. The London-based eyewear designer hand-crafted the custom frames, ensuring that the glasses worn by the leading ladies were perfectly suited to their features—both physically and in terms of their drama-inclined characters.

Working with Beavan, Davies ultimately designed 120 glasses for the film, not only creating a suite of frames to reflect the evolution of Estella to Cruella, but also providing frames for nearly every cast member. The glasses seamlessly top the costumes, which channel the ‘70s punk revolution that defined the period of the movie. From retro cat eye silhouettes to statement sunglasses, the frames reference the era while maintaining a modern feel. 

Known for his bespoke eyewear, which requires precise measurements so the glasses fit perfectly for the individual, Davies’ attention to detail shines through in Cruella’s glasses. The designer personally crafted a number of the frames for the movie, and he also innovated with an old-fashioned acetate press that allowed him to handmake the raw materials, a technique that he has now incorporated into his design process. 

To go along with the film’s release, Davies is holding a competition in which contestants can channel their own Cruella and submit a sunglasses design to be handmade by his top craftsperson. Twenty runners up will also get a valuable prize in the form of sunglasses worn by Cruella in the movie. 

Here, Davies speaks with L’OFFICIEL about how he reflected the personalities of the main characters through eyewear, how ubiquitous glasses were in the 1970s, and more.

L'O: Will any of the frames in the movie go into production with your brand or are they one-of-a-kind?

TD: Some of the frames in the film were based on styles in my collection, so yes, you can already buy them. However, the majority were bespoke to the characters and the period. Most people are not ready for the drama in these frames.  

L'O: You've worked on other films where glasses have been central to the characters' costumes, like Clark Kent's in Superman V Batman: Dawn of Justice—what sets galsses apart from other accessories/fashion in creating a character's visual identity?

TD:  Glasses define you. I say that to my customers as much as costume directors. There are so many subtleties which your average customer is not aware of but help communicate emotions and personalities in a way no item of clothing can or ever does. Movies are not willing to compromise on this in a way most people do. Your brain can and does instantly place a character based on how they are dressed, and especially in movies, the eyewear is a major part of this. The sort of eyewear people have usually reflects their personality, so getting this right in a movie is critical. What was unusual about Cruella is that at first, eyewear was not on the agenda, but after a few meetings with Jenny, she agreed with me that it would be a missed opportunity not to embrace eyewear as part of the overall look and feel of the film.