JULES. Building a collection beyond an icon.

The story began when a group of young entrepreneurs from São Paulo came to Buenos Aires looking for factories to produce their first glasses. That is where we met. I developed five models for them, around 2010 or 2011. One of those frames was JULES.

Its rounded panto silhouette and high-set temples gave it a distinctive character. JULES became a signature of LIVO and remained part of the brand for more than a decade, with optical and sunglasses versions and capsule collections including Planetas and Destinos.

Years later, Caco contacted me after asking who had designed JULES. I was living in Milan. When we resumed working together, around 2017, we agreed on a clear goal: other models needed to become strong enough to challenge JULES for the top spot.

I began by studying the existing product mix. We grouped the frames into understandable categories: round, semi-round, square, semi-square, cat-eye and butterfly, among others. Seeing the range together made repetitions and missing options much easier to recognize.

These were working documents that evolved over the years. They helped us decide which models to keep, which to discontinue and where there was room to create. We also used launch timelines to place new designs within the collection calendar.

Once we understood the gaps, we began proposing new designs. First came hand-drawn fronts, then 2D renderings that let us compare the proposals as a collection. We could evaluate the role of each frame alongside the others before moving into technical development.

With the collection agreed, we prepared 2D technical drawings and developed samples with different factories. Physical samples became the basis for placing orders and organizing a consistent approach to quality control.

The collaboration also included training sessions with the LIVO team in São Paulo. These photographs, from around 2018, show NORA’s hand sketch and technical front drawing during one of those sessions. They are part of the wider collection development story.

By the second year of the renewed collaboration, JULES was no longer the number-one seller. Several frames were competing for that position. Sales grew strongly during this period, and the collection had more models capable of carrying its success.

LIVO later became part of a group, and I continue working with its new owners. The relationship began with the brand’s first frames and has grown through different stages. For me, that continuity is one of the most meaningful parts of the project.