Digging in the Archive: The Hansen Collection
“The Archive” explores the long-winding history of Bôhten through appealing visuals we have captured throughout the years. To keep up with all the latest, follow us on social media (@Bohten on all platforms) and be sure you subscribe to our newsletter!
Many of our loyal customers rave about our Jade collection, but what you may not know is that they were born out of a previous line we carried nearly 10 years ago.
The Hansen collection was the first of two opticals released in 2013 in response to repeated requests from customers to carry prescription lenses. The Hansens, designed with rectangular frames, were paired with our Exstel collection, which were designed with circular frames.
What made the Hansens unique were their all-wood features with touches of acetate. But as trendy as they were, we knew we needed to reinvent their design so that the lenses could be removed easily. With this in mind, we conceived a new idea and began designing the prototypes of the Jades, which were made with screws to allow for easy removal of the lenses.
Here’s another fact you may have not have known: The Hansens came in two colorways: black and translucent, but only the black colorway was released. “They looked cool. The new branding on the temple and front was what helped us to fit the frames to people’s faces,” said Bôhten co-founder, Nana Kwadwo Osei. “The older model sat so high up on the top of noses and weren’t sitting properly on people’s faces so we released a redesigned frame that sits perfectly on the nose.”
The two main upgrades on the Jades are the nose profile and the colorways. We created Jade Sky (blue), Jade Tortoise (brown), Jade Smoke (gray) and Jade Lemon (yellow) to the color palette and we were excited to find that they were well-received from our customers. Initially, we were skeptical about introducing bright colors, specifically with the Lemons, but we were surprised about how much it complemented such a wide variety of skin tones.
So there you have it! A brief history lesson about our Jade and Hansen collections – two lines we created and designed with you in mind. While you’re here, check out the collection and let us know what you think.
Crafted from carefully selected materials, the Jades are designed with a classic square frame characterized by reclaimed ebony and maple veneer inlay temple. With a translucent acetate on the front and tip to ensure comfort with movement, this rounded frame and luminous style contrasts beautifully with dark wood to create a chic and modern look to an everyday optical. Own your very own pair of Jades today.
