SILENCIA Eyewear
2019–2022 | Independent Eyewear Brand · Design & Creative Collaboration
Read-to-wear + Bespoke Contemporary EyewearSILENCIA Eyewear was an independent Toronto-based eyewear and accessories brand developed by Christopher Blackwell in creative partnership with Nina Spade. Active from 2019 to 2022, the brand occupied a distinctive space between contemporary fashion and experimental design.
The partnership began through Toronto's drag community, where a shared interest in costume, styling, and unconventional accessories brought the two designers together. Their initial collaborations explored the possibilities of laser-cut fabrication, extending the established Nina Spade jewelry practice into increasingly complex and editorial forms.
These early experiments provided the foundation for an evolving creative relationship. Christopher subsequently developed SILENCIA Eyewear, with Nina contributing to the design and development of the brand's collections.
Working with bold shapes, inceptive originality, saturated colour, and varried materials, SILENCIA Eyewear approached eyewear as an expressive collector’s piece rather than a purely functional accessory. Its designs drew upon the theatricality of drag, the visual experimentation of both contemporary and abstract fashion, and the formal possibilities of digital design.
Throughout its four-year history, the brand developed an extensive body of original work of statement eyewear, bespoke pieces, and partnerships. Its designs appeared across fashion editorials, drag performances, creative campaigns, and independent productions, reflecting an approach to adornment that embraced individuality, experimentation, and humour.
Beyond its collections, SILENCIA Eyewear became a platform for creative exchange, bringing together artists, performers, photographers, stylists, and designers whose practices challenged conventional boundaries within art and creation.
