STATE Optical Co. Expands Limited Edition Collab With Maxwell

STATE Optical Co. announced their STATE X Maxwell Collaboration will expand in 2022 with another limited-edition sunglass style designed in partnership with recording artist, three-time Grammy winner, and global R&B superstar, Maxwell.

The STATE x Maxwell BLACK_SUMMERS’_NIGHT titanium sunglasses is available for exclusive pre-sale today. Its wide launch will be on March 1st.

BLACK_SUMMERS’_NIGHT references Maxwell’s expansive trilogy of albums of the same name. He shares, “Partnering with STATE for this second collection has been an incredible and rewarding experience. Being really hands-on in the creation process, from beginning to end, has been very special and lends to the authenticity of the collection. This collection embodies my style.”

Maxwell can be seen flaunting the new style in the music video for his current Top 10 R&B single, “OFF,” an exciting preview of what’s to come for the highly-anticipated release of ‘blacksummers’NIGHT,’ the final chapter in his critically acclaimed album trilogy. Also, keep an eye out for the style as Maxwell kicks off his NIGHT Arena tour in March.

The design of BLACK_SUMMERS’_NIGHT takes inspiration from Maxwell’s trademark modern soul sound as well as his personal style – incorporating 70’s flair with soul vibes and subtle details. Blending soft and sharp lines, the design came together much like a musical composition.

Adding to the complexity of this extended collaboration, of course, was a pandemic. Over the course of many Zoom meetings, texts, and calls, Maxwell and STATE designer, Nico Roseillier, were able to design the BLACK_SUMMERS’_NIGHT as a sun style that speaks to Maxwell’s trademark look and sound, as well as STATE’s reputation for creating luxury eyewear. REUNION, the first STATE x Maxwell design, won a 2021 Accessories Council Design Excellence Award, a true testament to the duo’s remote design sessions.

BLACK_SUMMERS’_NIGHT builds on the aesthetic of the inaugural STATE x Maxwell collab, adding a titanium sunglass to the capsule collection. Special details, like hand-painted accents on the frame’s side shields and STATE’s trademark pyramidal temple tip, give the sunglasses a soul of their own, harking back to Maxwell’s individual style. Crafted in Japan, BLACK_SUMMERS’_NIGHT will be available in three colorways:

BLACK- a midnight blue frame with brown gradient lenses, SUMMERS’- a rose gold frame with light pink lenses, and NIGHT- a chrome frame with light aqua lenses. The fashion-tinted lenses of the SUMMERS’ and NIGHT shades are perfectly suited for wearing out for the evening, or in Maxwell’s case, on stage. Each pair of sunglasses will feature limited-edition packaging, including a custom cleaning cloth with a personal message from Maxwell.

STATE is proud to contribute a portion of sales from STATE X Maxwell to The Vision Council’s Opening Your Eyes Scholarship (O-YES). Born out of the struggles of 2020 and seeking to provide more opportunities to teens in black and brown communities, O-YES provides full tuition for two years, an internship, and mentorship to high school seniors who aspire to become opticians. For Maxwell, this project is more than a pair of sunglasses, it’s a way to give back, and he is proud to hold a seat on the O-YES board. A portion of last year’s proceeds from the sales of the STATE x Maxwell REUNION has already helped provide scholarships to the inaugural class of seven O-YES students who have recently completed their first semester of opticianry school.

“We’re excited to see everything these students will achieve, and I feel grateful to play just a small role in helping them reach their future career,” says Maxwell. “It has truly been a joy to be on this board, especially over this past year as our scholarship honorees completed their first semester. They continue to inspire me daily.”

STATE X Maxwell will be available for purchase at stateopticalco.com, musze.com, and select retailers. Quantities of this special collaboration are extremely limited.

ABOUT STATE OPTICAL CO.

STATE Optical Co. frames are meticulously handcrafted in Chicago, U.S.A., and Sabae, Japan for people who consider how their frame is made with as much mindfulness as how it looks. The brand was born from a collaboration of industry insiders Scott Shapiro and Jerry Wolowicz – who were focused on bringing radical transparency to how eyewear is designed and manufactured – and renegade, self-taught craftsmen Marc Franchi and Jason Stanley. Thoughtfully designed by Nico Roseillier, STATE Optical Co. represents a first-of-its-kind brand of American luxury eyewear.

ABOUT MAXWELL

Maxwell has artfully managed to transfix music lovers for more than two decades, releasing five studio albums, all in his own time and all duly anointed as classics. The soul singer redefined soul music in April of 1996 when he released his critically acclaimed debut on Columbia, ‘Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite.’ It earned Grammy nominations, double platinum status and RIAA gold for the single, “Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder).” The platinum albums ‘Embrya’ (1998) and ‘Now’ (2001) followed. After eight years, 2009’s ‘BLACKsummers’night’ debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and won two Grammys, including Best R&B Album. To date, Maxwell has achieved 4 platinum album certifications from the RIAA. His last album ‘blackSUMMERS’night,’ the second installment of his musical trilogy, earned Maxwell his third Grammy (Best R&B Song for “Lake By The Ocean”) an NAACP Image Award (Outstanding Male Artist), and a Soul Train Award (Best R&B/Soul Male Artist). Recently honored with the “Legend” Award at the 2021 Soul Train Awards, Maxwell’s upcoming ‘blacksummers’NIGHT’ is one of the most-anticipated R&B events of 2022 and will cap off a journey he first embarked upon over a decade ago.