Zack Moscot, 5th Generation, was the first Moscot to join the family business as a formally trained product designer. Born and bred in NYC, Zack incorporates his family heritage and Lower East Side DNA in all his design details.
Read on for a Behind the Lens design Q&A with Chief Design Officer Zack Moscot.
Where do you find inspiration for new designs?
A lot of times a design first starts in the Shop downstairs, where I am able to speak directly with our customers and get inspiration from the action on the streets of the Lower East Side. Listening to the types of styles, fit, and shapes the diverse customers who come in through our doors are looking for influence my designs and give me direction in creating a new collection.
How do you begin your design process?
Many of my designs start with historical inspiration from our family’s frame archives from decades past. I’ll start designing by hand with some pen and pencil and begin to gesture out the shapes and silhouettes of my new designs before I take anything to the computer. Sometimes it’s a soft curve or a rigid line that will make all the difference in a particular shape.
Once I’ve narrowed down the hand drawing, my next step is taking the technical drawing onto the computer, where I will get more specific with the sizes and technical aspects of the drawing. I’ll also play with different renderings and colorways, so I can analyze how a particular frame will appear with different lens color combinations and frame colors.
How do you choose the colorways that fit best with the new design?
After the new frame shape is finalized, I’ll start to examine what types of colorways we want to introduce in the collection. Typically, I’ll start by picking out different types of tortoiseshells—at MOSCOT we’ve become known for our iconic tortoiseshell colorways over the decades. I also like to work with translucent acetates and always like to incorporate new transparent colors to a new collection. The possibilities are endless—but we like to stay true to our timeless colors, our Classiconic™ hues that we are known for.
Can you share any details or styles in the new collection you are currently designing?
I’ve designed a new frame inspired by our world renowned LEMTOSH, but it’s going to be a touch thicker in terms of its frontal gauge. I’ve analyzed what our current LEMTOSH looks like and how it feels, and I’ve made some adjustments to this design to give it its own unique personality.
What is your favorite material to work with?
I love designing with acetate because it gives me endless possibilities with shape and form. It’s also great to wear as it is comfortable and allows our opticians to adjust it properly to one’s face for a proper fit.
What are some of your favorite styles from a design perspective?
It’s hard to pick a favorite! But to name a few…
The DREY is one of my favorite frames. It’s a classic P-3 shape with detailed filigree and a functional 180-degree clip-flip so that you can easily flip your sunglass up, or flip it down!
Another personal favorite frame is The LAZER – one of my new fall designs this year. It’s really cool because it feels like a traditional aviator, however it is round and features an acetate sweat bar which exudes elements of sport and luxury.
Shop The LAZER in Antique Gold / Matte Dark Brown
The FRITZ is a really bold frame made with thin sheet acetate laminate so it looks thick from the front, but from the side its super thin and very comfortable. It features a beveled frame front that adds a lot of character!
Lastly, I’m excited about the new colorway on The DUDEL that we launched recently. We incorporated Crystal acetate laminated on top of Black acetate so that you can bring attention to the metal intricacies on the temple.
As a designer, how do you suggest someone find the perfect frame for their style?
From a design and style perspective, different frames are key for different occasions. During the day you may like to wear a chunky acetate frame with a casual outfit, but for evening you might want to dress up your look with a more polished metal frame, for example, for added elegance.
Ultimately, your frames are the first thing you put on in the morning, and the last thing you take off at night, so it’s so important to find something that fits your style and is unique to you.
What is your go-to frame to wear?
It’s key to have different frames for different functions! When I’m at work designing, I like to wear my LEMTOSH with my Blue Protect lenses for the computer to reduce eye strain, but on the weekends, I like to wear my ARTHUR Sunglasses which are lightweight and comfortable while walking down the street.
