In 2009 co-founder Daniel Silberman traveled to Italy to source manufacturers for the debut collection. Those who stood out were true artisans who had spent decades perfecting elements of production such as metalwork and hand-mixing acetate (This is why no two Illesteva acetate frames are identical). The name Illesteva was born out of a meeting with one of those skilled artisans, named Luigi Esteva - and a family infatuation with Casablanca heroine Ilsa Lund.

Designing a pair of Illesteva glasses happens in-house at their SoHo HQ. Taking cues from downtown New York and inspiration from around the world, their styles are a direct product of our endlessly fascinating surroundings. They take passion for modern design and translate it into pieces that are fundamentally wearable.

Their frames are handmade exclusively by the leading manufacturers of luxury eyewear, in small family-owned factories in Italy and France. Only the highest grade materials are used. This meticulous process takes over 90 days and requires more than 50 steps from start to finish.