Afronaut
A collection exploring volumetric presence through controlled geometry
Afronaut is a collection of eyewear that explores how form, structure, and identity can be expressed through controlled geometry. Developed as part of a broader effort to establish a timeless direction for REFRAMD, the collection combines expressive surface articulation with a disciplined approach to proportion, structure, and wearability
Rooted in Afrofuturist references, Afronaut translates themes of resilience, movement, and imagination into a distinct formal language. Each frame is designed to feel volumetric and present, while remaining balanced and comfortable in use.
Design Intent
The collection began with a simple question: how can eyewear create a strong sense of presence without relying on excessive complexity or unnecessary detail?
Rather than adding visual elements, the approach focused on refining geometry. Volume is created through curvature and controlled transitions, allowing the frame to feel substantial without becoming visually heavy. The Afronaut concept serves as a conceptual anchor, guiding the balance between expression and restraint, and framing the collection as an exploration of identity through form.
Design Language
The Afronaut collection establishes a consistent design language defined by sculpted volumes, soft yet controlled transitions, and a clear edge hierarchy. The geometry is intentionally simplified, with surfaces flowing continuously around the lens shape to create a cohesive and stable visual form.
Concave profiles give each frame its character, while maintaining a shared identity across the collection. This allows the designs to feel expressive without becoming arbitrary, and distinctive without relying on ornamentation.
Constraints
The collection was developed within real production constraints, including minimum wall thickness, manufacturing tolerances, and the integration of standard hardware components. These parameters informed the geometry from the outset, ensuring that each frame is feasible to produce and durable in use.
Rather than limiting the design, these constraints provided a framework for refinement, helping to define proportion, thickness, and transitions with greater precision.
System & Variations
The Afronaut collection is part of the broader REFRAMD system, where each design is developed to accommodate diverse facial geometries. Frames are offered with multiple nose bridge options and frame widths, allowing for a more inclusive and precise fit.
The collection consists of five core designs, each available in nine fit variations and two colourways: black with orange or brown lenses, and blue with grey lenses. This structure enables consistency in design language while supporting a wide range of users without redesigning the product.
Outcome
Afronaut demonstrates how expressive design can be achieved through disciplined control rather than added complexity. By focusing on geometry, proportion, and surface transitions, the collection creates a strong visual presence while maintaining clarity and restraint.
The result is a set of frames that balance identity and function, and establish a foundation for future work where form, structure, and product performance are developed together.
The Afronaut collection is available globally through REFRAMD, both online and through select retail partners in cities including Milan, Düsseldorf, and Amsterdam, reflecting its transition from design exploration to a distributed product.
