© Reflect Architecture / Photography: Riley Snelling

Since its inception in 2009, contemporary optometry company All Eyes On Me has gone leaps and bounds, pairing excellent services with a range of luxury multibrand eyewear. Following two outposts in suburban Toronto, founder Sim Bains has embarked on his most ambitious retail endeavour to date by opening a design-led boutique in Yorkville, just off the city’s golden mile of luxury shopping. The company has gone the extra yard, tapping local practice Reflect Architecture to create a matching interior design. The chosen aesthetic extrapolates from Bains’ eclectic palate and uses a classic Cartier jewellery box as a starting point, reflecting today’s bold influence of streetwear on fashion’s upper echelon. The All Eyes On Me store occupies a 650 sq. (60 sqm.) unit on the ground floor of a seven-storey structure built in the 1970s with a brick façade. Floor-to-ceiling glass reveals to passers-by a clean, uncluttered setting with a backdrop of side walls clad in panels of tufted plush red fabric, a contrasting timber back wall, and wooden flooring in an off-white hue.

Floating white shelves sit above light-washed acid-edge mirrors, adding a sense of levity and brightness to the dramatic scene, inviting shoppers to touch, peruse, and try-on pieces. An elongated counter takes centre stage and stretches almost to the back of the store, incorporating a display space and contrasting wooden cabinets that tie in with the back wall. Two sleek pendant lamps on either end optically balance this volume. Anticipating to serve a more demanding client base in this upscale part of town, a seating area with sculptural chairs and matching glass table allows after hours shopping over a glass of bubbles. Mind you, a drop-down custom screen covers the glass facade, adding a veil of privacy for exclusive viewings and private events. A door in the back wall leads to the store’s clinic rooms which see a crisp, all white aesthetic. As said, All Eyes On Me carries high-end optical frames and sunglasses by top brands, including Gucci, Burberry, Oliver Peoples, Boucheron, Bottega Veneta, Masunaga, and of course, Cartier.

All Eyes On Me
162 Cumberland Street, Shop 51 (Yorkville)
Toronto ON M5R 1A8
Telephone: +1 416 9613000
Mon-Thu 10am-5pm
Fri-Sun 10am-7pm

© Reflect Architecture / Photography: Riley Snelling