This week, Emirates Man speaks to Andre Montana, Founder of Vintage Eyewear. This eyewear brand specialises in private collection authentic pieces with high-quality designs.
Welcome to the Emirates Man weekly series ‘How I got my job as…’ where we speak to incredible entrepreneurs, and businessmen both based in the UAE and globally to find out about their career paths that led them to where they are now; what their daily routines look like; the advice they’d give to those starting out; and the hurdles they’ve had to overcome.
With Montana’s passion for collecting archival pieces, the brand was born. Every pair of authentic Vintage Eyewear frames is a genuine collector’s item. Featuring 24kt gold plated frames, it’s popular among stylish shoppers.
To delve into his journey as an entrepreneur, Emirates Man spoke to him to see how it all began.
What was your favourite subject at school?
History and culture were always my favorite subjects, even long before I realised how deeply they would influence my work. I’ve always been fascinated by the richness of different cultures, including my own. There’s something profoundly moving about the way things were done in the past. The traditions, the values, the attention to detail. Objects weren’t just used; they were cherished. Things had meaning. And that sense of reverence still shapes how I create today.
What was your first job?
Actually my very first ‘job’ was selling candy to my schoolmates! I suppose the entrepreneurial spirit showed early. But officially, my first professional role was as an engineer at a prestigious automotive company in France. I was already fascinated by precision, performance, and the elegance of well-made things.
What brought you to Dubai?
I chose Dubai partly for its strategic location; it’s incredibly well connected, which makes both travel and shipping remarkably efficient. But beyond logistics, what truly drew us in was the feeling. After several visits over the years, I was captivated by the energy, the architecture. There’s a unique beauty in how Dubai embraces multicultural and multi-faith lifestyles, this kind of quiet tolerance that’s both progressive and grounding. And of course, the year-round sun doesn’t hurt either. It felt like a place where both creativity and community could thrive.
What inspired you to enter the eyewear industry and launch Vintage Eyewear?
I was gifted a rare pair of tortoiseshell sunglasses by my grandfather, that were hand-crafted in Morez, the historic heart of French eyewear. At the time, I didn’t fully grasp their significance, but they were exquisite, and woke something in me. I felt a reverence for the past, the hands that made them, the months of work, the years they had served my grandfather and been cherished by him. That gift marked the beginning of a lifelong passion. I began collecting vintage eyewear in earnest, and today I’ve amassed a collection of over 100,000 pairs, each with its own story and soul. Years later, while working in product engineering, I was asked to temporarily fill in for a designer in the cosmetic and fashion division. I worked on a few perfume bottles, some cosmetic packaging and a single pair of sunglasses. I was completely hooked. It felt like design, precision, emotion, memory, had finally all come together and I knew my passion for vintage eyewear could be my speciality. I launched Vintage Eyewear brand for classic vintage-inspired designs (vintageeyewear.com), and created my signature Andre Montana brand (andremontana.com) for even more unique and elaborate collections.
Andre Montana, Founder of Vintage Eyewear
Talk us through the concept?
My brand was born out of a growing frustration with the state of the industry, and suggestions from stylists to launch my own brand. I began noticing how dramatically quality was declining, as large corporations acquired once-independent brands, manufacturing was increasingly outsourced to high-volume facilities, and designs became homogenized to cut costs. A lot of people don’t even know their favorite designer sunglasses are no longer manufactured by the designer. Everything just started to look and feel the same. I created the brand to bring back the kind of craftsmanship and beauty we used to see. When eyewear was made with intention, by dedicated, skilled hands, and made to last. That’s not to say exceptional products can’t come from China, there are manufacturers there producing beautiful work. But in eyewear specifically, they often just can’t provide the detail, because mass production has become the priority. There’s a huge market for mass-produced goods. But the focus is on volume, not individuality. Many brands use the same base molds with minor cosmetic tweaks. It’s a cost-saving approach, but the result is a sea of sameness. Each design in my collections is limited edition, with interesting forms, finishes, silhouettes and materials, just like in the golden age of eyewear. And they’re made to last. I believe in creating pieces that are truly distinctive, so we’re not all wearing variations of the same frame, year after year. This is about restoring a lost standard, and celebrating the art of doing things properly.
What are the key elements of your role?
At its core, my role is to be both visionary and meticulous, to hold the bigger picture in mind, while obsessing over the tiniest detail. I lead the creative direction of the brand, which means designing each frame from initial concept to final execution. I sketch, source materials, oversee prototypes, and work closely with our artisans in South Korea and Japan to ensure that every curve, every finish, every hinge reflects the original intent. No shortcuts. No ‘close enough’. However, I also serve as the custodian of the brand’s values and voice. How we communicate, how we collaborate, and how we maintain the integrity that defines the brand’s identity. Whether it’s developing a collection, guiding a photoshoot, or refining packaging, I’m involved in every decision that shapes the experience. Ultimately, my role is to protect the soul of the brand. To ensure that what we create isn’t just beautiful, but meaningful. Timeless. Iconic. And built to last. It’s pretty expensive and time consuming, but it’s really a labor of love.
Talk us through your daily routine.
Most mornings begin pretty simply, a shower, a strong coffee. Then I check in on the day’s online orders and fulfill them. I often do a lot of that myself too. There’s something grounding about staying close to that part of the process. After that, I’ll usually spend a few hours refining new designs I’m developing. In the afternoon, I head to the warehouse to work on custom commissions and manage inventory for the boutiques that carry my brand. (I create bespoke and customized eyewear, some of which are even made with expensive precious gems, like facial jewellery.) Sometimes old vintage sunglasses I’ve discovered somewhere need polishing and refurbishing. I also review prototypes when they arrive, and make time for the gym or any meetings and appointments. I often check in with my sales reps toward the end of the day. And I tend to fall asleep thinking about the pieces I’m developing.
What advice do you have for anyone looking to follow in the same footsteps?
The most important thing is to truly love it. Not just the idea of it, but the process, the challenge, the craft. This isn’t something you do for money. If that’s the goal, you’ll lose interest the moment it becomes difficult, and it will become difficult. You have to care deeply and be passionate about the work itself. For me, it’s always been about quality and beauty. That’s what the brand stood for: timeless design, careful craftsmanship, and a real sense of pride in the product. They made things to last, and to delight the wearer. That’s exactly how I approach my work. It’s not about chasing profit, in fact, the cost of producing my pieces is far higher than anything mass-produced, both financially and time-wise. But the reward is something else entirely: seeing someone look and feel great in a piece that’s been made with true intention. That moment when design meets confidence is why I do what I do. It’s about legacy, not volume. And love.
Tell us more about the pieces?
All of my frames are crafted using aerospace-grade titanium, which makes them incredibly light on the face yet exceptionally strong. Every design also incorporates 24-karat gold, whether through full plating or subtle, intentional detailing. It’s not just about luxury, but permanence and brilliance. I design pieces to frame a feeling more than a face. My work is for individualists, people who dress with intention. It’s not about vanity, but identity. The kind of intelligent confidence that doesn’t need to announce itself, but is always noticed. My clients don’t usually follow trends, they curate their presence. This is what you’ll find in my collections.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
Don’t cut corners. Not in life, relationships, renovations or craft. Respect the traditions, trust the process, and honor what it becomes. The moment you cut corners, you compromise more than quality, you lose the integrity that gives something its soul and authentic meaning. And without that, there’s no legacy worth leaving.
And what is the worst?
“Do it this way, it’s cheaper.” That mindset is completely at odds with how I create. Cheaper is a word I find almost repellent when it comes to building something of lasting value. There’s a time and place for negotiation, but when it comes to materials, craftsmanship, and integrity, quality is never up for shallow compromise. Choosing the lower path to save in the short term always costs more in the long run. In reputation, in longevity, and in meaning. The meaning is real luxury.
What’s the biggest challenge you have had to overcome?
Hmm. I probably I give my factory artisans a bit of a headache at times when they say something can’t be done, and I insist it can. With my engineering background, I know exactly where the limits are, so I really get to draw out the full extent of their skill. It’s truly amazing to see them rise to the challenge with difficult processes and new techniques, and we end up creating something unique and interesting together. Innovation doesn’t come from repeating what’s easy. It comes from insisting on what’s possible, and having brilliant people around you who can bring it to life.
What’s lies ahead for the brand?
I have hundreds of designs waiting to be crafted. I also have ideas for clothing and fashion pieces simmering on the back burner. Sometimes, a design emerges that just feels more suited to a handbag clasp or jacket closure than an eyewear frame, and when that happens, I let it rest. I know its time will come. My biggest objective is to open a dedicated eyewear factory in the UAE. I want to train a new generation of artisans, to pass down the precision and reverence that this craft deserves. There’s incredible creative talent here, and I believe we can build something as respected as “Made in Italy” or “Fabriqué en France”, but rooted in this region’s own legacy of beauty and handcraft. It’s about more than manufacturing. It’s about building a reputation for excellence, and ultimately, another legacy for the country.
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