Etnia Barcelona

With colour being the backbone of Etnia Barcelona's aesthetic, it is fitting that the brand has exclusively collaborated with French visionary artist Yves Klein on their latest limited edition sunglasses collection, entitled the 'International Klein Blue Collection'. A pioneer of minimalism and leading member of the French artistic movement of Nouveau réalisme, Yves Klein's unique and experimental approach to colour and its applications is synonymous with Etnia Barcelona's chromatic design ethos. Klein's development and prevalent use of a pure pigment of ultramarine-blue in his monochrome artworks 'Proposte Monochrome, Epoch Blu', led to the distinct shade becoming patented as International Klein Blue (IKB).  To mark the opening of this critically acclaimed 1957 exhibition of work in Paris, blue postcards using IKB stamps that Klein had bribed the postal service to accept as legitimate were sent out and 1001 Klein Blue balloons released. Yves Klein suffered a heart attack at the Cannes film festival whilst watching one of his own films and it is reported that his autopsy revealed he was internally dyed blue from inhaling the pigment he had patented. A sample of International Klein blue pigment is included with each pair of sunglasses in the collection and have mirrored mineral glass Klein blue lenses and features. All Etnia Barcelona sunglasses are hand made in Barcelona and are 100% ecological. Made from eco-friendly acetate composed of cotton and wood pulp the glasses are 100% recyclable and biodegradable. Royalties from this collection are going to The NGO OrphanAid, a non-profit organisation that develops programmes and projects to help vulnerable children and families in Ghana, West Africa. The Etnia Barcelona International Klein Blue Collection is exclusive to Couverture in the UK