Ti Kwa
PM001702
Ti Kwa, founder and Creative Director of the natural eyewear specialist, Rigards, has always been captivated by unconventional beauty. His designs are influenced by the incredible textures and patterns formed by mother nature, along with his Eastern heritage and Western upbringing. Armed with a passion for natural materials, original designs and technical construction of objects, he established Rigards in 2011 and debuted during Paris
Fashion Week the same year.
From day one, Rigards has remained steadfast in its ethos of handcrafting eyewear from natural materials, with sustainability built into the organization's foundation and winning numerous awards along the way including the coveted Silmo d’Or in 2021. To this day, not a single pair of eyewear produced by Rigards has been made from plastic. The brand's
focus on traditional craftsmanship, exclusivity, and sustainability sets them apart in the world of eyewear. Their unique use of horn as a medium allows for unparalleled textural possibilities and the creation of one-of-a-kind pieces.
Ti Kwa's dedication to constant improvement, or "kaizen", has enabled Rigards to continually refine their collection, emphasizing on nonconformist designs, pushing the boundaries and inventing new techniques. Showcasing their work at prestigious events like Paris Fashion Week has allowed Rigards to develop strong relationships with renowned fashion designers, collaborating with Boris Bidjan Sabri, Uma Wang, Ziggy Chen, The Viridi-Anne and a few others on eyewear.
Ti Kwa's love for travel, architecture, and support for independent labels has influenced his eclectic design aesthetic, blending his taste for wanderlust and his affinity for craftsmanship. This dedication to originality, quality, and artisanal craftsmanship promises to make Rigards an enduring force in the world of eyewear design.
Portfolio
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Awards and Recognition
For a decade now. we have championed the virtues of honest materials and reenvisioned craftsmanship to boldly open up a world of new eyewear possibilities. It's an honor to be recognized for our work.
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2021
2021
We turn 10 - what a milestone. Among our endeavors: *Patina Lab by RIGARDS*, designated spaces and events dedicated to sharing our "Patina Style' and a curated RIGARDS experience, and immersive workshops that offer a tactile introduction to our craft. We held our first exhibition in ancient Xian. Our never-ending research led to the use of urushi lacquer on our new horn frames for Ziggy Chen, attesting to the distinction of yet another traditional natural material and its relevance in modern contexts. As turbulent as the year has been, it has also filled us with deep gratitude - for the triple honors (SILMO d'Or, Japan Eyewear Award Grand Prix, German Design Award], and the opportunity to hold both a 10-year retrospective in Chongging and an online anniversary auction (with 100% of proceeds benefitting the charity foundation Captivating International]. As an independent atelier, we have always run on heart and authenticity - values that are now more than ever alive, as we work towards renewal from the crisis. To the many friends who have supported RIGARDS over the years, we look forward to continuously fueling your eyewear fantasies in the most eloquent of ways. -
2020
While 2020 started off on a smooth trajectory with a German Design
Award win, nobody could have predicted what happened next.
Doubtless the pandemic is an alert: we need to take better care of Mother Nature and steer a more sustainable future, and surely the first consideration should be reducing synthetics usage.
Upholding our nature-first ideals, we resumed work as best we could, making pioneering use of materials and structural techniques (such as monocoque and unibody construction) and proposing them for our audience, including collaboratively with Ziggy Chen, Geoffrey B. Small, The Viridi-anne, Detaj, and Uma Wang. We lent our support to the Open Your Eyes Frame Auction hosted by The Vision Council USA to benefit Black charities. As we dreamed of better days, a second SILMO d'Or nomination and two fresh wins at the Good Design Awards brought solace and inspiration. -
2019
The new year took flight with a bountiful array of nonconformist yet compelling styles: Nite Owl, Sentinel aka Alien, Le Wood, Sabertooth, and a stained glass-inspired look (both for Uma Wang], dragonfly-esque cat-eyes (for Ujon), and a Cubist-influenced model (with The Viridi-annel; each creation pushing past preconceived notions and opening eyes to the brave new world of RIGARDS.
We gradually built up our chain collection (now branded under 'PATINA' our accessories line) to comprise more designs and material choices. Following a warmly-received debut at i0FT Tokyo, we made it home safely with mega-typhoon Hagiois at our heels. The year ended on a high note, with the win of the V. Award Silver Prize and a Good Design Award. -
2018
Our enduring love for nature-derived materials and handmade processes came to fruition in our most directional work yet. The Mad Scientist series served as a daring creative exploration: not only did we pioneer the contemporary use of real copper as a frame material, but we broke new ground with a proprietary 'Time Machine' technique, deliberately weathering the metal to induce striking patinas that ranged from green verdigris to antiqued reds, which give each pair of frames a modern heirloom quality as though seasoned by time.
This quintessential patina finish was so enthusiastically
received, it even appeared to spark a trend. We resurrected magnetic sunglass clips, which had all but fallen into obscurity, giving them a rejuvenated relevance and making them another signature statement element of the Mad Scientist series. Our new collaborative efforts - with Ume Wang, The Viridi-anne, and Ziggy Chen respectively debuted to critical praise. Some memorable firsts: we participated in Vision Expo USA, we started making glasses chains, and we took home our first awards (iF Design Award Red Dot Award, Y.Award Gold Prize]. -
2017
In the Renaissance, Leon Battista Alberti said that we must always take from nature what we paint and always choose the most beautiful things.
Public and industry embrace of RIGARDS encouraged us to keep rediscovering nature's hidden treasures for frame materials, leading to the introduction of a premium collection: frames struck of .925 sterling silver and elevated with exclusive touches like hand-hammering and texturing. Our visor aviator
- the first of its kind and crafted from a choice of genuine horn or high-end salvaged wood - captured the attention of the SILMO d'Or Awards judges and earned a Best Sunglasses Design nomination. Simultaneously our iconic 'Manta Ray'/'Third Eye' frame was shortlisted for the SILMO 50th Anniversary Special Award. Two fresh collaborations were added to our growing repertoire, namely with Italian fashion label Lumen et Umbra, and Japanese jewelry maker Detaj. -
2016
Our designs, often reflective not only of aesthetics that are not considered conventionally beautiful but also of a clever interplay of yin and yang continue to evolve and refine. We ventured into new territory with a modest presentation in New York City. Our collaborative release with British label KTZ unveiled at London Fashion Week. We hit the road to hold our first trunk shows in Melbourne, Nagoya, and Hong Kong
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2015
Our first outing to MIDO Eyewear Show was equal parts exciting and our worst nightmare: we arrived in Milan with all our suitcases lost, somehow managing to subsist wholly on the two dozen frames stashed in our carry-on
- including our new collaborative works with time-honored pewter foundry Royal Selangor, and avant-garde label Inisce. Impressed by aluminum dive cages that can take the brunt of a great white shark bite, we began working with metals, creating an aluminum-magnesium collection that's lightweight and green yet durable.
