Paul Antonio puts his mark on the new collection

Dubai, UAE, February 19, 2017:  Persol chronicles the story of its latest collection via a rear artform with an ancient tradition. Paul Antonio is a talented artisan and authority in the world of calligraphy. He boasts a boundless knowledge of this elegant timeless art, as well as an enthusiasm for experimenting with new techniques and injecting inspiration into his oeuvre.

The art of calligraphy is an age-old tradition which has evolved and reinvigorated itself into a means of modern-day personal expression. A solid link between the craft of calligraphy and the quality of Persol produces singular results. Time-honoured materials are reworked and reinvented to make every look unique, elegant and contemporary, even as research and design-innovation merge to produce the new Persol Calligrapher Edition collection. Envisaged for today’s sophisticated gentleman, Persol Calligrapher Edition collection glasses are inspired by the scribes’ delicacy of stroke and harmony of line, rooted in a time-honoured artform which is rendered current by his deft hand. A new frame concept now sees the light of day. Maximising the strength of acetate to produce a lightweight frame front, design elements on the bridge and metal temples converge with subtly engraved motifs inspired by the master calligrapher’s final stroke in his quest for perfection. Sharing an intangible connection, the soul of calligraphy and the Persol Calligrapher Edition collection showcase singular, exceeding details which set them apart.

British by Naturalisation, Paul Antonio was born in Trinidad in the West Indies where he taught himself the basics of calligraphy. Archaeological Illustration studies in England honed his skill allowing to be sent to Egypt to copy pyramid hieroglyphs for the prestigious Metropolitan Museum, New York inking his destiny as a professional scribe and heraldic artist. His career includes collaborations with top fashion and luxury labels, culmination in an official title as a Crown Office Scribe in London. Paul Antonio himself coined the catchphrase ‘Line flows in the arc of life’, encapsulating his passion for calligraphy, his personal aesthetic and, above all, his vision of life

The publicity campaign narrates and illustrates vignettes of the artisan’s creative process, from his earliest inspirations through to the final flourishes.

To celebrate the Persol Calligrapher Edition collection, three distinct Diego Merino photos capture Paul Antonio immersed in the solitude of creation. We see him lay down the first strokes on paper then feel his focus deepen as he further refines every detail and finally savours the success of his work on the window of an unexpected urban skyscraper. The story continues on video, in a series of flashbacks illustrating the actual amount of work that goes into this seemingly spontaneous and extraordinary artform.

In search of inspiration:
deep in concentration, the artist is experimenting with initial strokes on a sheet of paper, utilizing a traditional script and then

Inside the creative process:
the artist now switches from painting on paper to rendering a letterform on a clear glass substrate, similar to that of the final project.

Final flourishes:
the artist, pictured here during the process of completing the final work. Standing in front of the skyscraper window, he paints the Line flows in the arc of life catchphrase with confident yet subtle strokes of the brush.