On a tiny, cocoon-like block in Paris’s 6th arrondissement, there sits a small boîte named Invictus. [In Latin, “Invictus” means “unconquerable” or “undefeated;” Invictus is also a Victorian poem by poet William Ernest Henley about battling life’s challenges, which he wrote after a leg amputation and numerous surgeries.]

At the 10-table Invictus, the chef emerges from the steamy kitchen to greet you, as if you were a visitor in his home. His staff scurries about, shuffling house-made breads and water in well-designed drinking glasses onto the table. Once they have presented the menu options of the day, the chef reappears once again to take your order, personally.

The handcrafted food is artful and delicious, the setting is intimate, and the staff is attentive and well-educated on the offerings and ingredients. In a city of culinary extravagance, it is this little restaurant that emerges as an incomparable experience. After dinner, I wonder: Is there an idea that can be culled here for the ways in which our magazine does business, the ways in which our readers do business? Clearly, the details matter, and the simple, personal touches can make all the difference.

In this issue, we delve into the high-end sector of eyewear to reveal the cutting edge of design that will provide your business with a differentiating factor. We also look to the esteemed eyewear designers of the CFDA for defining direction on what the future holds for the frame. And there is so much more…so please join us on the pages that follow—we truly hope you enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyed creating it.

“…It matters not how strait the gate…How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” —William Ernest Henley

Erinn Morgan
Editor-in-Chief + Editorial Director
Eyecare Business