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The
Story of Onspec Ontic
Simon
"Mr Specs" Murray...
Simon started his film
career at the age of 15.
As a costumier with Angels
and Bermans in England,
Simon worked on many high-profile
movies. After working for
Angels and Bermans, Simon
began to work as a freelance
costume designer, working
on television series like
The Two Ronnies and the
Morecambe and Wise Show,
and on movies like Braveheart,
Evita, Indiana Jones and
many more.
As a costumier Simon built
up a spectacular collection
of frames, watches and
other items reflecting
the stature of the films
he worked on. People began
to ask Simon if they could
borrow items from his collection
for their productions so
Simon decided to launch
Onspec Ontic so that he
could lend them out more
readily. Initially the
business was run from his
London flat, but the business
grew so big that Onspec
Ontic had to be housed
in the Angel and Berman
buildings in London, Paris
and new York.
Onspec Ontic supplies about
5000 frames per year to
film makers around the
world and stock has grown
to over 40,000 pieces of
ophthalmic eyewear and
sunglasses. Onspec Ontic
eyewear has also appeared
in prestigious calendars
produced by British Airways
and Pirelli. The futuristic
eyewear creations for Alien
III were specially made
by several British-based
frame makers working hand-in-hand
with Simon.
For some films, such as Indiana
Jones, Simon had to supply
Sean Connery with 12 pairs
of frames to cover the
needs of his stuntman,
stand-in and damages due
to the action-packed nature
of the movie. In the same
movie, the look of Harrison
Ford wearing retro glasses
played a big part in making
retro frames the fashion
accessory to be seen in.
Simon fitted Tom Cruise
in Mission Impossible,
and also the likes of Emilio
Estevez and Emmanuelle
Beart with the latest frames
from Gaultier and Dior
and one of only three pairs
of Nikon electrochromic
sunglasses available in
Europe to stage a key scene
in the movie.
Simon still seeks to build
his amazing collection
today with frames and other
items he collects around
the world from antique
shops, optometrists and
markets.
Some of the productions and
advertisements Simon has
supplied frames for include:-
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