ERKERS 1879 - The Living Legends Collaboration

The first of many collaborations to come, Erkers has created a collection known as The Living Legends, teaming up with the latest fashion-forward eyewear retailers, delivering one-of-a-kind, meticulously crafted frames to the industry.

Erkers has linked up with Kevin Kretch, owner of Eyes on Chagrin to create their very own custom frames, accentuating their design expertise and histories as a company.

While Erkers 1879 has been around for over 142 years, located in St. Louis, MO, Kevin Kretch is fairly new to the industry, establishing Eyes on Chagrin in 2012. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, Eyes on Chagrin has only been around for 8 years. However, Kevin Kretch has been working with his father in the eyewear business for much longer with deep roots in their respective market - something the two brands have in common. Both Erkers 1879 and Eyes on Chagrin are known for their high end opticals, while also stocking price points affordable to all.

Erkers co-owners, Jack Erker III and Tony Erker, have been working closely with Kevin Kretch to create the perfect frame. Kretch is known to sell a lot of the bolder, heavier frames, which is what they decided to go for with their new frames, the Dawg Pound. You may be wondering, ‘why the Dawg Pound?' Kretch, born and raised in Cleveland, wanted to give the frames a name the community could relate to. The Cleveland Browns have a huge fan base and a lot of loyalty lies within the city. When Kretch was asked what his favorite thing about Cleveland was, his response was, “Cleveland is a very diverse and resilient city. I feel like all my adult life Cleveland has been digging itself out of an adversity hole and I truly believe it makes us stronger as a community than most places.”

Just as Kretch is invested in his city, Erkers has always related each of their frames to St. Louis, as well as their history as a brand. While you can find a different icon on each temple tip of Erkers frames, the Dawg Pound frames have a special icon as well - a turntable. The turntable pays homage to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, bringing Cleveland into the frames further. You will also find 2012 located on one hinge and 1879 on the other, representing the establishment of both companies.The Dawg Pound will be an extremely limited collection, coming out in batches, with each frame having it’s very own number located on the inside of the temples.

You can find the Dawg Pound frames at www.erkers1879.com where you can read more about the Living Legends Collection. This is just the beginning. Erkers is working on many other collaborations with many more like minded fashion forward eyewear brands in the near future.

Written by Adam