SoKalypso: Where Carnival Revelry Meets Eyewear
The rhythmic pulse of calypso and soca beats provides the heartbeat for SoKalypso – the latest brainchild of eyewear designer Nelissa Dass-Claveria. Launching summer 2024, this audacious new collection pays homage to the Caribbean carnival culture that shaped Nelissa’s youth and creative vision.
Born from the island jubilee of her Trinidad and Tobago homeland, SoKalypso fuses the energy, brilliant colors and unmistakable joie de vivre of those epic street parties with the laid-back glamour of Nelissa’s new life in sunny Florida. Each pair of sunglasses and eyeglasses is a veritable celebration for the eyes.
The frames’ silhouettes are inspired by the undulating costumes and fanciful headpieces donned by revelers during carnival season. Vivid hues reminiscent of the rainbow-colored beads adorning dancers’ bodies give the collection its unmistakable tropical pop. Even the lenses themselves capture the kaleidoscopic spirit, with gradient tints and patterns that shift and shimmer like a kaleidoscope with every blink.
But the vibrant diversity of Trinidad and Tobago culture fueled Nelissa’s imagination beyond just the carnival festivities. The bold, spice-infused colors and patterns of the islands’ clothing styles ignited her passion for rich, eye-catching hues. The piquant flavors of beloved curries and pepper sauces inspired frame designs with a lingering kick of heat. Even the lush tropical fruits like Julie Mango, Balata, Kaimit, Chennet, Peewah and Pomerac shaped SoKalypso’s juicy, mouthwatering palettes.
SoKalypso’s essence extends beyond mere aesthetics too. Its accessible price points and inclusive sizing aim to make the line’s unbridled joy available to all – just as the carnival fêtes unite entire communities. “Growing up, everyone celebrated together, regardless of background,” Nelissa reminisces. “SoKalypso brings that same uplifting, inclusive spirit to the eyewear realm.”
From the raucous sounds of soca beats blasting through Port of Spain streets to the breezy sway of palms along Sunny Isles Beach, Nelissa’s life journey echoes in every facet of the SoKalypso designs. Her whimsical creation of jewelry from upcycled telephone wires as a young Trinidad girl shaped her innovative, sustainability-minded approach.
With husband, son and beloved Biewer Terrier by her side, this unstoppable designer continues elevating ordinary frames into transportive works of wearable art. As the pulsating drums kick off SoKalypso’s debut this summer, the world will experience eyewear imbued with the pure, unadulterated revelry and rich cultural tapestry of the Caribbean.