Altina Schinasi

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May 5, 2025

Explore the intriguing life of Altina Schinasi, creator of the iconic cat-eye glasses. Discover her immigrant roots and the evolution of her artistic ambitions amidst personal trials. Unearth her tumultuous transition from a glamorous but unfulfilling marriage to becoming a groundbreaking eyewear designer. Learn about her journey through love, loss, and activist art, all while navigating a politically charged America. The podcast celebrates her remarkable legacy, blending humor and shared stories that resonate with listeners.

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ANECDOTE

Altina's Early Life and Family

Altina Schinasi was born in New York in 1907 to immigrant parents who built great wealth from a cigarette rolling machine invention.
Her upbringing was lavish but marked by her mother's unhappiness and hidden Jewish identity at school.

ANECDOTE

Unhappy Marriage and Divorce

Altina married architect Morris B. Sanders and had two sons, but the marriage was unhappy and ended in divorce after four years.
She felt lonely, started an affair with her divorce attorney, and moved to Europe temporarily for safety.

ANECDOTE

Invention of Cat-Eye Glasses

Altina invented the harlequin or cat-eye glasses inspired by a harlequin mask, aiming to make glasses a fashion statement.
She faced ridicule but found a distributor who made the glasses successful among high-profile women.

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Altina Schinasi is known as the inventor of cat-eye glasses, but she was also an artist, a documentarian, and an activist. And she was very frank about her own faults and bad decisions.

Research:

“Altina Schinasi 1924 (1907-1999).” Helen Temple Cook Library. Dana Hall School. https://library.danahall.org/archives/danapedia/alumnae/altina-schinasi-1924-1907-1999/
“Altina Schinasi's 116th Birthday.” Google Doodle. https://doodles.google/doodle/altina-schinasis-116th-birthday/
“Altina Schinasi, The Harlem Girl Who Knew Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Salvador Dali And Invented Cat-Eye Glasses.” Harlem World. June 21, 2023. https://www.harlemworldmagazine.com/altina-schinasi-the-harlem-girl-who-knew-martin-luther-king-rosa-parks-salvador-dali-and-invented-cat-eye-glasses/
“Artist Altina Schinasi Miranda Dies at 92.” Ventura County Star. Aug. 17, 1999. https://www.newspapers.com/image/935509837/?match=1&terms=Altina%20Schinasi
Bachz, Betty. “From Audrey Hepburn to Hailey Bieber: How cat-eye frames became a timeless look.” Vogue Scandinavia. Oct. 8, 2021. https://www.voguescandinavia.com/articles/history-of-the-cat-eye-sunglasses
“Heiress Asks Divorce.” The Cleveland Press. June 21, 1933. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1164656661/?match=1&terms=Altina%20Schinasi
“The League’s Legacy.” Art Students League of New York. https://www.artstudentsleague.org/timeline#timeline
“Mengel Module Furniture - Morris B. Sanders.” Modernism 101. https://modernism101.com/products-page/industrial-design/mengel-module-furniture-promotionalsales-ephemera-for-morris-b-sanders-furniture-designed-in-1946-produced-by-the-mengel-furniture-company-of-louisville-ky/
“Morris Schinasi.” The Daily Times. Sept. 13, 1928. https://www.newspapers.com/image/724032205/?match=1&terms=Morris%20Schinasi
“Morris Schinasi Leaves $1,300,000 to Institutions.” The Daily Times. Sept. 28, 1928. https://www.newspapers.com/image/724032801/
Ravo, Nick. “Altina Schinasi Miranda, 92, Designer of Harlequin Glasses.” The New York Times. Aug. 21, 1999. https://www.nytimes.com/1999/08/21/arts/altina-schinasi-miranda-92-designer-of-harlequin-glasses.html
“Rose-Colored Glasses.” Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Sept. 12, 1939. https://www.newspapers.com/image/88914623/?match=1&terms=%22harlequin%20eyeglasses%20%22
Sander, Peter. “Altina.” 2014.
Schinasi Estate Put at $8,014,962.” The Springfield Morning Union. May 2, 1930. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1067224117/?match=1&terms=Altina%20Schinasi
Peabody, Pam. “Visions: sculptor Altina interviewed by Pam Peabody.” American Women Making History and Culture. WFPW. 1978. https://archive.org/details/pacifica_radio_archives-WZ0295.01
Zaltzman, Lior. “The Pioneering Sephardic Jewish Mother Invented the Cat-Eye Glasses.” Kveller. Aug. 4, 2023. https://www.kveller.com/this-pioneering-sephardic-jewish-mother-invented-the-cat-eye-glasses/

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