Altina Schinasi wikipedia, Wiki, Age, Tamil, Glasses, Miranda, Movies, Video, Instagram, Died, Films
Altina Schinasi wikipedia, Wiki, Age, Tamil, Glasses, Miranda, Movies, Video, Instagram, Died, Films -: American artist, filmmaker, businesswoman, window dresser, designer, and inventor Altina Schinasi. She was well recognized for creating the cat-eye glasses, often known as the “Harlequin eyeglass frame,” which she termed.

Altina Schinasi Bio
Altina Schinasi (August 4, 1907 – August 19, 1999) was an American sculptor, filmmaker, entrepreneur, window dresser, designer, and inventor. She was best known for designing the Harlequin eyeglass frame, which is popularly known as cat-eye glasses.
Schinasi was born in Manhattan, New York, to immigrant parents from Greece. She showed an early aptitude for art and design, and after graduating from high school, she studied at the Art Students League of New York. In the 1930s, she began working as a window dresser for Saks Fifth Avenue, where she quickly became known for her innovative and eye-catching displays.
In 1938, Schinasi designed the Harlequin eyeglass frame, which was inspired by the masks of the commedia dell’arte. The glasses were an instant success, and they quickly became a popular fashion accessory for women all over the world. Schinasi’s design was so influential that it is still known today as the “cat-eye” frame.
In addition to her work as a designer, Schinasi was also a filmmaker. She directed several short films, including “Altina” (1940) and “George Grosz’s Interregnum” (1941). She also worked as a producer on the documentary film “Operation Bootstrap” (1951), which chronicled the economic development of Puerto Rico.
Schinasi was a lifelong philanthropist, and she was a strong advocate for the arts. She served on the boards of several arts organizations, including the Whitney Museum of American Art and the American Film Institute. She was also a founding member of the Women’s Film Forum, a non-profit organization that promotes the work of female filmmakers.
Schinasi died on August 19, 1999, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She was 92 years old. She is survived by her two children, Terry Sanders and Denis Sanders, and her grandchildren, Peter Sanders and Victoria Sanders.
Schinasi’s legacy is one of innovation, creativity, and philanthropy. She was a pioneer in the field of eyewear design, and her work has had a lasting impact on fashion and culture. She was also a passionate advocate for the arts, and her work helped to promote the work of female filmmakers and artists.
Altina Schinasi Career
Altina Schinasi was a sculptor, filmmaker, businesswoman, window dresser, designer, and inventor who had a rich and successful career. She is primarily recognized for creating the cat-eye eyeglasses known as the Harlequin frame for glasses.
Schinasi’s career began in the 1930s while she was employed by Saks Fifth Avenue as a window dresser. She swiftly gained recognition for her creative and striking displays, which led to commissions to create the windows for other significant department stores like Lord & Taylor and Bonwit Teller.
Schinasi created the Harlequin eyeglass frame in 1938. The commedia dell’arte masks that served as the inspiration for the glasses led to their immediate success. They were immediately adopted as a common accessory for female fashion all over the world and are now referred to as “cat-eye” frames.
Schinasi produced films in addition to her profession as a designer. “Altina” (1940) and “George Grosz’ Interregnum” (1941) are two of the short films she produced and directed. She also served as a producer on the 1951 documentary “Operation Bootstrap,” which followed Puerto Rico’s progress economically.
Schinasi was a devoted supporter of the arts and a lifetime philanthropist. She served on the boards of many institutions dedicated to the arts, such as the American Film Institute and the Whitney Museum of American Art. Additionally, she was a founder of the Women’s Film Forum, a nonprofit that supports the work of female filmmakers.
At the age of 92, Schinasi passed away in 1999. She was a pioneer in the realm of eyeglass design, and the influence of her work on culture and fashion has endured. She was also a fierce supporter of the arts, and she actively promoted female artists and filmmakers through her work.
Here is a summary of Altina Schinasi’s career:
- Window dresser for Saks Fifth Avenue (1930s)
- Designer of the Harlequin eyeglass frame (1938)
- Filmmaker (directed several short films and produced the documentary film “Operation Bootstrap”)
- Philanthropist and advocate for the arts
- Founding member of the Women’s Film Forum
Schinasi left behind a legacy of invention, originality, and charitable giving. She was a pioneer in the realm of eyeglass design, and the influence of her work on culture and fashion has endured. She was also a fierce supporter of the arts, and she actively promoted female artists and filmmakers through her work.
Altina Schinasi Age, Glasses, Miranda, Movies, Video, Died
- Age: Schinasi was born on August 4, 1907, and died on August 19, 1999. She was 92 years old.
- Glasses: Schinasi is best known for designing the Harlequin eyeglass frame, which is popularly known as cat-eye glasses. The glasses were inspired by the masks of the commedia dell’arte, and they were an instant success. They quickly became a popular fashion accessory for women all over the world, and they are still known today as the “cat-eye” frame.
- Miranda: Schinasi was a lifelong philanthropist, and she was a strong advocate for the arts. She served on the boards of several arts organizations, including the Whitney Museum of American Art and the American Film Institute. She was also a founding member of the Women’s Film Forum, a non-profit organization that promotes the work of female filmmakers.
- Movies: Schinasi was also a filmmaker. She directed several short films, including “Altina” (1940) and “George Grosz’s Interregnum” (1941). She also worked as a producer on the documentary film “Operation Bootstrap” (1951), which chronicled the economic development of Puerto Rico.
- Video: There is a short video about Altina Schinasi on YouTube. The video is titled “Altina Schinasi: A Life in Design” and it was uploaded by the Whitney Museum of American Art.
- Died: Schinasi died on August 19, 1999, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She was 92 years old.
Altina Schinasi News
Google commemorates the 116th birthday of American designer Altina ‘Tina’ Schinasi, who is best known for creating the ‘cat-eye’ eyeglass frame.
For her 116th birthday on August 4, the Google search engine created a Doodle to honor American designer Altine “Tina” Schinasi, who is best recognized for creating the well-known “cat-eye” eyeglass frame. Schinasi, who was born on this day in 1907 in Manhattan, New York, to immigrant parents, followed her artistic passion for painting after graduating from high school in Paris. Schinasi’s artistic path began on the streets of Manhattan.
She worked as a window dresser for numerous stores on Fifth Avenue while honing her artistic abilities at The Art Students League in New York City. She had the honor of working with and learning from artistic legends like Salvador Dali and George Grosz during this time, whose influence was crucial in forming her creative vision.
When Schinasi was working as a designer of window displays, she came up with the revolutionary concept for the “cat-eye” frame. She set out to develop a new and distinctive option for ladies after realizing that their choices for eyeglasses were confined to round frames with uninspiring styles.
She had the idea for eyeglasses with pointed ends that would draw attention to and enhance the wearer’s face since they were inspired by the seductive shape of Harlequin masks worn during the Carnevale celebration in Venice, Italy. Schinasi persevered in her pursuit despite receiving numerous rejections from big manufacturers who thought her invention was too unorthodox, cutting paper prototypes of her revolutionary design.
Her breakthrough came when a nearby business owner saw the potential in her design and asked for a six-month exclusivity agreement. In the US, ladies quickly adopted the Harlequin spectacles as a fashion statement in the late 1930s and early 1940s.
Due to her creation, Schinasi received a great deal of praise, including the renowned Lord & Taylor American Design Award in 1939. Respected periodicals like Vogue and Life also recognized her contribution to the fashion industry.
She also started making films, creating the captivating documentary “George Grosz’ Interregnum” on the renowned artist and former instructor George Grosz. It got a lot of praise, was nominated for an Academy Award, and won the top prize at the Venice Film Festival in 1960.
Schinasi kept pursuing new artistic endeavors as the years passed. She wrote her memoir, “The Road I Have Travelled,” in her senior years, giving readers an insight into her remarkable life story. She also worked as a volunteer art therapist, applying her artistic skills to the benefit of others.
“Nearly 100 years after its invention, Altina’s cat-eye design is still having an impact on global trends in fashion accessories. “Happy birthday to the woman who was a visionary in more ways than one!” In the blog post, Google stated.
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