Oct 7

Oct 7 Interview with Gareth Townshend & Megan Trimble of Zanzan

In 1960s London, Maltese gangsters coined the term Zanzan—that electric thrill of slipping into something sharp for the first time. Decades later, designers Gareth Townshend and Megan Trimble resurrected the word for their cult-favorite sunglasses: handcrafted in France’s Jura Valley with Italian acetate, Carl Zeiss lenses, and cases lined in English suede. Drawing from the Dolce Vita beatniks, French New Wave cinema, and Rio’s psychedelic samba collectives, Zanzan is less a brand than a time machine—one that channels the “beautiful and damned” spirit of Yves Saint Laurent’s Paris.

We sat down with the duo to discuss rogue inspiration, obsessive craftsmanship, and why style is alchemy.

How did Zanzan begin?

Gareth: A girl, a boy, and a dog-eared dream—literally. We were obsessed with Alicia Drake’s The Beautiful Fall, that line about lying on a starlit terrace, “beautiful and damned,” with a generation poised between past and future. Then came the grind: spreadsheets, midnight phone calls to Italian factories, trade shows where we’d whisper, “These aren’t sunglasses—they’re artifacts.”

Megan: It was always about feeling. Those Maltese gangsters understood it—when you wear something transformative, you become it. We just wanted to bottle that lightning.

The name “Zanzan” is a story in itself. Why did it stick?

Megan: It’s a spell. In 1960s Soho, it meant the high of stepping out in a new suit, the world catching fire around you. We loved that it wasn’t just style—it was psychology. Our glasses aren’t accessories; they’re portals. Slip them on, and suddenly you’re Anna Karina in Bande à Part or some rogue in a Rio samba den.

Gareth: Exactly. The name’s a dare: What version of yourself will you unlock?

Your designs nod to subcultural elites—Italian beatniks, French New Wave. How do you avoid nostalgia traps?

Gareth: By treating references like fuel, not relics. The French New Wave wasn’t about looking back—it was punk! We use those silhouettes, but with Japanese hinges or Zeiss tech. It’s future-vintage.

Megan: And we’re ruthless editors. If a design feels like costume, we scrap it. The best pieces feel unearthed, not reproduced.

Zanzan’s craftsmanship is obsessive: French artisans, Italian acetate. Why go to such lengths?

Gareth: Because “luxury” got lazy. Hand-polished acetate? That’s alchemy. Our Jura Valley makers use 60-year-old techniques alongside lasers—it’s like a watchmaker meets Blade Runner.

Megan: And the suede-lined case? It’s the unboxing ritual. You should feel like you’ve been handed a relic from some stylish parallel universe.

What’s next for Zanzan?

Megan: A secret. But imagine if Pasolini directed Mad Max… with better sunglasses.

Final Note: Zanzan’s designs are available in limited runs—because magic shouldn’t be mass-produced. Follow their next move [@ZanzanOfficial].

Your greatest inspirations or influences?

The 60s, the 70s, France, Tony Duquette, YSL & Pierre Bergé, Italian Giallo films, Claude Chabrol, Norman Parkinson, Tim Walker, Vogue, Jean Genet, Tropicalia, FrédéricMalle, The Black Panthers, Dario Argento, Citroen DS and SM, Facel Vega, hippies, Gianni Agnelli, Porfirio Rubirosa, StephaneAudran, Simone de Beauvoir, Theodore Zeldin, disco, Dominic Ropion, Manolo Blahnik, Serge Lutens, Savile Row, William Dalrymple, NovosBaianos, Sharpies, India, Aldo Gucci, Bernard Arnault, Eric Cantona, Luca Turin, David Mancuso, pornochanchada, Venice, Prince Charles, Mata Hari. People, places, books, films, travel, art, ideas.
Everywhere.

Current favourite Instagram accounts?

@clementevb @sophiepinet @julystars

Favorite luxury brands?