By Shan Khan, RO

There is something special about discovering an eyewear collection with a story behind it. AYA Optical is one of those collections. Created by Canadian designer and entrepreneur Carla D’Angelo, AYA brings together eyewear, Indigenous art and design in a way that feels contemporary while remaining deeply connected to the artists behind each collection.

The idea for AYA began in 2001, when Carla was vacationing in Mexico and thinking about the kind of business she wanted to create. She had always been good at recognizing niche opportunities, but this idea was about more than business.

She wanted to create something beautiful that could stand out in the eyewear market while also giving back and carrying meaning.

It was several years before the idea became a reality. Carla continued to learn about the optical industry and Indigenous artists while raising her family and pursuing other projects.

Meeting artist Corrine Hunt became an important turning point and ultimately gave Carla the confidence to move forward with AYA.

What makes AYA particularly interesting is the relationship between the artwork and the frame. Carla is deliberate about translating an artist’s work onto eyewear while maintaining the integrity and character of the original art. The goal is not simply to place artwork on a frame, but to create a design in which the frame and the art complement one another.

“I want someone to love the frame first because it is beautiful—and then discover the deeper story behind it,” Carla explains.

Video from August 10, 2009

Aya Eyewear on Urban Rush:

Inspiration comes from many places. Carla looks to traditional and contemporary Indigenous art, sculpture, carved masks and colour, while also following international eyewear trends in shapes, materials and design. It is that combination that gives AYA its distinctive identity.

Colour plays an especially important role. Carla points to artist Donald Chrétien, who has worked with the Pantone Color Institute and brings a sophisticated understanding of colour to his work. Shape and fit are equally important, particularly as AYA continues to serve a significant Indigenous customer base while creating collections with broader appeal.

Technology has also expanded what is possible. Advances in materials, printing, inlays and manufacturing have created new opportunities to translate artwork onto eyewear in ways that would have been difficult when AYA first began.

One of AYA’s most meaningful creative relationships is with Chrétien. Their connection began when Donald was an AYA customer. After purchasing several frames, he reached out to Carla and invited her to look at his artwork. What began as a customer relationship developed into a long-term creative collaboration.

That relationship recently found a striking new expression in Toronto with the unveiling of Chrétien’s Roots of Hope mural at the Church of the Redeemer.

Installed along the avenue roadside of the church, the large-scale work draws on Indigenous beadwork traditions as a form of communication while reflecting the long history of Indigenous presence on the site. Flowing roots change to blue as they reach downward, referencing an ancient creek beneath the church. Shifts in colour across the mural evoke the four stages of life, the four seasons, the cardinal directions and the colours of the Medicine Wheel.

The mural forms part of the Church of the Redeemer’s ongoing commitment to reconciliation and demonstrates how Indigenous art can connect history, place and contemporary expression.

For Carla, the project carried particular meaning because of both her relationship with Donald and her own connection to Toronto. She studied fashion at what is now Toronto Metropolitan University and lived downtown during the 1980s, remembering the city as an exciting centre of fashion, music and creativity.

There is even an unexpected connection between their Toronto stories. Years later, Carla and Donald discovered that they had both spent time at Nuts & Bolts, a well-known fixture of Toronto’s alternative creative scene.

Looking at where AYA is today, the brand has developed well beyond Carla’s original vision. Collaborations have taken her across Canada and into the United States, including the Wind Warriors Collection with South Dakota artist Jim Yellowhawk. Independent optical stores have also become an important part of the AYA story, creating opportunities for artists, communities and consumers to come together through events and pop-ups.

For Carla, one of the most rewarding parts of the journey is seeing an artist’s reaction when they first see their finished eyewear. That moment captures much of what AYA is about: collaboration, respect and the opportunity to introduce exceptional artwork to a new audience.

As AYA looks toward 2027, new artists, collaborations and international opportunities are already on the horizon. The possibilities continue to expand, but the foundation remains the same: wearable eyewear with a story, created with authenticity and respect.

As an independent Canadian designer, Carla has created something that is visually distinctive while also reflecting the creativity and diversity of the Canadian eyewear landscape. AYA is a reminder that a frame can be more than an accessory. It can be a canvas, a conversation and a connection to a much larger story.

Want to see more like this article? Click here to subscribe to our FREE print magazines and e-newsletters!