The first Panthère glasses were made in the 1930s by the famous Parisian jeweller Louis Cartier specifically for his friend Jeanne Lanvin. It was of course a very precious and unique piece, in white gold studded with diamonds, while the cat's eyes were made of sapphire... Over time there have been several transpositions from jewellery to Cartier glasses of that proud and fast animal, which has always been one of the most recognisable symbols of the brand. It was Jeanne Toussaint, Louis Cartier's muse, who in the early 1900s inspired the design of a panther next to a woman as an absolute expression of femininity and whose stylised silhouette now also stands out on the temples of some contemporary eyewear models, imparting a dynamic touch that harks back to tradition and legend.

Still on the subject of jewellery, another historic brand such as Bvlgari, which is celebrating 140 years of savoir-faire and luxury this year, relies on the other hand on the sensual, ambiguous and enchanting charm of snakes for the "Serpenti Viper" collection of glasses, mirroring that of the famous jewels, where the reptile becomes the absolute star, with its coils and scales that wind along the temples. The snake as an emblem of the cyclical nature of time and the renewal of life is also the distinctive sign of the glasses of the "Snake Collection" by Roberto Cavalli. It moves meanderingly on the temples, venturing sometimes onto the lenses and fronts. From the darkness of an unpredictable animal in which evil and good entwine, we move on to the whiteness and purity of the Swarovski's swan, a symbol of transformation, change and fierce beauty. It even appears macroscopic, becoming the main decorative element in mask glasses, naturally illuminated by the famous hand-applied crystals.

Animals, symbols and signs become veritable talismans, which you can always take with you, close to your eyes. Close to the heart. As happens with the butterflies that rest gracefully and brightly on the poetic creation of the DiorFantastica line by Dior and that are the leitmotif of an entire collection of dresses. The parallel with female freedom is obvious, and the reference to regaining a new self-awareness through a process of profound mutation and freedom from stereotypes is the message between the lines. Of course, there is no doubt that even a special accessory such as glasses can serve to achieve this goal, to express one's resilience. The butterfly by Anna-Karin Karlsson, a Swedish luxury brand, rests on the double bridge of a precious reinterpretation of drop glasses, almost a third eye to communicate a precise message, to affirm one's presence, one's uniqueness. Strong and delicate at the same time, the Miss Rosell 2.0 model is made of Japanese titanium, resistant and lightweight, and is available in five different colour combinations.

From the impalpable and ephemeral flight of a butterfly to the powerful and proud flight of an eagle hand-cast in sterling silver that unfolds its wings on the temples of the limited edition model Soaring Eagle by Cutler and Gross x The Great Frog (in the opening photo), famous and daring London's rock'n'roll jewellers since 1972. The transparent temples also give a glimpse of the metal soul engraved with another symbol: the chain. Citing the title of David Yates' famous 2016 film "Fantastic beasts and where to find them", we are therefore certain that one of the right places to look for fantastic animals is right here. On the glasses.