I always enjoy learning about how the Vineyard inspires people. Rob Ianelli has been coming to the Island for 25 of his 29 years. It is here that his best memories have been and continue to be made.
Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, and being one himself, Rob has begun a number of businesses on Martha’s Vineyard.
He did What’s Up Martha, is the founder of Brewsees Eyewear, which are polarized sunglasses that offer the wearer the perfect accessory for opening bottles and cans (a popular online business), and now Norton Point.
An Eye For Style
Continuing with eye wear, which Rob knows well and is a good platform for capturing style, Rob started Norton Point which he launched in April of 2015.
Inspired by the Trustees of the Reservation (which was Rob’s dream job when he was a kid) and its Norton Point property, comes a line of heritage inspired sunglasses, accessories, and clothing.
Norton Point began as sunglasses which are clean, classic and meant to capture the hearts of Islanders and visitors alike, whether you’re a fisherman or a fortune 500 CEO.
The glasses are simple, handmade, and have serious polarized lenses. There are different color options, many of which are color blocked. This Fall look for additions of tortoise, including green tortoise.
The style is classic, yet fresh with the colors, and of course, has the coordinates of Norton Point located on the arm. Also note the triangle signifying that it’s a Norton Point pair of shades. To sweeten the deal, the price point is reasonable too, $100.
In addition to the sunglasses, which you can find at Slate in Edgartown, and on the Norton Point website, a line of t-shirts and hats were introduced. These you can find at Backwater, also in Edgartown. However, they sell out pretty quickly.
With the Fall, there will soon be wool beanies made with wool from Allen Sheep Farm. There are also leather anchors (croakies), designed on MV and made in Fall River by Sounder Goods, and there will be more things added over the next 12 months. The response has been so amazing, things are selling out, and that’s with no advertising.
Well, the only advertising Rob has been doing is Instagram. He bought a cool 1974 Toyota Land Cruiser that has become Norton Point’s unofficial mascot. It is a nod to an era, the heyday of Martha’s Vineyard.
With Norton Point, Rob is working to create timeless style. A style that captures the classic Vineyard – the Vineyard that exists for 12 months of the year, not just the three months so many people know.
He’s hoping to create heritage items, a brand that is effortless and approachable, but with a point. For him, he believes everyone has their own Norton Point, that place that is special to you, #findyourpoint.
I should also mention that Norton Point is not only dedicated to heritage worthy fashion, but it also gives back to the Trustees.
Norton Point can also be found in Nantucket, Watch Hill, RI, and soon Charleston and NYC. Through word of mouth, and menswear blogs, Norton Point has proven to be pretty popular, retailers can’t keep it in stock. So, the brand will be expanding and so will the locations it will be available. This is pretty exciting for a brand designed and inspired on Martha’s Vineyard.
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