Fashion

glass act

emma roberts gets into some shady business, with the help of nanette lepore.

by rebecca willa davis

A pair of oversized sunglasses is practically a requirement if you're a celebrity. How else to guard against blinding flashbulbs (or, alternately, cover-up any late-night partying from the paparazzi)? But not many actors can claim to wear a pair of shades that they inspired.

So consider Emma Roberts one of the lucky few. The NYLON cover star became muse for Nanette Lepore, who designed a pair of sunglasses for Vogue Eyewear named after her. The "Emma" features a classic cat-eye shape with gold applique detailing and gradient lenses; like their namesake, the pair are elegant but still edgy. "I have always been a huge fan of [Nanette Lepore's] work and was very impressed with her design," explains Roberts, adding, "I love the cat eye shape and the white on gold color palette. They channel Marilyn [Monroe]--old Hollywood meets new Hollywood, which I think is very cool." That was exactly what Lepore saw in her: "Emma Roberts embodies that spirit of idealism and sophistication.

She was the perfect muse." For the actress, it was in many ways a dream come true. As she explains, "I think every girl dreams to be the muse for something, and I am honored to be considered an inspiration for Nanette's sunglass design." But the best part? You don't have to be a muse yourself to wear them. The limited-edition frames hit Sunglass Hut (and online) this month. Consider it the ultimate in shady business.