Can everyday fashion be considered art? Maybe it depends on your frame of reference. And local artist Alex Israel, the designer behind Freeway Eyewear, perceives everything from the West. 

For his latest creative venture, Israel tackled the emblematic accessory of Southern California. “Making sunglasses seemed like a way to have a real effect on the way people see, which is something I feel art has always sought to do,” he says.

The collection itself is straightforward: bold, glossy, timeless, without too much effort. Five styles (named after Route 1; Interstate 15; and the 10, 110, and 405 Freeways) will have you made in the shade even as the sun beats down on afternoon traffic.

L.A. Rays, the sixth, is based off the Laguna Beach style of the mid-’90s. Best part: All styles hover around $100, and that’s no optical illusion.

Available at Maxfield, 8825 Melrose Avenue, between North Robertson Boulevard and North La Peer Drive, West Hollywood (310-274-8800). To see styles, go to freewayeyewear.com.

Photo: Anthony Friedkin / Courtesy of Freeway