Through Leben Paris 1991, he’s turning storytelling and emotional clarity into eyewear.

To live the Leben way is to see the world through a new lens—one shaded in endless summer, quiet luxury, and unapologetic self-expression. Founded by creative multi-hyphenate Sergio Farias, Leben Paris 1991 isn’t just a sunglasses brand—it’s a mood, a lifestyle, and a narrative rooted in storytelling, nostalgia, and emotional clarity.

That instinct for storytelling—across mediums—defines everything Farias touches. Before launching Leben, he worked in public relations, surrounded by brand messaging and image-making. But even then, he was painting on the side, using it as a daily ritual to process the intensity of life. 

That creative process—rooted in honesty and practice—evolved into a broader philosophy that would become the foundation for Leben. Farias, a Mexican-American creative born in 1991 and raised in Los Angeles between vibrant cultures, industries, and mediums, feeds into the layered DNA of the brand. There’s an edge of performance but also deep sincerity. 

“Public relations taught me the value of trust. Painting taught me how to feel. Leben is what happens when you combine both,” expressed Farias.

Sergio’s love for painting became his way of expressing his inner thoughts to the world. “It’s where I release beauty onto canvas and let my anxiety out the door,” he shares about painting. “My art is a form of therapy—it’s how I stay grounded and creatively alive.” 

The result is a brand that doesn’t scream for attention but feels intensely personal. Leben Paris 1991 doesn’t splash logos or chase virality. Its aesthetic is rooted in intention: curved lines, nostalgic hues, and classic shapes. They’re sunglasses that feel like something your future self inherits. Like something passed down from the chicest person you know.

That fascination with character, identity, and reinvention is what drew him to the world of sunglasses. “They were a shield for me,” he says about sunglasses. “I could hide behind them but also become whoever I wanted to be. One day, I was in Saint-Tropez, the next on a red carpet—at least in my imagination. That escapism helped shape the brand’s DNA.”

The word Leben—meaning “life” in German—carries personal weight. “My leben started in 1991,” Farias explains. “That’s when my story began. Thirty-three years of legacy, beauty, and becoming—seen through my eyes.”

If you’re lucky enough to spend time in Farias’s orbit, you’ll see that Leben isn’t just branding—it’s how he lives. From his carefully curated outfits to his deliberate, soulful conversations, all the details tell a story. And maybe that’s the point. That style, when done with feeling, becomes something bigger than fashion. It becomes a lens through which to live.

“I’ve always been a mood dresser,” said Farias with a chuckle. “Unless it’s a big fashion moment, I go with how I’m feeling. But when it’s time, I go in full costume. It’s fun to become a character—we all do it in public.”

Rather than chasing trends, Farias leans into timelessness. “We want to be like a vintage Porsche—classic, passed down, never forgotten.” 

There’s an apparent softness to the collection, but it’s laced with strength: subtle, innovative, and rooted in experience. “Beauty doesn’t need to be expensive or loud,” Farias notes. “It just needs to feel like you.”

As a PR professional and artist, Farias moves fluidly between the worlds of commerce and creativity.

“PR, art, and brand-building all come from the same place: trust, intention, and integrity,” he says. “Leben is an extension of me.”

His inspirations are cinematic: Slim Aarons’ photography, old Riviera glamour, and timeless icons such as Jane Birkin and Cary Grant. 

“I’m nostalgic,” he admits. “But I want to make nostalgia feel fresh. Our colors—baby blue and yellow—are childhood optimism. It’s giving that ‘anything-can-happen’ energy.”

That spirit lives in the community he’s building around Leben. 

“We don’t say ‘customer,’ we say ‘community.’ This isn’t transactional—it’s personal. We’re creating a space where people feel seen, feel beautiful, and feel like anything is possible.”

The concept of the “endless summer” runs deep in the brand’s philosophy. But don’t mistake it for a cliché. For Farias, it’s not about palm trees or resort-core aesthetics—it’s a mindset.

“Even if you’re sitting in your apartment in Queens wearing Leben sunglasses, I want you to feel like you’re walking through Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc with a glass of champagne,” he says. “It’s escapism. It’s a vision. It’s choosing to see the world through beauty, even when life is messy.”

Farias emphasizes depth over speed in terms of what’s next. There are plans, of course—possibly a gallery show that merges his artwork with Leben, maybe a coffee table book of visuals and written reflections. But expansion isn’t the priority.

“I don’t need to do everything at once,” he says. “We’re not racing. We’re just living—softly, clearly, with style.”

And if there’s one feeling he hopes people take away from experiencing Leben Paris 1991, it’s simple: “I want people to feel inspired. That they can dream big and that being kind, calm, and creative can still be a powerful force. That’s the Leben way.”

For more on Leben, check out their website www.leben-paris.com

All images shot by Richard Oliver | Edited by: Cyan Leigh Dacasin