From the high tide to high society, Shane Baum of Baumvision and Leisure Society clearly knows how to see the world through some pretty fantastic eyewear. Born in small-town Iowa to an artistic choreographer mother and a jet-setting salesman father, Baum had his sights on the good life before he even realized what it was. When the time came, he left Iowa to attend San Jose State and majored in engineering. Upon completing school, he went onto Southern California to pursue one of his favorite pastimes, surfing. Unbeknownst to him, this is where his eyewear company Baumvision would ultimately be born. While on Laguna Beach, he met Mossimo Gianulli, founder of the Mossimo brand, and secured a position in the company’s warehouse. Within five years, at age 26, Baum had gone from warehouse laborer to the vice president of the brand’s then $3 million eyewear division.
After his successful transition into the world of eyewear, Baum established Baumvision and began producing for some heavy hitters in the industry, starting with Paul Frank. Others included MOSCOT, Modern Amusement and Marc Jacobs for both his own collection and Louis Vuitton. According to Baum: “at the end of the day, design is just an opinion and everyone has one. To be a true designer you have to be able to articulate your opinion through a medium, be it a pencil, lump of charcoal or a computer screen. The key is to be honest with yourself and make the appropriate decisions."
