The latest encounter between fashion and art sees enigmas collide with a creative collaboration between polymorphic actress Tilda Swinton and trendsetting Korean eyewear brand, Gentle Monster.

Founded in 2011 upon a philosophy of high-end experimentation, Gentle Monster is a comparatively fresh face in the world of avant-garde fashion, but we’ve all learned by now to expect something out of the ordinary with Swinton (as we should from someone who once slept in a glass box in a museum for a week.)

Their creative alliance has Swinton challenge a scarlet figure—could be Death, could be her alter-ego—in a mirrored chess match as well as a fencing duel in a short film The Endgame, shot by American artist Erik Madigan Heck.

Inspired by iconic Scottish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman’s The Seventh Seal, where a knight challenges Death to a match of chess, and set to ominous violin music, the overall tone is otherworldly, strangely calming, and somehow, unapologetically Swinton.

"Not only is she Gentle Monster’s muse, but she also represents the core identity of what Gentle Monster is all about."

“Gentle Monster has always been an avid admirer of Ms Swinton’s artistry," said Taye Yun, Gentle Monster's U.S. Vice President. "Whether through film, photography or performance art, her vision and aesthetic are in line with the Gentle Monster DNA."

Swinton also lent her aforementioned aesthetic with a directorial influence on the design of the collection with Gentle Monster. Simply titled "Tilda Swinton x Gentle Monster" and launching on March 1, it includes three new eyewear styles and colourways, fusing metal and acetate together into striking silhouettes—the NEWTONIC, EYE EYE and TRICKOFTHELIGHT.

What with Art Month looming, there’s never been a better time to indulge your inner fashionista and whet your artistic appetite at the same time. Swinton herself walks the line between actress and fashion muse, having previously worked with Dior and Chanel. Catch her in this year’s films Okja and Suspiria.

Get your Swinton-approved shades starting March 1, only available at Gentle Monster’s Hong Kong flagship, “The Platform”, and selected Puyi Optical stores. gentlemonster.com

See also: In Conversation With Pop & Suki