By Clodagh on May 8, 2012
8th May 2012 I just got these two images in from Glasgow’s famous optical store, Niche Optical Tailor…and we wanted to share them immediately. The images come from an incredible shoot that has done some great work with these two ultra-luxe frames…the black panto is part of the Thom Browne Collection (New York) and the metal frame (the Oxford) above is the cousin of one we have reviewed on Eyestylist, the Cambridge from the precious Leisure Society collection (www.leisure-society.com)…few words are needed here, this is how standout eyewear should look! Our thanks go out to the fantastic team, including model agency Model Team, for giving us permission to share the images today.
Fashion credits: Styling, Lisa Ringrose; Photography, Armando Ferrari; Hair, Gary Lees using tecni.art by L’Oreal Professionel; Make-up, Piffanne for Academy of Make Up; Model, Jamie Walker at Model Team. Tailoring, Hugo Boss at Cruise.
Eyewear featured available at Niche Optical Tailor, 119 Candleriggs, Glasgow www.nicheopticaltailor.co.uk CN
Spectacles from the Thom Browne Collection
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By Clodagh on May 8, 2012
8th May 2012 Yesterday we featured an interview with Anna Zaboeva of Pleasemachine, and as a fan of recycling herself, she mentioned the Australian brand, Holloway Eyewear, which we have explored a little further. Based in Brisbane, Holloway is one of a new generation of labels focusing on sustainable production and recycled materials…others include the Eco line by Modo, and one of my favourites in this genre, the Catalan label, Vuerich B.
Reclaimed materials used by Holloway include anything from old skate boards to guitars. Founders Raffaele Persichetti and Martin Gordon Brown are committed to ecological awareness and manufacture that respects the environment, designing frames that are in tune with these values, whilst being trendy and desirable as fashion products.
Raffaele Persichetti: “We seek to maintain our existence with a better understanding of our impact and always act purposefully with tomorrow in mind. Our material capabilities are growing rapidly, and we’re getting into scavaging from hard industries like metals and stone. We’ve finished prototypes of the snowboard range and are playing round more with finishing in natural pigments and stains which are really changing the end product.”
Holloway Eyewear
For more details on Holloway Eyewear in Australia, visit www.hollowayeyewear.com.au
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By Clodagh on May 7, 2012
Anna Zaboeva, footwear designer, Pleasemachine, Budapest
7th May 2012 Our friends at CraftHunters.com have lead us to Anna Zaboeva, the Siberian-born shoe designer, and this great picture of her in vintage shades. I asked Anna about her work and her interest in eyewear.
“My label Pleasemachine Peculiar Footwear, is a beautiful blend of design and pure craftsmanship. Each pair of shoes is made in the traditional way, slowly and with passion, from fine leather and recycled textiles which I find on the street.
Recycling is a major area of my design and I have a great affinity with other modern designers who also do beautiful things using recycling. In terms of eyewear I’ve got a few cool and rare designs from Tipton (www.tipton.hu) made of recycled music vinyls, and still can’t choose which is my favorite among Holloway’s designs made of recycled skates, surf and snowboards (www.hollowayeyewear.com.au)
I consider the role of sunglasses in style and fashion to be very significant. It’s an essential accessory for me, and I have about a dozen favourites in my modest collection. Generally they are vintage – some without names, and from great fashion houses like Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent. In the picture I am wearing vintage sunglasses which I have not been able to identify, I found them on the street. I like to wear things which are older than me or at least have a story behind them. An old, well-designed pair of sunglasses can make me look elegant, or hot, or funny or carefree, and sometimes all of these at once.
Pleasemachine boots
Comfort is always important too. I have quite a small nose so I have a hard time with frames that don’t have good nose pads that can elevate the frame off the cheeks, enough to avoid traces and prevent potential stretching of the skin.
Sometimes I do some work on a new or old frame myself, to get a perfect fit. Customized eyewear, from the fitting to the design, would be a dream for me. Just like I design and customise my shoes.” www.pleasemachine.net www.tipton.hu CN
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By Clodagh on May 4, 2012
Wild West Inspiration for Jono Hennessy
4th May 2012 “I’ve had a whole Western thing going on in my head for some time, and I love the combination of leather and metal. I found a vintage Western belt buckle in the market, and we commissioned two jewellery makers to actually carve the pattern in reverse for Rancho Deluxe, so that we could stamp the frame shape out. I designed the pattern specifically for the shape of this frame – it’s not just stamped out of a sheet. My favourite colour is the copper, like the rivets on old jeans, combined with a ‘Bentley-dashboard’ briar wood acetate temple – the light green sun lenses compliment this combination beautifully.
Rancho Deluxe with custom carving by Jono Hennessy
“We have started a new direction in sunglasses from last year, getting away from the heavy acetates. We are probably a little bit early at this stage, however, I am sure we will see more textured metal coming up at Silmo (the Paris optical fair).” www.jonohennessy.com JG
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By Clodagh on May 1, 2012
Sven Götti Talks About His Favourite Design
1st May 2012 During this month’s series, ‘Trends Under The Sun’, we’ll be chatting with designers about their favourite sunglasses. The series opens with Sven Götti of Götti Switzerland.
“My favourite sunglass frame in this collection is Pepe 360° in black pearl. The inspiration was the Cary Grant look from the old Alfred Hitchcock movies. The sunglasses were small and cool at that time. I want to give the wearer the chance to stay out of the crowd among all the big sunglasses that we see at the moment. This frame is in Titanium, and our sunglasses are made with the same manufacturer as the optical frames, so the quality is insured.
“We do only three colours – silver,gold and black, in order to give the frame an authentic look. Of course, we added our foldable Spin & Stow temples, for a new modern feature.”
Pepe 360° from Gotti Switzerland
Götti Switzerland has just received the prestigious iF Product Design Award 2012, for their innovative concepts in sunglass design. www.gotti.ch JG
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By Clodagh on April 30, 2012
Vintage Optical Boutique for Cinema and TV
30th April 2012 A dream was the inspiration for the creation of Old Focals – the iconic Pasadena California boutique that supplies vintage eyewear for movies and TV productions. Owner Russ Campbell shares his story: “I had a dream in which an old man gave me his sunglasses, and I was writing down my dreams at the time. He said to me ‘you can have these old focals’. This gave me a vision, and from there I began to search out vintage eyewear. I find frames in shops, markets, and antique shops. I have bought frames everywhere, from garage sales to eyeglass companies that liquidate. I have also travelled internationally amassing my collection – the first collection came from Detroit.
“Old Focals has provided frames for Harry Potter, JFK, Benjamin Button, Men in Black, Spiderman, and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, to name a few. I also do Mad Men, The Office and Greys Anatomy.” Old Focals also provided the frames for J. Edgar, the recent film about FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Although Old Focals is all about Vintage, Campbell has a solid footing in current market forces. He is manufacturing his own collection, developing brand recognition, and “eagerly attacking internet sales.” You don’t have to be a film star to enjoy wearing vintage eyewear from Old Focals! www.oldfocals.com JG
Posted in Category header, Design and Inspiration
By Clodagh on April 28, 2012
Selima Salaun, Selima Optique
28th April 2012 The Selima Optique team have sent us some great shots of the launch of their vintage pop-up shop, including this one above of Selima Salaun and Simon Galaviz wearing pieces from the ‘London Collection’ which we reported on earlier in the month! Here are a few more below. We are sad we couldn’t be there! Selima is an avid fan of eyewear of all types….as a designer she understands that many of today’s top eyewear brands are mined from the past, and she continues to build a rich archive of options featuring the best in high-design and high-quality.
She has a devoted following of vintage clients who continue collecting the rarest of pieces, but she also likes to give those who are not in-the-know a chance to find a truly original, one-of-a-kind pair of frames.
Alongside her handmade creations, each Selima Optique shop boasts a curated selection from some of the most trusted names in the optical arena including Alain Mikli, Cazal, Christian Dior, Gucci, Mykita and Persol. Visit when next in New York (or Paris), we will be!
Selima Salaun and Catherine Malandrino
Dana Endundo and Drue Kataoka
Photography provided exclusively by Selima Optique.
Selima Optique / Bond 07 Showroom, 7 Bond Street, NYC, NY 10012 www.selimaoptique.com CN
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By Clodagh on April 27, 2012
Three glamorous cat’s eyes
27th April 2012 While there are masses of cat’s eyes, classic and modified, I decided to pick out some special ones for our vintage coverage…but I have to emphasise there really are so many good ones this was not an easy exercise. Here are three that I’ve seen in the last days that have a special something in terms of the styling…. but I have loads more to recommend in our Sunglasses Special next month…
The sunglasses above are a vintage pair, part of a collection by Lunettes Kollektion’s designer Uta Geyer, who has an online vintage store at www.lunettes-shop.de. This is a very strong shape by the much-loved designer Christian Roth, a friend of ours who has made eyewear history with a number of brilliant one-off creations (I didn’t know these were by Christian Roth when I selected them, so it was a pleasant surprise). I’m very keen on the squared off sides of this interpretation, and the lens shape which is cheeky and elegant at the same time.
Vanni, Stratos V3609
From this year’s collections, this design from Vanni, an Italian brand produced by Nico Design, has charisma. It is very feminine, cute in its patterning and the two-tone front is a very important trend this year that looks really splendid here. I haven’t tried this on but I should expect it to be an easy-to-wear catseye, sweet and classic.
I-I model 033M by Italia Independent
Also from Italy, by the label Italia Independent, is this hybrid between a catseye and a butterfly design, produced in metal for a completely different effect. The model is called I-I 033M; it is quite sleek and a very nice choice for smaller faces. This colour is punchy, as is the statement gold version. From what I hear this brand is now quite widely available in London; try Bromptons (www.kensingtonopticians.co.uk) 2020 Optical Store (www.20-20.co.uk), or Schullers (www.schulleropticians.com) www.italiaindependent.com CN
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