Peoples from Barbados: the captivating Bajan way

Jalicia Nightengale wears PFB

A vision of sun-drenched island vistas and fabulous colours, Peoples from Barbados eyewear by Alicia Hartman returns to inspire uplifting reflections for the future with new photography by Jaryd Niles-Morris, and Barbadian model Jalicia Nightengale.

Accompanying the imagery, and for the first time, the brand is publishing poetic words dedicated to the precious community from where it draws hope and inspiration – by the travelling street poet, Kevin Devaney.

“If the future that you are gazing towards is as bright as the Bajan sun, remember, it is a star and you are too, Peoples from Barbados” Kevin Devaney for PFB Eyewear

Peoples from Barbados PFB13: Jalicia Nightengale at Half Moon Fort

Peoples from Bardados eyewear lives and breathes the beauty, colour and spirit of the Bardados community. Produced exclusively in Japan, the eyewear collection highlights an extraordinary versatility in design style. The collection has grown to a complete set of 10 models, incorporating styles for men and women. PFB13, worn by Nightengale in the new shoot, is created in a pastel shade of mysterious purple pink acetate with glamorous grey undertones, finished with a high-end Japanese polishing technique to reveal a graduated shiny to matt finish across the surface. https://peoplesfrombarbados.com Find your PFB style at Alicia Hartman’s online store: www.eyeqstylistopticians.com

Centro Ottico Bastia: Insta personality

In the third and final recommendation in our series on creativity on Instagram this week, meet Chiara Veronese @centro_ottico_bastia, a young Italian optician and designer with an eye for style and curated imagery.

Chiara Veronese’s IG profile @centro_ottico_bastia is colourful, personal and full of fun and glamour. With a background in art and graphic design, Veronese took over her father’s optical store in 2016, and has a special passion for independent creative design. “After graduating from the University of the Arts London in 2011 I studied to be an optician in Italy,” she told Eyestylist. ” Today I’m the owner, the manager, the creative, the cleaner: I’m a one-woman band!”

Interior shot at Centro Ottico Bastia (at the foot of the Euganean hills, Veneto, Italy)

With posts that visualise the beautiful chic style of the shop, as well as Chiara’s personal edit of eyewear, design, fashion and accessories, a few very elegant selfies are also highlighted as part of the styling of this page, demonstrating the unique qualities of the frames in store.

“My IG inspiration is always connected with independent brands and creative individuals,” she says. “I follow many accounts on travel, design and ceramics, and I have a soft spot for Japanese photography and architecture. I’m very attracted to one-off projects, collaborations and hybrid design (useful vs beautiful).”

Asked how she’s faired in lockdown, she says she has tried to see it as a chance to explore creativity within the limits of her home. “For IG I’ve been using only what is immediately available and mundane, everyday objects and settings. I also had the opportunity to experiment with my first, rudimentary posts via IGTV.”  Via Veneto 54, Loc. Bastia, 35030 Rovolon PD, Italy. Find out more about Centro Ottico Bastia at the new website: www.centrootticobastia.it

Nina More: Insta inspiration “from the heart”

In our special series about creativity on Instagram, we introduce @nina_more_eyewear, a new Insta page by the Spanish design brand Nina Mûr designed to “connect, support and share” across the optical/optician community.

The Spanish label, already present on Instagram with their brand page @nina_mur_eyewear, have launched a second page @nina_more_eyewear, with design and lifestyle inspiration specifically for the optical community. “We wanted to share our knowledge, inspiration and philosophy with passionate opticians,” Lorena Serrano, Co-founder and Creative Director told Eyestylist. “To inspire and empower them to improve their sales – and also to feel good. On this page we  highlight sustainability, slow luxury, arts & crafts, design and innovation.”

Thought-provoking, design inspiration in new Instagram page : Nina More

The page curates a wide variety of imagery about design, display, creative composition, colour and eyewear inspiration based on the brand’s main values but translating them into ideas and tips about window dressing, set design and decoration, marketing concepts and elegant minimal ideas for presentation.

“We see this side of Nina as a new window on our work – beyond glasses,” explains Lorena. “It talks about our philosophy and our soul and our activities beyond eyewear as a creative agency. Here you will find more variety of content and more value, giving ‘more’ and sharing ‘more’.”

Nina Mûr is a refined wooden eyewear label – crated by Davide Fichera and Lorena Serrano and based in Madrid. The label focuses on independent production, high quality and sustainabile materials, innovation and craft. Visit @nina_more_eyewear by @nina_mur_eyewear on Instagram – and find out more at www.ninamur.com

Jean Philippe Joly: Instagram portraits

A special series of three posts about creativity on Instagram highlighting three individuals with an eye for social media and a unique design-focused content style

Bold compositions. Real people. Creative style and energy. Eyewear designer Jean Philippe Joly runs his own Instagram page @jeanphilippejolysunglasses with the hashtag #passionisborn. The photos are for the most part by the designer himself who tells personal stories of “travels, meeting people, art, furniture and new eyewear designs.”  Above: “Be ready for the summer: model Seducteur by Jean Philippe Joly – available as a sunglass or ophthalmic model.”

Prototype frame created at home during lockdown: coming soon / Autumn 2020 – for Silmo 2020 release

Joly is a believer in capturing the attention of a real audience on Instagram with similar values and interests in design and life who appreciate his photographs and the stories he tells.

His time during lockdown, he says, has been dedicated to the creation of new designs for Autumn/Winter 20/21 which will preview at Silmo in October. He has worked on all the prototypes himself by hand from scratch in his workshop so they can be ready to go to into a limited edition production at the factory in the next weeks. “I want it to be perfect!”

Model Seducteur by Jean Philippe Joly: colours include a dark green with lemon yellow and a matt black with tortoise – as well as a patterned Mazzucchelli acetate

Originally from Paris, Jean Philippe Joly is a passionate traveller, designer, and eyewear + design connoisseur. Made exclusively in Italy, his frames are graphic and characterful with strong shapes and colours that highlight their unique artisan characteristics. With just over 12 timeless styles, each piece in the collection has an expressive design and colour palette which makes it immediately recognisable as a JPJ design. Find out more at www.jeanphilippejoly.com

Joe Doucet: face shield as fashion piece

With the expected long-term need for personal face protection in our daily lives against Covid-19 post lockdown, designer Joe Doucet has created a face shield with integrated sunglass lenses and arms – the first of its kind. The studio is currently seeking a brand or eyewear manufacturing partner to produce the unique futuristic design in a collaborative project.

Studies have shown that face shields or visors are much more effective than surgical style face masks, but in their current basic format they are uncomfortable and awkward. Doucet’s design aims to make wearing face protection “more practical and less alien and intrusive on the wearer”, integrating a fashion-forward ‘futuristic’ look more akin to trends in contemporary apparel and fashion in general. The design proposed with polycarbonate shield integrates an anti-fog coating to ensure clear vision when in use.

A face shield you would want to wear? An exclusive design by Joe Doucet

The design studio hopes that by improving the basic face shield design to a level that creates desirability in the product as an easy-to-wear fashion accessory aligned with sunwear, greater uptake for personal protection can be further encouraged in the weeks and months once lockdown is eased.

Based in New York, Joe Doucet is an award-winning designer, entrepreneur and inventor. After graduating from the Art Center College of Design, Doucet began exporting his vision into product, furniture, environment, and technology to find solutions for daily and societal challenges through design. His work deftly hybridizes function and visual appeal while conveying layers of meaning and message. Doucet believes that design and, more importantly, a designer’s thought process can play a larger role in innovation and problem solving, as well as aesthetics. He currently holds numerous patents for his designs and inventions. Find our more about his work at www.joedoucet.com Photography supplied by kind permission of Joe Doucet. – CN

Anna-Karin Karlsson ‘for a life less ordinary’

Haute couture eyewear with an avant-garde design

Putting a maximalist style at the heart of her work, eyewear designer Anna-Karin Karlsson has created a world of eyewear apart from the everyday. Decoration such as carved flowers, exotic wildlife and fantastical bugs and ‘claws’ have featured as embellishments for fronts, temples and bridges in works that highlight extravagant materials (24k gold, white gold and titanium) and immaculate execution.

This season, the collection unfolds with new dramatic sun entries, ‘Shady Luv’ and ‘Too Handsome’ defined by sophisticated forms with minute engraving work and jewellery settings. In 100% Japanese titanium, Shady Luv is hand-set with Swarovski crystals. Each colorway is available in just 100 limited edition pieces. The style is a reminder of the oversized mask shapes of the 00s with single visor lens. Above: Shady Luv, pictured in white gold with Zeiss mirrored lens.

Too Handsome by Anna-Karin Karlsson
Style “Too Handsome” combines Japanese acetate and titanium with attention to metal detailing and the engraving of AKK lettering. Another Limited edition entry, each colour of this design is produced in less than 50 pieces.
Anna-Karin Karlsson eyewear is available in luxury retail outlets around the world and online at https://annakarinkarlsson.com/shop/sunglasses/

Aviators: a directional design style

Aviator sunglasses continue to earn their iconic status. They lift and compliment most outfits with extraordinary versatility, a style staple through seasons and activities, from beach to business. The original teardrop silhouette is adaptable for many face shapes – just as much for women as men; it’s recommended if you have an oval, heart or square shaped face, but for the most part, with so many versions and sizes, there’s one for us all.

Independent eyewear labels are exploring the lightweight qualities of the design whilst make subtle changes to aesthetic details, eye shapes, lens colours or technical features to bring the styles a new-found directional elegance.

Above: Berlin-based designer Veronika Wildgruber’s new collection is inspired by geometry, the future and architecture. The Kent frame in the Interspace collection explores a completely new shaping of the lower section of the double bridge. Photo by @kerstinzupan. For more details about designer Veronika Wildgruger visit www.eyewear.veronikawildgruber.com

LINDBERG 8209: modern minimal lines + traditional teardrop lens shape

The LINDBERG 8209 is part of the Air Titanium line with full-rim made entirely of ultralight titanium wire. The frame is vintage inspired and timeless yet fully on trend with a choice of colourful Zeiss sun lenses, ranging from traditional to bold and bright. www.LINDBERG.com

Delon by Gotti Switzerland – an ophthalmic shape, adapted from the classic aviator

Gotti Switzerland’s new entries for Summer include the very finely structured model Delon, a large shape for men, with a slightly angled rim below the top bridge line. The minimal design is achievable through the expert application of ultralight Japanese titanium. www.gotti.ch

Oversized sunglasses

We have a soft spot for oversized sunglasses, particularly the round ones and the styles that Jackie O’ made her own. The shape is here again – of course it is! – worn in a variety of ways, by all ages, with quirky individuality or classic poise, a celebration of timelessness and characterful ‘iconic’ style. Above: huge round, idiosyncratic and ageless – vintage-infused sunglasses with pale lenses – shielding the face while the eyes are still visible. Photo by Gennaro D’Elia (Paris Fashion Week) exclusively for Eyestylist.com

For a dazzling Jackie O’ design: Oliver Goldsmith: The 1960s – 001

From Oliver Goldsmith’s wonderful series of iconic designs (there are several Jackie O’ styles here, depending on your face shape), the bold 001 is produced in classic acetate materials in perfectly chic colorations which include black leopard, military white or black powder (above). The frame, which is ideal for an average width face, is available to purchase online at www.olivergoldsmith.com

Jackie-inspired: Christian Roth’s glamorous ‘Jackie 60’ – UV protection + classic styling

For a statement tortoise model, Christian Roth revives the look in the graceful model Jackie 60, one of a line of distinctive designs in the iconic collection, combining the styling so popular with the former first lady and the exacting contemporary finish of a technically robust Japanese made frame. Find out more at https://christianroth.com

From lockdown, Nina Mûr launch design project

#THEGOODQUARANTINE Collection by @nina_mur_eyewear – Spanish label is producing its next edition in virtual collaboration with opticians through the lockdown

Nina Mûr founders Lorena Serrano and Davide Fichera have launched a sustainable design project during the coronavirus quarantine – out of their home in Madrid – to share the creation of their next edition of eyewear with opticians. Their aim is to produce something both creative and unique at this unprecedented time through virtual connection with friends and optical partners.

The design duo plans to create five unique collaborative styles in the Quarantine collection – underlining the sustainable concept and production typical of the Nina Mûr brand while bringing together a community of like-minded people to create a human connection and shared ‘creative’ experience beyond the isolation and lonely existence of lockdown. Above: Lorena working from home on lockdown in Madrid (April 2020) – pictured with son Luca

“We will create these glasses with our usual sustainable materials, principally wood, and our usual local production in Madrid,” explains Serrano. “We have asked friends and optician contacts taking part to provide a drawing or a photo of a drawing as a starting point. We have people working on this project around the world, in Japan, France, Italy and the USA. Once the designs are in they will then vote themselves on their favourite designs – we propose to create the most ‘popular’ five styles through this process, once the voting is completed the week after next.”

#TheGoodQuarantine Collection by @nina_mur_eyewear + @nina_more_eyewear with be available for purchase in May 2020. Watch this space to see the collection soon! For more information visit www.ninamur.com

 

Oliver Goldsmith Sunglasses

Claire Goldsmith on her family legacy

Since 1926, fans of the Oliver Goldsmith label have been drawn to the pure heritage style and signature design flair of this British brand which continues under the direction of Claire Goldsmith, the great granddaughter of the founder. Claire took the business under her wing in 2005, leaving a steady regular job to reignite the tremendous legacy and style of her family’s historic company.

In a new video, Claire talks about the origins of the business, the release of Oliver Goldsmith “sunspecs” at Fortnum & Mason in Picadilly in London in the late 1930s, and the appearance of OG in Vogue in 1942 – the first acknowledgment by a fashion magazine of the potential of spectacles as a statement style accessory.

Above: The iconic OG style Yatton – first created in London in 1964 – has been re-released in the gorgeous colour combination described as White Christmas Maze. The soft geometric shaping of the design provides the iconic dramatic glamour typical of the Oliver Goldsmith label. https://www.olivergoldsmith.com/product/yatton/

The video (above) – ‘An introduction to Oliver Goldsmith by Claire Goldsmith’ – includes rare footage and imagery of early OG designs, and the most famous people who have worn the glasses through the last decades…personalities who include musicians, actors, actresses and members of the royal family whose eyewear was a natural enhancement to their style and personality.

Decades: The 1930’s: small sunglasses

Today, the Spring season brings new colourful releases to the iconic OG collection which preserves its history and artisan quality, in designs reignited through the label’s extensive and carefully preserved archives – and the intricate skill and technological benefits of modern eyewear crafting. In the Decades collection, this thick rimmed round sunglass style pays homage to the 1930s, and the Hollywood stars of the era. The frame is handmade in Japan from acetate and comes with 2-base flat 100% UVA/UVB lenses with backside AR coating.

Icons Manhattan 1960 – as worn by Audrey Hepburn

One of the most famous styles in the Oliver Goldsmith repertoire, the Manhattan sunglasses – represent classical statement style with the perfect timeless balance of shape and colour. As well as the iconic dark and light tortoise versions, the Manhattan sunglasses are made in contemporary tones of mocha or the delightful ‘rain’ colour – a delicately mottled blue/black finish. Find out more about the iconic specs and sunglass styles by Oliver Goldsmith and visit the online store at www.olivergoldsmith.com

Vintage-infused, 4 different ways

Timeless, detail conscious, with a peerless level of craft

Four distinctive shapes, created with luxury materials and precise artisan workmanship. The quality of eyewear designed with dedication and exceptional attention to detail, as it was in past decades, continues to garner attention, underlining traditional values with reflection on genuine workmanship and innovation.

At the German company Coblens, the metal collection ‘Schiffahrtsstrasse’ – with focus on titanium, made in Japan – presents very narrow rimmed classic shapes this season – where every detail is visible, functional and reliable. Aviator and pilot shapes as well as round and multi-sided vintage-inspired glasses provide looks for everyday and multiple face shapes. Above: the soft octagononal model Mole in the Titanium collection, Schiffahrtsstrasse by Coblens. The octagon is a lovely flattering shape which is currently enjoying a resurgence. www.coblens.com

Gauloise by Lafont Paris – glamorous patterning and a monochrome colour palette

The classic shaping of model Gauloise by Lafont Paris is enriched with artistic colour combinations or fabric effects, which add subtle sparkle and delicate light reflections. Visit www.lafont.com for more details on the new luxurious classic styles in their extensive artisan eyewear collection.

Berwick by Savile Row – hand polished rhodium

The Berwick is an iconic design in the British-made Savile Row collection. Offering clean lines with its beautiful architectural brow line and rectangular eye shape the frame has a statement elegance which is both alluring and flattering, highlighting the line of  the wearer’s natural brow line. Find a selection of classic spectacles, monocles and sunglass clips in their online store at www.savileroweyewear.com

Christian Roth – Round-Wav in Amber Smoke – described by Roth as a ‘spacey oval’

Christian Roth continues to present exceptional pieces of design as a part of Dita Group; deconstructing its own precious archive of frames and re-imagining a new paradigm of style. The oval shape of Round-Wav (available as an ophthalmic or sunglass style) is a common thread in Roth’s collections and is significant now as one of the favourite trending ‘vintage’ inspired looks. Roth’s designs have been worn by a host of celebrities in the last decades including Kate Moss, Lenny Kravitz and Kurt Cobain, who wore the iconic oval Series 6558. For more information: www.christianroth.com

Einstoffen

A pledge to show support of independent retailers in the COVID-19 crisis with donation from online sunglass sales

Young Swiss eyewear label Einstoffen is taking immediate action in light of the global health crisis by donating a percentage of their online sunglasses sales back to their long-term optical partners.

Philippe Rieder told Eyestylist: “We have decided to support our customers in these difficult times as much as our strengths allow. From 18th March to 19th April 2020, 50% of the turnover of each pair of sunglasses purchased online will be credited to the opticians in the town where the purchase has been made.”

“We do not want to benefit at the expense of our partners. Our corrective frames will continue to be available only in specialist shops but we hope that this percentage of our online sunglasses sales could at least help alleviate our customers’ losses in some way…”
Einstoffen: sunglasses collection SS20

This spring, the brand has launched its biggest collection yet: ‘Stand Tall, Run Free’ with 40 new styles in titanium, wood acetate and steel. It celebrates independent minds and free spirits with forward-thinking designs, unusual materials and material combinations, with a focus on easy-to-wear design with the occasional ‘surprising twist’.

Einstoffen ‘Stand Tall, Run Free’

‘Stand Tall, Run Free’ stays true to the signature Einstoffen style, mixing natural resources with technical materials and easy-fitting shapes. New eye-catching details include very detailed micro-engravings, sprayed titanium, lenses in multiple colours and tiny wooden inserts. Find out more about the collection at www.einstoffen.ch

EINSTOFFEN is a young eyewear and fashion brand founded in 2008 by four friends from Switzerland. Inspired by nature, art, film and music, the brand has since created shirts, glasses, sunglasses, T-shirts and watches for cosmopolitan individualists with a sense of humour. “In our eyes, eyewear and streetwear, nature and urbanity, Swiss quality awareness and a pinch of extravagance go together very well.”