Eyestylist

A visit to …..Nina Mûr : the sustainable eyewear creators of Madrid

13th October 2026

The eyewear label’s founder, Lorena Serrano has created a unique process for the production of frames in Finnish birch wood in her home city of Madrid – developed from the ground up – through boundless persistence, passion and genuine innovation. On a special tour arranged after Silmo, Eyestylist visited the workshop and studios set up from scratch by Lorena and her team who, through the last 8 years have developed and perfected a system for making creative made-to-order sustainable frames, now sold across the world…

Eyestylist visited Nina Mûr with Kayla Heersink, @opticali_style, Kyla Skinner of Specs by Kyla in Atascadero, California, and Ana Sedes, CEO of Pinkadillac, the business development and strategic consultancy for independent eyewear.

The tour of Nina Mûr began with delicious ‘chocolate and churros’ – a Spanish speciality, and an introduction to the process of making the frames at the label’s busy studios, where the team has grown significantly since our last visit here in 2024. Nina Mûr works with just two “outside” collaborators, one, an architectural practice who have developed the cutting technique for the birchwood pieces with Lorena, and a second workshop responsible for the varnishing stage. Everything else takes place on site in the two-storey studios in Bellas Vistas barrio of Madrid. Above: Lorena Serrano, founder

Production area at Nina Mûr – for finishing stages and final touches – the studio also features a complex storage system for orders in progress as well as an archive of all the frames

Lorena described how, in 2013, they spent much time on the creation of prototypes, often giving up evenings after her day job to test different types of wood for the particular properties needed for the frames. “We really did start from scratch, working with a lot of prototypes in different woods, different resins, different curvatures…it was a lot of development…”. Working initially out of an appartment in which the bathroom was ‘converted’ for production, orders grew exponentially and a new location was soon required.

Today, more than 10 team members are working at the studios in Madrid, and an area downstairs has been equipped in the last two years with a variety of specialised machines needed to facilitate different stages of the process including the creation of the curved plywood sheets, lens edging and finishing. An abrasive blasting cabinet is used for specialist surface preparation and finishing. According to Lorena, around 85% of each frame is made by hand – requiring around 80 steps…”When an order is placed, a very precise system is now operational for the production of the frames,” explained Lorena. This system has been developed through the years to make it as efficient and precise as possible. “It is really really complex,” she told us. “It’s the things that you cannot see that are so important to the process…”

Exploring Nina Mûr with Kayla Heersink @opticali_style and Kyla Skinner of Specs by Kyla

Some of the most detailed work by hand takes place in the studio. Frames created in collaborations such as those with Okuda San Miguel have very very small parts – in this case tiny spikes – which must be added with real precision by hand. The frames in the clay collection featured tiny multicoloured clay pieces that were laid flat on to the wood surface by hand in an artistic formation, another task that could only be done by craftspeople and individuals with a real sensitivity to the creative process of the brand and time it takes to make a frame in this way.”

SILMO Paris - The Optical Fair. 25th - 28th September 2026

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The architect’s studio where the frames are cut from the prepared curved sheets of layered ply wood – the brand has devised an innovative process for cutting the wood sections and small parts of the frames

We visited the architect’s studio near the main studios of Nina Mûr where a small workshop is set up especially for this precision cutting work. The frames are cut using CNC (computer numerical control) and a specially developed software to “add three-dimensionality and guarantee precision, quality and comfort.” Cutting is organised according to the colours and whatever is a priority at the time.

The *Nina Mûr* team – September 2026 – small-scale production of one-of-a-kind frames in Madrid

Wearing a pair of Nina Mûr glasses means wearing something that has been uniquely made for you through a sustainable and exacting process – in Madrid. It is rare to see so many precise stages involved in the creation of individual pieces in any eyewear material, and this innovative sustainable approach to working with plywood, combining technical precision with a signature creative freedom and commitment to slow craftsmanship and hand-finishing, is a completely awe-inspiring achievement in the production of creative, sustainable eyewear design.

Find out more about the brand at www.ninamur.com

See the latest collaboration collection with Okuda San Miguel: www.eyestylist.com/2026/06/artist-collaboration-okuda-x-nina-mur/

Design + Inspiration

Aleš Boem for Valérie Jurčíková

11th October 2026

The Prague-based designer has worked with the fashion designer Valérie Jurčíková – the sports-inspired sunglass styles appeared during her runway shows at Mercedes-Benz Prague Fashion Week

Product designer Aleš Boem (boem.co) developed two sunglass collections for the Czech fashion designer Valérie Jurčíková, shown across two consecutive editions of Mercedes-Benz Prague Fashion Week — Gravity is Optional in April 2026, presented with Harper’s Bazaar, and a second collection that closed the SS27 runway programme on 7th September 2026. Both designs were 3D printed and developed in parallel with the garments rather than sourced as styling. Files then go straight to print, with hand finishing and lens fitting done in-house. The reason for printing is speed to finished object. From first sketch to a complete, wearable collection it took three months with the first line, three weeks with the second. That timeline can be achieved only with local manufacturing, the product designer says.

Jurčíkova’s April collection built on movement as a structural principle, referencing 90s aerobic culture and VHS home-workout tapes. Boem’s response was a sport cat-eye with an inverted profile — the volume of a 90s injection-moulded sports wrap, cut back and re-weighted so the visual centre of gravity sits low and forward. The split between the front and the temple is the functional detail: on the runway and off it, it catches hair falling forward. Lenses by Hoya; the commercial version runs Hoya Sensity photochromics, which clear indoors and darken outdoors. Image above: photography by Petr Šajgal – the show by the designer Valérie Jurčíková at Mercedes-Benz Prague Fashion Week

Photography by Petr Šajgal- *Valérie Jurčíková catwalk – sunglasses created with Aleš Boem*

Credits:PMBPFW Harper’s Bazaar CZ / Radka Čejdíková; Michel Negra; Petr Šajgal,; Sebastian Skore; Samuel Alex Petráš

Find out morę at https://www.boem.co/gravity-is-optional-for-valerie-jurcikova/ https://www.boem.co/rime-for-valerie-jurcikova/

Design + Inspiration

Line Art by Charmant x Kanako Sasaki

8th October 2026

The Japanese artist, Kanako Sasaki has worked with Line Art by Charmant on an exclusive eyewear collection as Charmant Eyewear celebrates its 70th anniversary

Charmant announced an eyewear collection created with the artist Kanako Sasaki at Silmo in September. Sasaki is a young artist who is known for her audacious colour universe. The artist, who has worked in other collaborations with Loveless and Ujoh, works in acrylic and uses bright tones including bright blue.

During Silmo, Sasaki worked on one of her art pieces live on the Charmant stand. The frames in the collaboration collection were on display, and included sunglasses and optical frames with multi-coloured patterns inspired by the artist’s work. The Line Art Charmant store in Ginza, Tokyo held a pop-up event in the last weeks to celebrate the collaboration, the artist’c work and launch of the new eyewear collection. Above: the installation on the Charmant stand at Silmo – below: Kanako Sasaki working live at the Paris fair – Photography by EYESTYLIST.COM

Kanako Sasaki is collaborating with Charmant – Line Art – photography provided by courtesy of Charmant

About the artist – Born in 1983 in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, Kanako Sasaki graduated from Tohoku University of Technology with a degree in Industrial Design. Balancing dynamism and delicacy, Sasaki creates art that weaves a vibrant interplay of color and light. Her work evokes profound human emotions—hope, passion, impulse, joy, desire, and frustration—blurring the boundaries between the visible and the invisible, and awakening fundamental questions and sensations within the viewer. Driven by an exploration of human existence, she embarks on a philosophical journey through her art, navigating the interplay between universal beauty and inner conflict. Beyond her independent practice, Sasaki has collaborated extensively on advertising visuals, apparel brands, and corporate projects, transcending the divide between fine art and commercial work to expand the possibilities of artistic expression. www.sasakikanako.com / https://www.lineart-charmant.com

Design + Inspiration

SILMO Sensations

5th October 2026

From Friday 25th to Monday 28th September, the halls of the SILMO Paris exhibition served up imaginative eyewear, bold design work and new strong indicators for key design directions in 2027 – unorthodox “art pieces” and exciting collabs revealed new levels of creativity and innovation at avantgarde eyewear brands

SILMO is a highly anticipated international annual event in the optical calendar, revealing new trends and innovations across multiple product categories in optics. This year the show welcomed over 32,000 visitors and 950 exhibitors, with a total of 1500 brands across two halls at Paris Nord Villepinte.

We were able to spend time on key stands as well as visiting many smaller exhibitors to identify the most wonderful and creative things launching. Multiple, varied trends and interesting micro trends were evident, notably, particular shapes such as the aviator and navigator and a continued proliferation of round and oval frames, and two distinctive moods in colour – one bright and one restrained and neutral, drawing on vintage inspiration. There was evidence of a shift towards influences coming from different eras in history on some of the independent eyewear stands, while other collections expressed personality, bright colour and joie de vivre – continuing the theme of self-expression that has become an essential focus for many designers.

As well as anniversary celebrations and new designs released to mark these special occasions (Rigards was celebrating 15 years and Charmant – with Line Art, 70 years) there were notable releases and special editions created with artists, architects and individuals working in other fields.

The Trends Forum highlighted four directions: ‘Fancy’ – featuring feminine styles with fantasy decorations and multicoloured acetates; ‘Charisma’ representing oversized designs, warm colour palettes and dual-material designs; ‘Adrenaline’ which highlighted the more graphic frames and sports and kid’s designs; and ‘Aura’, with a 1990s theme and a range of thick, bold and oversized designs.

The Silmo d’Or awards evening took place at the elegant Pavillon Dauphine on a warm Saturday evening. Independent eyewear winners for 2026 included ROLF for Superbird, Maison Lune for La Galet, and Caroline Abram for Sakura. The Jury Prize went to Paloceras for the sculptural Pebble RX sunglasses. Above: at FACE A FACE, model SIGN 1 is part of the Marker collection, which transforms the gesture of sketching into an exploration of colour, contrast and creative expression (www.faceaface-paris.com); below: Maison Lune won a Silmo d’Or for the frame, Galet

Maison Lune won a Silmo d’Or 2026 – the frames are handmade in Montpellier

‘Positive’ is one of the styles in the new Matali Crasset collection, Les pleins et les vides from theo. The French designer explores the tension between form and space in the titanium models. A recurring spherical detail punctuates every frame, connecting front, hinges and temple tips into one continuous visual conversation. www.theo.be

Among new collections at PORTRAIT on the Parasite stand, we enjoyed seeing a limited edition series of eyewear produced with the Venetian artist, Emiliano Donaggio. Blending eyewear design, sculpture, engineering and Italian craftsmanship, the project challenges conventional frame construction. Its development brought together specialised disciplines and materials rarely combined in a single piece: titanium, stainless steel, silver, Murano glass and artist-worked printed acetate. www.portraiteyewear.com

NINA MÛR presented Freedom, a collection inspired by the Japanese concept Ma, where space is no longer an absence but rather an essential part of the design. Model Sora is the striking round shape in the collection. These frames are made to order from start to finish in Madrid. Find out more at www.ninamur.com

Artistic collaborations were a huge topic again at SILMO. Favourites included the NINA MÛR x OKUDA edition, MYKITA’s pretty edition with the singer Cécile McLorin Salvant, Charmant’s release with the artist Kanako Sasaki for the eyewear company’s 70th anniversary, and the new J.F. Rey x Robertet collaboration: SAKURA, an exclusive collaboration bringing together the art of eyewear design with fine fragrance. The sunglasses were inspired by the fleeting beauty of the cherry blossom, paired with a bespoke signature fragrance, exclusively created by Robertet. Limited to just 350 pieces, SAKURA has a fine metal structure with 3D printed acetate rings. Designed as a wearable piece, the style has category 3 brown gradient polarised lenses, with an inner anti-reflective coating for visual comfort. www.jfrey.fr

Janana is part of the new concept Jellopop at Anne & Valentin, a capsule collection that celebrates pleasure, surprise, desire and indulgence. Inspired by Anglo-American gelatin desserts, food art, chef-driven culinary creations and the exceedingly rare cookbook imagined by Andy Warhol and Suzy Frankfurt, Jellopop transforms the world of dessert into a field of visual experimentation. The frames are characterised by generous volumes, thick lines and rounded reliefs. Exterior bevels catch the light, while layered gradients seem to travel through the material itself. Each frame seems molded from a substance in motion, an almost liquid matter. Find out more at www.anneetvalentin.com

Alpagota launched their new travel product, Vision Twist, at the Paris event. With approximately 120 sprays, the small aluminium case, available in three colourways, has a refillable glass spray inside. The signature aromatic compositions include Sandalwood and Matcha, Eucalyptus and Patchouli and Green Mandarin and Cedarwood. The formula combines anti-static and anti-stain properties to help keep lenses cleaner for up to 30% longer, while a subtle aromatic touch turns an everyday task into a sensorial ritual. www.alpagota.com

The Full list of winners of the Silmo d’Or 2026: Children: Karavan Kids – Zigzag (Design Eyewear Group); Sport: Julbo – Panora; Vision: Mega Optic – EvosightVR; Low Vision: Eschenbach Optik – optaro® XL; Materials / Equipment: Nidek – PHANTOM™; Technological Innovation in Eyewear: Laclarée – Autofocus glasses; Smart Eyewear: GETD & Marienfeld – The Luxury AI glasses; Optical Frames “Labels”: Lancel – Emeline (Grosfilley); Sunglasses “Labels”: Victoria Beckham – VB 7015/S (Safilo); Sunglasses “Eyewear Designer”: Caroline Abram – Sakura; Optical Frames “Eyewear Designer”: Maison Lune – Galet; Sunglasses “Craftsmanship & Know-how”: Brett – Ferdinand Sun; Optical Frames “Craftsmanship & Know-how”: rolf. Eyewear – Superbird; Jury’s Special Prize: Paloceras – Pebble RX.

To find out more about the SILMO d’Or winners this year, visit the SILMO website at https://www.silmoparis.com/en/silmo-awards/silmo-or/laureats

SILMO Paris will take place on 24th to 27th September 2027. The Edition will be a special one as SILMO will celebrate its 60th anniversary. Find out more at www.silmoparis.com

Boutiques

Lunettes Selection celebrates 20 years

2nd October 2026

“We have three shops in Berlin, an in-house brand called Lunettes Kollection and we source vintage pieces. Over the last years we have increasingly established ourselves as eyewear consultants for TV and film” Uta Geyer

Uta Geyer founded Lunettes Selection in 2006. “Lunettes Selection has grown into an independent eyewear business with three Berlin stores and an international reach far beyond Berlin. What started with a search for exceptional glasses has become a collection, an archive and a specialist eyewear service for customers, designers, stylists and film productions.” Above: the Lunettes Selection stores are well known for their exceptional interiors

The store interiors are carefully curated

A particular speciality of Lunettes Selection is the collection of unworn vintage eyewear and dead stock: beautifully preserved original frames that have remained untouched in old stocks and collections, sometimes for decades. “Finding these pieces is still very much a personal process,” says Uta. “I travel internationally to search for forgotten stock. These sourcing trips take me to places where old collections can still be found, by looking through boxes and archives for pieces that are no longer available through conventional distribution.” The archive that has been created in this way has made Lunettes Selection a point of contact for international costume designers, who regularly visit the Berlin stores or order remotely for productions. Uta regularly sources specific glasses for Netflix productions and Hollywood films.

Uta Geyer – *photographed by Jordana Schramm*

Vintage eyewear: Anglo American Optical England – image courtesy of Lunettes Selection

Eyewear from the Lunettes Selection archive has appeared in productions including Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch, where Lunettes Selection supplied the glasses worn by Monsieur Néscaffier. Lunettes Selection is also known for providing specialised lenses for film productions. For Conclave, Lunettes Selection supplied lenses with a special coating designed to minimise reflections. More recently, Lunettes Selection produced blood red lenses for a production starring Isabelle Huppert. The film Blutgräfin is scheduled for release in October. Lunettes Selection has also supplied eyewear for Berlin based drama series, 4 Blocks.

A pale pink vintage sunglass shape – origin Belgium

Costume designers often turn to Uta for her expertise. Her connection to film and costume goes back to her studies, where she specialised in film and graduated with a Magister Artium. She also worked in a theatre, where she was responsible for sourcing props. Her interest in film, costume and visual storytelling pre-dates Lunettes Selection and has been part of her work from the beginning.

Alongside its vintage archive, Lunettes Selection presents independent international eyewear labels and its own house brand, Lunettes Kollektion. Founded by Uta Geyer in 2011, Lunettes Kollektion is handcrafted in small, family run factories in Northern Italy, combining classic shapes with a twist, traditional craftsmanship and lasting quality. Find out more at https://lunettes-selection.de

Lunettes Selection first appeared on Eyestylist.com in 2011. Click here for the feature: https://www.eyestylist.com/2011/02/lunettes-brillenagentur-torstrasse-berlin/

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Eyestylist

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Lunettes Selection celebrates 20 years