Eyestylist

Person with Short Dark Hair Wearing Oversized Black Sunglasses and a Black-and-white Houndstooth Sweater, Posed Against a Brick Wall.  | Eyestylist 27th July 2026

Eyewear innovation in 2026

Three expressive, innovative and entirely different designs that explore unusual construction, materiality and deconstruction

KOMONO x Maximilian Raynor  First introduced on the runway during London Fashion Week as part of Maximilian Raynor’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection, “I’ll Cry If I Want To”, the KOMONO x Maximilian Raynor collaboration has evolved as a dedicated eyewear capsule. “With this collaboration, we wanted to translate a strong narrative into wearable design,” says Maximilian Raynor. Blending personal memory with theatrical storytelling, the apparel collection by Raynor evokes a cinematic world where past and present collide, from ghostly birthday scenes and Royal Air Force pilots to 1920s silhouettes and handcrafted garments passed down through generations. Above: Maximilian Raynor SS26 backstage – photography by Sandra Ebert provided by KOMONO

KOMONO x Maximilian Raynor Rope Black in acetate

The distinctive vision was translated into a capsule collection of two styles (Rope, pictured above, and another style called Core), with each frame being made in three colourways (Cognac, Maple + Black). Subtle yet expressive details such as metal accents and punk-inspired hardware reference Raynor’s signature design language, resulting in frames that merge emotional storytelling with functional, everyday eyewear. For model Rope,  a bold dual structure features an upper front section in acetate with a metal chain “rim’ below. Broad, structural temples feature a section cut from the acetate that matches the lens and a metallic “decorative” bar. For more details visit www.komono.com

Kuboraum Gorgone LTD Edition Series : a whole new look created in traditional acetate with metal decoration

KUBORAUM Gorgone LTD Edition Series Inspired by the ancient Greek Gorgons, guardians poised between the human and the divine, Kuboraum presented “Gorgone” as a very limited release. In this LTD Edition, the Masks’ acetate surfaces are amplified by hand-applied metal embellishments that seem to pierce through the rim and coil around the lenses like serpents, echoing a myth rooted in metamorphosis and protection. Find out more at www.kuboraum.com

Eyewear innovation 2026: MM6 Maison Margiela Lunettes 6 Noires produced by RETROSUPERFUTURE – the style distills the mask style down to the bare essentials

MM6 Maison Margiela Lunettes 6 Noires In complete contrast, headlining the sunglasses collection for SS26, MM6 Maison Margiela Lunettes 6 revisits an iconic archival silhouette through a pure shield construction, rendered in black.  Beyond this flagship model, deconstruction remains a guiding principle, expressed through a more restrained, minimalist language. The model was released earlier in the year. It has been compared by commentators to the iconic L’Incognito sunglasses created in 2008. Find out more at retrosuperfuture.com

This feature was written and compiled by Clodagh Norton on 27th June 2026. All rights reserved. An Exclusive by Eyestylist.com – AI was not used to write this design feature.

 

Person in an Orange Outfit Sits on Rocky Shore by the Blue Ocean, Wearing Large Sunglasses and Looking at the Camera—summer Vibe.  | Eyestylist 24th July 2026

FOLC explores expression in bold acetate frames

The summer collection by FOLC features frames with sculptural dimensions, created in exquisite Mediterranean colours and gradient acetates, rich in depth and nuance

In a campaign by the Barcelona-based documentary and editorial photographer, Albert Bonsfills, entitled “La Sobremesa“, FOLC reveals its most spectacular acetate designs for the season, in a mood inspired by the feeling of pleasure that comes from slowing down and enjoying the moment – where taking one’s time is a luxury. The collection is based on a palette inspired by the Southern landscapes of Spain, where earthy khaki tones meet stunning luminous aquamarines. From muted olive hues to translucent sea greens, the collection explores colour through depth, freshness and natural sophistication.

Highlights include model Otira, a voluminous sunglass shape inspired by retro silhouettes and sculptural curved volumes. Defined by its bold front and soft contours, the frame balances statement proportions with fluid lines, creating a distinctive design that feels both timeless and contemporary. Above: model Otira by FOLC – in Taupe

Two people wearing dark sunglasses, close-up outdoors with a blue sky background (sunny day).
Model Lur by FOLC – in Grey

Model Lur (above) takes its name from the Basque word for land. Its shape draws inspiration from the quiet strength and steady character of the earth, reflecting a deep connection with nature. Defined by balanced proportions and grounded lines, model Lur by FOLC embodies a sense of authenticity, resilience, and timeless ease.

Rosy by FOLC

Model Rosy has a beautiful architectural shape with thick rims and a curvaceous structure. The style comes in translucent tones of amber and light aquamarine. All the frames at FOLC are produced in fine quality acetate in Italy. The brand emphasises slow design, local small-batch production and a refined, timeless style with particular appeal for design aficionados and eyewear specialists. Find out more about the latest models at www.folc-eyewear.com

Colorful Futuristic Sunglasses with Amber Lenses and a Green Frame Set Against a Black Background, with Magenta Abstract Shapes Beneath.  | Eyestylist 21st July 2026

theo eyewear collaborates with young designer, Byron Wang

“What looks connected is never completely whole”

theo’s latest collaboration project with a student from the Fashion Department of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp highlights the work of Byron Wang. Born in Taipei and artistically shaped in Florence and Antwerp, Byron brings different cultural influences together in a sculptural visual language. Wang says eyewear has always been part of his world. His parents run an optical store in Taipei, and he grew up surrounded by frames, colours and design. Above: one of the frames in the theo x Byron Wang collaboration project – photography by © Alain Six

Wang’s graduation collection, entitled Lost in Transitory explores the space between connection and distance, between people moving towards each other without ever fully merging and between holding on and letting go. This was also the starting point for the eyewear release, which features 12 exclusive designs for each of the collection’s 12 silhouettes, designed as an integral part of the design story.

Byron Wang: Lost in Transitory

Described as “challenging the conventional logic of eyewear”, the frames feature temples which emerge unexpectedly from below and forms which detach, shift and reconnect. What first appears to be one continuous object reveals twists, openings and unexpected relationships between individual elements.

Byron Wang: Lost in Transitory

Light adds another layer of movement in these designs. Depending on the angle, colours, transparencies and reflections change. Lines disappear and reappear while layers of acetate reveal themselves differently with every movement. The colour palette, which started from theo’s signature choice of colours features new combinations created to connect with Byron’s fabrics, textures and colours.  The designs also play with the tension between symmetry and asymmetry, balance and deviation.

The eyewear developed with Byron for this project consists of unique prototypes – it is not part of a commercial collection. Its value, says the company, lies in experimentation and the dialogue between fashion and eyewear. Find out more at https://www.theo.be

Credits: Photography & models: @marvismmm, @eliasxvntt, @maelisauvage and @eyckermanluka

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Hand Holding a Pair of White-framed Sunglasses with Pink Lenses and Colorful Clip-on Accents on the Frame Set Against a Plain Background.  | Eyestylist 16th July 2026

Mondelliani and Design Shower work together

The Italian label based in Rome has created a collection for its stores with Korean eyewear makers, Design Shower

Mondelliani and Design Shower have presented an eyewear collection called Sprinkles, fusing the Italian label’s style with Design Shower’s Korean craftsmanship in one-of-a-kind creative frames. The starting point for the design work is described as “a simple idea”: small acetate pieces, hand-cut into irregular shapes, have been applied one by one onto each frame — celebrating both the vivid colour and the quiet ritual of how each piece is made. Above: the new edition, created by two eyewear brands

White round sunglasses with gradient lenses and multicolored rectangular tabs attached to the frame as a playful design accessory
Design Shower and Mondelliani – brightly-coloured acetate pieces decorate the frames

Sprinkles ( the tiny coloured decorations used in confectionary and cake decoration) bring instant joy and colour to the frame styles, without restraint – placed on the frame as if by chance. Colour is at the heart of this collection and it has deep roots in both Rome and Korea, says the Italian company, where sweets with “sprinkes” are typically prepared for special occasions. Between Rome and Seoul, the inspiration turned out to be the same: something beautiful to look at, striking to wear and hard to forget.

Colorful blue novelty glasses with orange tortoise-shell arms and assorted colored tabs attached to the frames as decorative accents.
Design Shower and Mondelliani – a special collection embracing the artistic vision of two eyewear brands

No two pairs of these hand-finished pieces are alike — as a natural consequence of how they are made. The project took nearly a year and a half from concept to finished collection, ready to wear.  The collection features four frame shapes: a pantos, a square, a round, and a cat’s eye, available with optical or sun lenses.

Sprinkles is an open edition, meaning there is no fixed number of pieces — but every pair that comes out of Design Shower’s hands is unrepeatable. The new Sprinkles collection is available at Mondelliani’s two Rome locations, in Via dei Prefetti and Via del Pellegrino.

Find out more at www.mondelliani.com / designshower.imweb .me

This feature is an Eyestylist Exclusive. All rights reserved.

Close-up of a Woman Wearing Brown Round Sunglasses, with Blonde Hair, Against a Textured Tree Trunk Backdrop.  | Eyestylist 14th July 2026

Pomandère chooses M49

Sunglasses complement the Dreamy Saloon clothing collection at Pomandère Paris

A line which consists of four iconic sunglasses, styled to coordinate with the Spring/Summer apparel, the new sunglass designs by Pomandère are created from M49 natural acetate. This bio-based, biodegradable material—derived from renewable sources—says the company, combines visual softness and durability with a more conscious, ethical approach. Hypoallergenic cellulose and 100% UV-protective lenses complete a product designed to stand the test of time.

For the SS26 season, the sunglasses come in shades that harmonize with the colour palette of the *Dreamy Saloon* clothing collection: caramel, coffee, smoked honey, tiger brown, and glossy black, hues which evoke depth, naturalness, and the chromatic softness characteristic of Pomandère’s fashion collection. Above: “Honey” cat-eye sunglasses in savannah toned acetate with lenses offering 100% UV protection

Front view of tortoiseshell sunglasses with brown lenses against a light background, cropped at the bottom edge of the frame.
Crunchy Sunglasses by Pomandère

About Pomandère / A women’s fashion label with a recognisable and confident style, Pomandère has its roots in a consolidated and rich artisan tradition. With creativity and elegant sobriety, Pomandére uses experience, taste and skills cultivated for generations in a family atelier and in a historic district of the Italian fashion. Pomandére focuses on the attention to detail and perfection of workmanship, always of a high sartorial level. https://www.pomandere.com/en/

This feature was not written with AI. All rights reserved.