2011

Winter luxe

1950s inspired glacier goggles from Mykita&Moncler

9th December 2011 I am still looking around for the more stylish quality protective sun styles for skiing, and with a trip to Austria creeping up, I hope to find something that suits me (can be really hard to find the right combination of style with technical features) and that offers true protection in the depths of winter when protection from wind and weather, as well as UV, is crucial for safety and full enjoyment.

Just arrived in my mailbox is this image of one of Mykita & Moncler’s new shades (model Achille), suitable for downhill runs and classic everyday use and produced in a collaboration with the German brand. They are inspired by the look of 1950s Alpine goggles, which featured round lenses in metal rims with leather side pieces for the ultimate protection against dangerous UV rays. But these are futuristic, produced in Mykita’s new Mylon material, and fitted with top notch Barberini glass lenses with stylish flash mirror finish.  Available from mid December at Mykita stores and Moncler boutiques worldwide. www.moncler.com CN

Optik Thoma

Tom Davies Exclusive in Swiss Boutique

9th December 2011 A beautiful river, alpine splendour, a history that dates back to the Neolithic age, and a majestic castle all contribute to the Swiss charm of Thun. The region has exciting 21st century developments too, including the first state-of-the-art optical shop to offer, exclusively, the couture eyewear collection of British designer Tom Davies. The concept is a collaboration between Davies, and Matthias Thomas, owner of Optik Thoma and the Zeiss Vision System Store. “My idea started with the imagination of combining the highest standards in optics, which includes Zeiss devices and lenses, with very high level, well designed, luxury, bespoke frames. I also wanted a stylish décor and furniture. With Tom Davies and Zeiss, we have the most perfect product combination for the high-level customer. The imagination became a reality. We have almost every TD ‘ready-to-wear frames’ plus the Limited Edition collection, the Bespoke Service, and the TD Couture and Natural Horn frames.”

The three level boutique includes a Design Room where customers select the material and style for their frame. When the frame is ready, clients meet in the Portfolio Room to see the design, and discuss any changes or details. All of these service are offered in luxurious surroundings of oak floors and leather chairs, while the wood furniture was made in Hungary, and painted seven times to get a super shine.”The gold mirror (visible in the photo below) we found in Germany and it’s dated 1883.

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Optik Thoma Interior

“We also offer classes for customers who are interested in the whole aspect of frame design and who want to be more involved. There are classes for three to five people, and sometimes these workshops are very funny. (more…)

Winter luxe

Ski Style by Emmanuelle Khanh

8th December 2011 A new design theme for a ski necessity is this vibrant red mask (style 1969 Rouge) by French fashion company Emmanuelle Khanh. The shape is smaller than a conventional ski mask, yet it provides protection from wind and misting with its form fitting eye shape, and an adjustable elastic band for the desired comfort. The mask is beautifully chiselled in shiny, high quality acetate – certain to make a stylish and protective statement on the ski slopes, as well as for other winter sports. www.emmanuellekhanh.com JG

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Winter luxe

Sunglasses with technical enhancements

7th December 2011 The biggest issues for me when I ski are the misting up aspect, whether I’m wearing goggles or sunglasses, and the need for really good visibility in all weather conditions, given how mountain conditions can change dramatically in a short space of time. I would also recommend asking about the lenses you are buying. There are lots of high-tech properties, and as these two examples show, these should be part and parcel of the package. Both of the models reviewed here have a variety of enhancements, coatings and comfort benefits that can improve your overall sports experience.

I like the look of the Terrex Fast by Adidas (pictured above, in white and green) and I’ve used a couple of Adidas wraparounds in the past for skiwear that worked well so I would definitely consider this one for the future. Recommended for hiking and mountaineering, the style is described as being very light because it is made from shatterproof SPX material and it has a technical sports look. I like the idea that the nosepads and temples are adjustable, the UV protection is obviously a key factor, and the frame is pretty versatile, so you can change the arms for a headband and the lens colour according to weather conditions. You can also remove the foam liner to give the frame a less sporty, more everyday feel for apres ski. The frame can take the Adidas prescription insert for those needing correction which I have used and find comfortable and easy for good vision during sports. www.adidas.com/eyewear

Serengeti Fasano

For simple styling and reliability in terms of technical performance, this wrap by Serengeti also appears to tick lots of boxes. It has a minimal unpretentious design and high performance lenses, made from a top level lens material with excellent optical quality, called NXT. Common to all Serengeti lenses, the Polar PhD lens delivers proprietary Spectral Control, designed to provide good contrast and superior colour enhancement by filtering out specific colours within the visible light spectrum. This basically means that you get crisper colour and clearer images. Serengeti lenses are also designed to block blue light, eliminating ‘blue blur’ that leads to eye strain and fatigue. And as if that wasn’t enough to ensure good protection and comfort, the Serengeti Polar PhD lens boasts an anti-scratch hard coat, seven layer backside anti-reflective coating, and oleo phobic coating technology for oil and water resistance. The Fasano is retailing in the UK at £149.00. www.serengeti-eyewear.com CN

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Winter luxe

Favourites for the slopes

5th December 2011 Through December, I plan to pinpoint a few of the best, fashionable sports pieces which would make extra special Xmas presents. To start off, we present two carefully picked designs which stand out for their combination of technical qualities with a stylish edge. This out-there goggle type sunglass (above), “Panic Station” is from the Australian brand Le Specs (known particularly at the moment for their Henry Holland collaboration) and was launched in September. The style is said to offer a good balance of protection with its polarised lenses and cool shape; I would certainly consider it as a fun, trendy look for the sunny spells on the slopes. Find Le Specs Alpine online at www.eyerespect.com

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Mykita Mylon

Much has been written about the Mykita Mylon collection, with models designed for skiing plus everyday use…the first time Mylon, a polyamide-based material, has been used to produce frames, these designs are described as stable, lightweight and very durable. Zeiss lenses, known for their excellent quality, complete the picture here, while colours vary from classic black to head-turning neon. A futuristic designer sunglass collection produced by slick German eyewear label Mykita. www.mykita.com CN