2012

The season

and reason – for celebration…and we are always ready to toast independent specs designers at Eyestylist! Click on REVIEWS for exceptional shapes and colours in glasses and sunglasses. For creativity from Australia to Iceland, visit Designer of the Month and Boutiques. Valentino is highighted in City Guides, with a stunning exhibition in London. And we highlight frames featuring diamonds and art deco details.  To all our readers – Joyous and Healthy Holidays!

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ROLF Spectacles
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Loft. New York. March 14-17

Ready for Resort!

Colourful Frames for Sunny Climes

29th December 2012 When the temperatures dip to zero, resort fashions look so tempting…..so do sunglasses that look as if they were especially created for the beach and poolside. I’ve come across two lovely styles that are fun, colourful, and perfect for warmer climes and sunny days. Sheriff and Cherry’s nautically inspired Mediterranean blue acetate frames (above style 8766) with blue lenses are spiked with white trim on the temple ends, and an anchor and star motif, handmade in their Croatian workshop. www.sheriffandcherry.com

Beautiful colourations by Andy Wolf
Beautiful colourations by Andy Wolf

 

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Both sea and sky tones are featured in Summazeit (above) by Andy Wolf. Luminous acetate in tones of turquoise, violet, yellow and soft pink highlight the round shape. Handcrafted in Austria, the turquoise lenses are stunning! www.andy-wolf.com JG

Trend watch: grainy effects, textures, wood-look

I have been looking at the beautiful grainy effects and natural finishes and textures in eyewear. Not only are we seeing more and more frames made from horn and wood where the natural colouring, texture and natural grains in the material are clearly visible, but there are also more and more wood-look and marbled acetate styles on offer, that have grainy surfaces or striated colouring….all of which are very elegant and show remarkable attention to the end result.

Examples pictured here include the natural horn frame (below) by the Hong Kong based label Rigards – the textured surface is very beautiful, and reminds me of early 15th or 16th handmade spectacles but the Rigard shapes are interesting and often wacky for a 21st century interpretation. www.rigards.com

Horn spectacles by Rigards

The Carter Bond frames (examples top and below), designed by Jono Hennessy, have the warmth and feel of wood to the point where I was sure it was wood; I have a selection of these sitting on my desk and everyone keeps commenting on how cool the matt wood frames are. But I have been put right: “These frames are acetate. It is a technique Jono has developed to give that natural wood look; the frames are fully adjustable, so they adjust and glaze exactly the same as another acetate frame.” Impressive! Designed by Jono Hennessy in Australia. www.carterbond.com

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TVR True Vintage Revival
Loft. New York. March 14-17
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VAVA Eyewear
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I am also very taken with the subtle textures inside smooth acetate. The white example from Bologna’s Blue Magic Eye (top image, centre frame, model BME V3107) shows a gentle pattern that is similar to that of the smooth inside of an oyster shell, coloured in a pure striated snow white and combined with a silver metal detail on the arms. It is a very chic design, robust, with a clever pairing of the materials. www.bluemagiceye.com CN

 

Next stop…Germany

An eye on the Munich show, part 2

21st December 2012 On our must-see list at the show coming up in Munich are a number of collections for men including cool classic design for the well-heeled gent and strong statement pieces for the fashion aficionado. From Brit label Kirk Originals, models from the Beam collection gives a suitably punchy colour kick for 2013, with new tone proposals launching including a bright almost fluo orange,  a trendy choice for the season. Kirk Originals will also show their Stripe and Pins lines in the Twenty Collection, a celebration of their recent 20th Anniversary offering colour in a retro style and an interpretation that is clearly a nod to the brand’s heritage and international successes over the years. www.kirkoriginals.co.uk

The Byron by Leisure Society

Leisure Society (Baum Vision Europe) will include the presentation of the very dapper classic round model Byron at opti, a new style by Shane Baum, inspired by the poet and featuring a classic key hole bridge and rich colourings. “With each new style comes heritage, perfect for the spring flaneur and chic conventionalism”, says Baum. “As a designer I am always aware of the smallest details in my surroundings; it is in the tiny features of even the most grandiose items that I find inspiration.” www.leisure-society.com

Also exhibiting in Munich is the young Californian designer Garrett Leight, son of Oliver Peoples’ founder Larry Leight and one of a small gang of new generation eyewear designers with a genuine passion for quality and creativity – and returning that to eyewear for the future.

Brooks, a classic from Garrett Leight (GLCO)

The GLCO designs are contemporary classics, use traditional craftsmanship and hand finishing techniques, and feature old-school materials and natural, muted colorations – typically tortoise – that highlight the elegance of spectacles of the past. I saw them in Paris this year for the first time, and was surprised by the classical, understated direction and earthy natural colours I was shown. No attention-grabbing bright colours were featured here and yet the collection has its own personality that the fashion crowd connects with. One to see.  www.garrettleight.com

Loft. New York. March 14-17
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BLACKFIN
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GIGI STUDIOS

For a full list of  the designers and companies that will be visiting Munich on 25th to 27th January, go to www.opti-munich.com CN 

 

Blood & Tears

An Exclusive Edition by the Monocle Order

19th December 2012 Blood & Tears is a new collection from the Monocle Order, a Members’ Club for sunglass enthusiasts and one of the most exciting online retailers based in New York, stocking a selection of super eyewear labels, including Thierry Lasry, RVS by V., Illesteva, L.G.R. and Waiting for the Sun. In Paris this year, Zoe Nightingale Wiseman told me how how her love of sunglass fashion has brought about the creation of the Monocle Order’s own label, produced in a collaboration with Turkish label RVS by V.

Why “Blood and Tears”? Blood and Tears is the inspiration behind the things that really matter in life. From art to music to love, these are the liquids that saturate the most important moments in our lives. So for us, there was no better name for something into which we put so much of our heart and soul.

What is the idea behind the designs and how/where they were made? We approached Vidal Erkohen from RVS by V. because we are always so impressed with his eye for colour and detail. Together, we decided to update the classic wayfarer, because of its timeless sex appeal and universally wearable shape.We pored over books and consulted with our clients, trying to figure out what it was they loved about eyewear and what they felt was lacking. It took a while to find the right combination, but after the painful process of making prototypes and corrections we finally decided on one that was longer, thinner and sexier than its predecessor.

Detail, Blood & Tears, Monocle Order

Our first collection features four colours. All of our frames were made in the RVS factory in Istanbul, using Mazzucchelli acetate produced in Italy. Each colour is matched with one of four different lenses, all gradiated, and all custom hand dyed in Turkey. We wanted to offer something classic, but with vibrant colour and lenses that gave each model its own unique style. Each frame in the 200 piece collection has been hand stamped with a number that corresponds to its number in the production line.

Is there more to come in this collaboration? We are currently working on six new styles. We are very excited to show everyone the signature lines we are in the process of making for a world-famous DJ. Stay tuned, for the best is yet to come!

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The new Blood & Tears collection is available exclusively from the Monocle Order online at www.monocleorder.com To view their new shoot featuring models from the line and a very famous puppy called Boo, visit the Monocle Order on Facebook.

Eyestylist is delighted to announce that we will be gifting one of the new limited “Blood & Tears” sunglass styles, packaged in a presentation box, and accompanied by an exclusive membership of Monocle Order in New York. For more information follow our Facebook page. CN