May 2012

8th May 2012 I just got these two images in from Glasgow’s famous optical store, Niche Optical Tailor…and we wanted to share them immediately. The images come from an incredible shoot that has done some great work with these two ultra-luxe frames…the black panto is part of the Thom Browne Collection (New York) and the metal frame (the Oxford) above is the cousin of one we have reviewed on Eyestylist, the Cambridge from the precious Leisure Society collection (www.leisure-society.com)…few words are needed here, this is how standout eyewear should look! Our thanks go out to the fantastic team, including model agency Model Team, for giving us permission to share the images today.

Fashion credits: Styling, Lisa Ringrose; Photography, Armando Ferrari; Hair, Gary Lees using tecni.art by L’Oreal Professionel; Make-up, Piffanne for Academy of Make Up; Model, Jamie Walker at Model Team. Tailoring, Hugo Boss at Cruise.

Eyewear featured available at Niche Optical Tailor, 119 Candleriggs, Glasgow www.nicheopticaltailor.co.uk CN

8th May 2012 Yesterday we featured an interview with Anna Zaboeva of Pleasemachine, and as a fan of recycling herself, she mentioned the Australian brand, Holloway Eyewear, which we have explored a little further. Based in Brisbane, Holloway is one of a new generation of labels focusing on sustainable production and recycled materials…others include the Eco line by Modo, and one of my favourites in this genre, the Catalan label, Vuerich B.

Reclaimed materials used by Holloway include anything from old skate boards to guitars. Founders Raffaele Persichetti and Martin Gordon Brown are committed to ecological awareness and manufacture that respects the environment, designing frames that are in tune with these values, whilst being trendy and desirable as fashion products.

Raffaele Persichetti: “We seek to maintain our existence with a better understanding of our impact and always act purposefully with tomorrow in mind. Our material capabilities are growing rapidly, and we’re getting into scavaging from hard industries like metals and stone. We’ve finished prototypes of the snowboard range and are playing round more with finishing in natural pigments and stains which are really changing the end product.” 

For more details on Holloway Eyewear in Australia, visit www.hollowayeyewear.com.au

Anna Zaboeva, footwear designer, Pleasemachine, Budapest

7th May 2012 Our friends at CraftHunters.com have lead us to Anna Zaboeva, the Siberian-born shoe designer, and this great picture of her in vintage shades. I asked Anna about her work and her interest in eyewear.

“My label Pleasemachine Peculiar Footwear, is a beautiful blend of design and pure craftsmanship. Each pair of shoes is made in the traditional way, slowly and with passion, from fine leather and recycled textiles which I find on the street.

Recycling is a major area of my design and I have a great affinity with other modern designers who also do beautiful things using recycling. In terms of eyewear I’ve got a few cool and rare designs from Tipton (www.tipton.hu) made of recycled music vinyls, and still can’t choose which is my favorite among Holloway’s designs made of recycled skates, surf and snowboards (www.hollowayeyewear.com.au)
I consider the role of sunglasses in style and fashion to be very significant. It’s an essential accessory for me, and I have about a dozen favourites in my modest collection.  Generally they are vintage – some without names, and from great fashion houses like Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent. In the picture I am wearing vintage sunglasses which I have not been able to identify, I found them on the street. I like to wear things which are older than me or at least have a story behind them. An old, well-designed pair of sunglasses can make me look elegant, or hot, or funny or carefree, and sometimes all of these at once.

Comfort is always important too. I have quite a small nose so I have a hard time with frames that don’t have good nose pads that can elevate the frame off the cheeks, enough to avoid traces and prevent potential stretching of the skin. 
Sometimes I do some work on a new or old frame myself, to get a perfect fit. Customized eyewear, from the fitting to the design, would be a dream for me. Just like I design and customise my shoes.”  www.pleasemachine.net www.tipton.hu CN

Wild West Inspiration for Jono Hennessy

4th May 2012 “I’ve had a whole Western thing going on in my head for some time, and I love the combination of leather and metal. I found a vintage Western belt buckle in the market, and we commissioned two jewellery makers to actually carve the pattern in reverse for Rancho Deluxe, so that we could stamp the frame shape out. I designed the pattern specifically for the shape of this frame – it’s not just stamped out of a sheet. My favourite colour is the copper, like the rivets on old jeans, combined with a ‘Bentley-dashboard’ briar wood acetate temple – the light green sun lenses compliment this combination beautifully.

“We have started a new direction in sunglasses from last year, getting away from the heavy acetates. We are probably a little bit early at this stage, however, I am sure we will see more textured metal coming up at Silmo (the Paris optical fair).” www.jonohennessy.com JG