August 2012

Megan Trimble talks to Eyestylist.com

24th August 2012 I find it very exciting that some brands are now producing new sunglasses collections for Autumn/Winter, not just Spring/Summer. London-based Zanzan was introduced in 2009 by Gareth Townshend and Megan Trimble and presents itself as a fashion label for fashion lovers. Its latest launch for Autumn/Winter features rich vintage acetate, jewel tones such as soft yellow and ruby red, and classics like crystal and tortoise. Produced in limited editions, the designs are bold and theatrical, with details such as trendy gloss or matt finishes and statement patterning. Eyestylist.com asked Megan Trimble about the label’s direction and its plans for 2013, which include the launch of a first spectacles collection. (Above: Erzulie by Zanzan).

Why are you producing your frames in the UK? Please explain the benefits? We can make a really first rate product here and ‘Handmade in England’ is important to us. The benefit, for us, is the proximity but for our customers it means that we can produce something that’s uncompromised creatively and a little more exclusive.

Are you sticking with a small elite fashion clientele? 
No, we are growing. Scale is important for fashion companies and the aim of every business should be ‘juggernaut’. If you don’t sell, then you lose the right to be creative – and the capacity – so it’s important. We’re producing collections in Italy and France for S/S 2013 and a supporting cast of products – fancy sunglass straps, sunglass cases and more.
Your campaign styling is extremely cool and sexy. Do you do your own shoots? Who is involved?
I am responsible for overall creative direction of everything we do but we work with a photographer called Jon Gorrigan and the stylist, Simone Konu. Both are brilliant. We are also very reliant on the very talented  hairdresser, Carl Reeves. We flew him in!

Are you expanding into new stores?
It’s important for us to be in stores that see things the same way we do. Our distribution has, and will be, tightly controlled but that doesn’t exclude opticians. We’re really a fashion brand that makes glasses but we do have an optical collection planned for next year.

Where can you find the new collection of Zanzan sunglasses?
This collection is available at www.farfetch.com It’s an experiment really. You can also buy the sunglasses in Departmentstore Quartier 206, Berlin. We just fell in love with the store on a recent trip, happened to have our collection one us and they loved it!
What does Zanzan represent for you?
Fantasy. Joy. Fun. Zanzan is the pursuit of a dream and a passion to create really beautiful things. ‘If you want reality get on a bus’!

Zanzan sunglasses are priced from £260.00 and are available online at www.farfetch.com Further information at www.zanzan.co.uk CN

For more on Zanzan visit: https://www.eyestylist.com/2012/04/1970s-super-round-chic/

Liberty of London & Jono Hennessy Collaboration

22nd August 2012 Australian based Jono Hennessy has just released a lovely collection uniting the beauty of Liberty of London’s colourful fabrics, and Hennessy’s frame expertise. Louise Sceats explains: “Our joy is working with people who are craftsmen and love what they make. For us to use Liberty of London fabrics with our special interlayer lamination technique is a great honour. Each acetate block is laminated individually, and then milled into the eyewear shape.

“Behind clear acetate, the jewel like fabrics come alive in colour and detail, and they look great, especially against skin tones. In this year’s selection of Limited Edition fabrics, we are inspired by the vibrant, yet cool colours of the islands in Greece and italy. We hope that by using Liberty of London fabrics, we are bringing attention to Liberty’s historic skill and design.” www.jonohennessy.com JG

Brilliant, Bright Colours from Kirk Originals

20th August 2012 Colour has always been the hallmark of the Kirk Originals collections. Jason and Karen Kirk  (above) share with Eyestylist.com their fascination with colour.

“Colour expresses emotion, and coloured eyewear makes a suggestion about the personality behind the eyewear. It fascinated us that the same colour can suggest different things according to its context or the timing of its use. The Beam Collection is a riot of bold hues and has been very well received. Amethyst, coral, aquamarine are all unusual colours in optics, but the public has embraced them. We suspect that these bright, joyful colours are a welcome antidote to the atmosphere of economic gloom.

“Our new autumn launch, Twenty, is a collection that celebrates our first twenty years of optical design.  It incorporates traits of our work from different collections through the years, one of which is our use of colour, which will be bold, saturated, but sophisticated and suggesting warmth and confidence. It is amazing how colours can feel right one season, and then not quite so right the following year. We work very much on personal feeling.” www.kirkoriginals.com JG

Jean-Francois Rey, Marseilles, France

17th August 2012 Colour is a key component of the eyewear created by Marseille based spectacles company J.F. Rey, the label headed by the eponymous designer. We asked Jean-Francois and his wife, Joëlle about their love of bright colours and contrasts in spectacle design. (Above: model JF 2431).

Which bright colours are traditionally successful in your collections? While black, silver, grey, brown and tortoiseshell are still the great classics; red, cobalt blue, cream, aniseed and various shades of purple are the most popular bright colours. Over and above the choice of colours themselves, our pieces are successful for their colour combinations, and particularly our use of dual colours on the inside and outside of the frame.

A recent example or our colour work is our Pixel concept, inspired by graphic arts. The frames have subtle dual colour schemes, with the colours shading off or graduating into each other. With a choice of 4 to 10 colours per model, a selection of stylish, sophisticated colours and some highly successful matt/gloss effects, we have gone against the traditional codes. Without compromising on creativity or innovation, we are constantly experimenting on new harmonies and new contrasts. The colours we choose are a driving force in our product development.

Why do you encourage bright, happy and vibrant colours? Our eyewear expresses its colour differences loud and clear. Colour is one of the key features of the brand, which uses a surprising, unusual colour palette to support J.F.Rey’s creative, upmarket positioning. The colour combinations we develop are the result of sophisticated research: the colours are chosen with great care and the lacquering, which is all done by hand, is of an outstanding quality.

Acetate plays a key role, with its soft, silky feel and explosive colour contrasts. Joëlle guides the choice of colour in our collections. While our customers like to say that J.F.Rey is behind the designs, Jea-Francois’s wife is really the colourist. Her character, love of good taste and sensitivity to the harmony between materials and shades enhances our collections.  (more…)

Fun and Function – Infant/Toddler Eyewear

15th August 2012 Zoobug – the children’s eyewear specialist – has expanded its child-friendly frame selection with new shapes and delightful colours, designed to please both youngsters and their parents. Kids will love the comfort of glasses that are gentle on their delicate skin, and the colours: blue/orange, fuchsia/white, red/white and pink/fuchsia. Parents will appreciate the soft, adjustable rubber material, which ensures a snug and comfortable fit. Plus there is a new detachable headband.

“Infants and toddlers need to get used to wearing their first frames with as little anxiety as possible,” says Dr. Julie Diem Le, Zoobug Director. This charming collection of Minis ensures that children will adapt easily to wearing glasses. www.zoobug.com JG