October 2012

Fashion Eyewear in an Historical Setting

13th October 2012 Blessed with a gorgeous lake and stunning mountain views, Zurich is always a delightful destination. Adding to the pleasure of this visit is Hall of Frames Zurich, held this weekend (14th and 15th October) in the historical Papiersaal building. Th event highlights international, independent creators, including Bellinger from Denmark. Claus and Marlene (above) founders and designers at Bellinger, produce a diverse range of frames – very lightweight, in splashy colours and classics, in a variety of materials.

The company now make their own acetate, and the frames can include from 2-5 different types of acetates, creatively mixed to achieve a polished, high quality product. For the newest Bounce series (above) – the inspiration is airplanes and boats – modes of transportation associated with romance and glamour, and translated into beautiful frames. For more fashion led, designer frames, the place  to be this weekend is Hall of Frames Zurich! www.hallofframes.ch www.bellinger.dk JG

Round Shape Renaissance

11th October 2012 The round shape is not new – a dapper Benjamin Franklin in Paris was charming the ladies in his round spectacles in the 18th century. The earliest round designs were encased in heavy brass frames – and viva la difference three centuries later! We found some must-have round creations at SILMO, orchestrated in lustrous materials. Above, a beautiful round interpretation with translucent, expressive dimensions from the Danish award-winning company Lindberg. www.lindberg.com

Lunettes Kollektion in Berlin has revisited the 1920’s for the elegant Constructivismo, (above) inspired by the Constructivist movement of the period. The top edge of the acetate frame features a moulded motif reminiscent of the Russian avant-garde. We tried this frame on – looks great and a pleasure to wear! www.lunettes-kollektion.com JG

This copy was written by Joan Grady exclusively for Eyestylist.com. Please see our disclaimer above.

8th October 2012 There has been some tremendous catwalk action in the last weeks with lots of hints of the new sunglass styling for next year. This special design for Nicole Farhi’s S/S 2013 show is one that stood out in London. This is a wood-effect acetate model that illustrates the growing enthusiasm for frames with a natural grainy almost rough finish. The oversized flat fronted style complemented light, elegant sheer fabrics and neutral tones of white, taupe and grey, inspired by the marble quarries of Carrara in Italy. The show was the last for the 65 year old designer Nicole Farhi whose label will be headed in the seasons to come by new creative director, Joanna Sykes. www.nicolefarhi.com CN

Tim Van Steenbergen Honours his Grandfather

6th October 2012 We’ve seen some beautiful eyewear collections at SILMO, but one we greatly admire is René, the inventive creation of Tim Van Steenbergen with Theo. These very special frames are a tribute to Steenbergen’s grandfather, René, a Belgian architect, who taught Tim to draw, appreciate art, and was his mentor. Many of the art deco inspired buildings designed by René Van Steenbergen are connected to religious architecture, and Tim found the contrast of heavy concrete, glass and light to be a great attraction.(Above René No 6. and No. 8)

The acetate and stainless steel frames exude craftsmanship and luxury. Each design has geometric details in a primary colour – a reference to stained glass windows. The multi-dimensional aspect of the frames adds to their beauty and mystery. Only 150 sets of Limited Edition René will be produced, so this is the moment to grab a slice of eyewear history! www.theo.be JG & CN