Cat eye shapes remain forever favourites, and what makes them so fresh and appealing are the creative interpretations. Blackfin in Italy has a striking version with Palm Beach – that is feminine, elegant and laden with retro-chic allure. The duo colour combination and graduated tinted lenses add more glamour to the stylish design. More information on Blackfin’s new collection at www.blackfin.eu JG
The joys of summer are celebrated in literature, prose and music. Eyewear designers take part too, with gorgeous sunglasses that reflect beauty and imagination. Whether on the beach, in the countryside or on city streets, brighten your wardrobe and spirits with spectacular sunglasses. Tropical tones of luscious, luminous turquoise acetate with a dab of sunshine yellow accent at the temples, ensure that Twitt (above) by Face à Face is a memorable summer statement. The exaggerated silhouette is glamorous, confident and alluring. www.faceaface-paris.com
Understated chic from Norway is expressed in Karmoie’s elegant design – Star. Streamlined features with contemporary shaping highlight the frame with its subtle two-tone colouration.www.karmoie.com
Free-spirited and timeless, PJS Spitfire 031 is a handsome design with Polarised anti-reflection lenses. The new Parajumpers by Coppe-Sid collection is handcrafted in Japan, and includes contemporary, stylish designs for men and women. www.coppeandsid.it
Ic! berlin’s latest collection is inspired by forces of nature – from the Arctic Ocean to the Mojave Desert. Colour contrasts combine in Janina – tofu stainless steel with mirrored lenses in bronze yellow dust. Click on www.ic-berlin.de for additional innovative sunglasses from the German brand. JG
Bold, intense colours characterise interior designs by Matali Crasset, and she extends her prodigious talents and gorgeous colourations to eyewear with a theo collaboration. Electric blue metal and contrasting acetate temples distinguish Délicat, with its strong brow line and voluminous shape. An exciting statement frame for summer fashions. www.theo.be JG
The latest optical creations by international designers achieve a desirable harmony of classy shapes, unique colourations, and varied materials. Whether your preferences are for retro or super modern shapes, bright colours or subtle shades, there is great variety with welcoming appeal for every type of lifestyle: professional, sport life and casual wear.
Australian Colin Redmond is a former automobile designer, and when he sketched the Shear Scallop frames (Kaspi above from the collection), he said: “I really wanted to create something polar opposite to contemporary popular trends, something fun and fresh. I needed inspiration from somewhere unique, and used my two year-old son’s crayon scribbles, tracing over his ‘art’. To recognise his contribution, I named the frame after him – Kaspi – For Caspian.” Intriguing angles and curves highlight the interesting shape, and the colours are optimistic, confident and curious. Handcrafted in France. www.niloca.com
ic! berlin’s Crew Collection is a splendid assortment of designs reflecting the interests and passions of the company’s “crew” (employees). Fatima wears Fatima R – her optical choice in chic pewter. The ic! berlin sales rep loves music by Adele, boxing and confesses that her guilty pleasure is Tiramisu. See all the new shapes and colours from The Crew Collection at www.ic-berlin.de
Refined cat-eye shapes are a continuing favourite with women, and among the most enchanting is Shaba by Luca Gnecchi Ruscone at L.G.R. The elegant silhouette with its heightened cat-eye detail is chic and contemporary. Shaba and all L.G.R eyewear is masterfully handcrafted in Italy. www.lgrworld.com
German designer Daniel Benner enjoys combining aspects of vintage with modern touches. Cosmo 19 unites classic design with a difference – the panto lens is playfully updated with “open” parts for an airy shape. Temple detail is artfully expressed and duo-colours in black and red stainless steel are striking elements of this design.www.benner-eyewear.com
Contrasting colour combinations emphasise the beauty of Orchidea from the Flowers Collection by Res/Rei. Multi-colourations on the top part of the frame further enhance the handcrafted Italian design by Oliviero Zanon. More on the beautiful Flower Collection at www.resrei.com
Vera Wang’s impeccable taste and her modern approach to fashion translate effortlessly into her latest optical designs. V384 features a sensual, yet subtle cat-eye shape, and the colours are beautiful – shown in Midnight with mixed colour temples, and additional colours include Amethyst, black and brown. www.kenmarkoptical.com JG
What goes on beneath beautiful designer fashion creations is sometimes even a more sensual, fascinating harmony of sumptuous materials and colours. The Victoria & Albert Museum in London explores the personal, fashionable journey of underwear’s roles in Undressed: A Brief History of Underwear.
More than two hundred examples of underwear for men and women are featured – from the homemade to the fabulously luxurious. On display are corsets (top image), hosiery, lingerie and nightwear, plus contextual fashion plates, photographs, advertisements and packaging.
Rare 18th Century hooped petticoats are also featured alongside crinolines and bustles. Long cotton drawers worn by Queen Victoria’s mother; floral embroidered stockings worn by Queen Alexandra, wife of King Edward VII; and Schiaparelli nylon stockings from 1953 emphasise the practical, as well as the alluring. Designer pieces by Rigby and Peller, La Perla, Stella McCartney and Paul Smith are also highlighted. The exhibition also demonstrates how underclothes and nightclothes morphed into loungewear, with the continuing desire for comfort at home, and a blurring of the line between underwear and outerwear, public and private.
Edwina Ehrman, Curator of Textiles and Fashion at the V&A curated Undressed: A Brief History of Underwear. The intriguing presentation reveals how underwear can be created to transform or provoke, and it is impressive. The exhibition, sponsored by Agent Provocateur and Revlon, continues through 12 March 2017. www.vam.ac.uk/undressed JG
Photos: All images courtesy of Victoria & Albert Museum