City guides

The Munich event celebrated the return of face-to-face meetings, friendly conversations and the bringing together of the industry again

opti 2022, which took place on the weekend of 13th to 15th May, following numerous prior disruptions from the pandemic, has been celebrated as an ideal reunion for brands and business partners, opticians and optical ‘friends’. A convivial and relaxed atmosphere, where visitors could have direct access to some of the finest established and emerging independent labels in the business meant that there was much opportunity for new inspiration, trend analysis and fresh and exciting buying opportunities for all those interested in unique eyewear. Above: Clodagh Norton, Eyestylist.com and co-founder of Lunettes ALF, Germain Bouchara – ‘catching up after over two years’ – photography by Julien Alazard

Lunettes ALF, a brand that is already well established in Germany, exhibited as part of Wolf Continental, the House of Independent Quality Eyewear working with a selection of luxury and artisan brands including ALF, Lasry, and Frank Custom in the German-speaking region.

Among the highlights of the weekend was a win by LEINZ Eyewear, who received the opti Box Award. Beate Leinz is a well-known eyewear designer and her young eponymous label has a captivating, creative contemporary design focus with consistent interest in quality, originality and modern materials such as 3D printed polyamide – exploring the materials’ potential in glamorous forms.

Several brands we do not know so well caught our eye at the fair, and a particularly warm welcome was appreciated at Lazare Studio, a label born in Lyon and headed by the optician (of Entre-Vues) and creator, Alexandre Caton. His expertise in and passion for vintage has translated into a collection that is innovative and surprising – where the choice of materials, weight distribution and technical details such as hinges are highly considered and result in a quite different outcome in terms of the experience of the frame and how it feels to wear.

Newton by Lazare Studio is representative of the ‘neo retro’ design work at the French brand. Each frame is described as the result of the meeting of “two worlds that were never meant to collide. On the one hand, a selection of exclusive signature parts made from ancestral materials sourced from Japan, and on the other, the extraordinary savoir-faire of the Jura workshops in France.”

Other innovators such as Cutler and Gross, Blackfin, Rolf Spectacles, VAVA, Youmawo, Ørgreen Optics, J F REY, RIGARDS and RES/REI showed the season’s new collections with attention on sustainability, exceptional quality and new modes of design; contemporary materials were more eclectic than ever, with 3D printed, customisable and plant-based designs well represented alongside the classic high-quality and luxury materials like cellulose acetate, wood, buffalo horn and titanium. opti 2023 will take place on 27 to 29th January 2023. To read more about what we discovered at the shows this season follow Eyestylist on the website and our social media. For more details about the Munich fair, visit www.opti.de

A lively “coming together”: for the optical community / independent eyewear segment represented by brands from Europe and the USA

100% Optical – the British optical fair which took place over three days in April (23^rd to 25^th) following a postponement from its usual slot in early Spring – has confirmed the 2022 event recorded excellent attendance following the Covid pandemic – at the ExCeL London site in East London.

Alongside education seminars, special presentations and initiatives such as its famous catwalk event and the Love Eyewear Awards – the event also offered a much needed first chance for colleagues and customers to reconnect and meet with industry colleagues.

A further highlight at 100% Optical this year – and one of the fair’s most unique and well presented opportunities for visitors with an interest in innovation and design was the chance to view work submitted for the 100% x RCA Eyewear Design Competition, held in collaboration with students at the Royal College of Art (RCA).

Above: Gotti Switzerland’s new campaign, a feature on the Swiss brand’s stand at 100%. Gotti’s success with lines like the Dimension and Perspective collections in the UK owes much to its careful fusion of technical excellence, lightweight comfort and contemporary, versatile styling

This year the students were asked to follow the theme ‘reflecting on the past to help us look at each other now and help us see into the future’. The competition was won by Maria Nava for her work “Spectral Objects”.

Representing the independents of eyewear design were creators and labels from far and wide who presented their new collections at the show. Among them were European and American designers including innovators like Gotti Switzerland, TAVAT, and Lafont Paris;

sustainable eyewear brands like Sea2see and Bird and much loved creators who have an international following including Kirk and Kirk, Erker’s 1879, Struktur, Any Di, l.a.Eyeworks, Ørgreen Optics and Morel. The next edition of 100% Optical will take place on 25 to 27 February 2023. Find out more at www.100percentoptical.com

23rd to 25th April 2022 – ExCel London – extended opening times, from 9am

The long-awaited London fair , 100% Optical will take place this coming weekend at its usual venue, ExCel London after being postponed from dates earlier this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The fair promises a lively come-back for Spring, with a wide variety of new product categories, both fashion and technology, highlights in the sustainable and independent eyewear segments, the return of the Love Eyewear Awards, and the colourful 100% catwalk shows, sponsored this year by Transitions.

In the independent eyewear category, Eyestylist presents s selection of collections to help visitors navigate some of the best and most unique labels and creative ranges  showing from around the world at this event. Above: TREE Spectacles from Italy will be represented at the London fair for the first time – this independent brand produces their frames exclusively in Italy and Japan; the  frames are minimal, refined in their details, and propose a mix of bright, pastel and natural colours. www.treespectacles.com

ERKER’s 1879, St Louis, Missouri, USA – Erker’s 1879 will be represented in London by the Erker’s family, Jack, John and their father –  the heritage brand from St Louis has an exciting history and is proud of its consistent approach to high-quality and timeless design. The collections this year propose a diverse and multi-colored collection with many elegant nature-inspired  and patterned acetates alongside the classic Erker’s metal frames which are slim, lightweight, and contemporary in form. https://erkers1879.com

KIRK AND KIRK, UK – The bold shapes and colours at the UK independent label Kirk & Kirk are always a big attraction at the London show. Jason Kirk will be present to show Kaleidoscope and the vibrant Centiles, which combine two colours and a chunky “out-there” statement style. The frames are all made in custom acrylic, described as recyclable and custom made in France. www.kirkandkirk.com

SEA2SEE – Sea2see is a pioneer in the creation of circular  “seastainable” eyewear, producing stylish designs in Italy in 100% marine plastic collected by Sea2see through communities in Africa. A winner of the Optician Award in the UK for its Positano frame in 2020, Sea2see is already an established name in British optical stores, exhibiting that recycled, sustainable materials are key for the future – and can rival other materials in terms of their functionality and fashion style. Founder Francois Van Den Abeele will be at the fair in person. www.sea2see.org

STRUKTUR, Normandy, France – A recent preview of the Struktur collection from Normandy in France – revealed wonderful developments in the colour palette which – using distinctive matt and shiny finishes – proposes statement neons in red, green, lilac and yellow. The bold architectural fronts are combined with sculpted temples in matching and contrasting tones.  The whole collection by Struktur offers an interesting exploration of French eyewear made in traditional ways and according to highly-skilled artisan traditions. For further details visit www.struktur-eyewear.fr

ANY-DI, Germany – Any-Di is a German accessories label with a signature case design that has become well-known in optical circles.  Their most recent collection is made entirely from recycled leather from previous ANY DI releases. Velour and nappa leather are set in an alternating patchwork pattern that creates the effect of waves.  Find out more about the collection at https://any-di.com

100% Optical will take place on 23rd, 24th and 25th April with a new opening time of 9am across the three days. A ribbon cutting ceremony at 9am on Saturday 23rd April will take place to welcome all exhibitors and visitors. 100% Optical’s Love Awards will be announced on 23rd April 2022. The shortlist can be viewed on the 100% website. The organisers have announced this week that the 100% Optical  fair will take place from 25th to 27th February in 2023. For more information about attending the 100% Optical event, visit the site at www.100percentoptical.com