Design + Inspiration

Paul Smith and Cutler and Gross are to join forces as eyewear partners, with a first collection launch planned for March 2019. The British eyewear brand will utilise its traditional production expertise that spans almost 50 years to create Paul Smith eyewear and sunglasses with a luxurious finesse in the metal and acetate materials and subtle design details that will tie in with the fashion designer’s colours and tailoring. Marie Wilkinson, long serving Design Director for the London eyewear brand will oversee the creation and development of the frames in collaboration with Smith’s design experts.

In a statement, Paul Smith explained: “I’ve always had enormous admiration for Cutler and Gross. Before we sadly lost him, Tony Gross was a personal friend of mine. The attention to detail and expertise that Tony practiced is still absolutely central to the work the company are doing today. I’m delighted to be collaborating with Cutler and Gross and look forward to an exciting and creative future.”

The frames, which will feature high quality Dalloz sun lenses, will be on show to retailers at Mido Milan – the Italian trade fair – in February. They will then be available from Paul Smith and Cutler and Gross outlets and a selection of premium stores and opticians globally. For more details about Cutler and Gross visit www.cutlerandgross.com CN

LINDBERG Precious embellishes winter festivities with the opulence and beauty of their handcrafted eyewear. The award-winning Danish label – who just received the German Design Award for 2019 in the Lifestyle and Fashion Category – celebrates this wonderful season with frame designs in 18 carat gold with splendid diamond highlights.(Above image: 18 carat solid rose gold with a 0.33 carat baguette cut pink diamond, and a 0.38 carat baguette cut purplish pink diamond) 

The frames exude masterful engineering with silhouettes that are exquisitely shaped to the contours of the face. Pink is fashion’s energetic and spirited colour of the season, and LINDBERG extols its virtues with the highest quality diamonds in alluring pink – as well as exclusive options in black, and raw uncut, clear diamond accents.

With minimalist construction, the frames are featherweight, yet durable, and each frame is individually crafted. The distinguished collection includes designs for men and women.

Treat yourself this holiday season, and just as importantly – your eyes – to the dramatic brilliance of a LINDBERG Precious design – a gift that truly keeps on giving – with its timeless, sophisticated beauty. www.lindberg.com JG

Simplicity is sublime and nobly emulates in the streamlined eyewear designs by Von Arkel in Switzerland. Complex engineering by master craftsmen combined with traditional spectacle making techniques, ensure that Von Arkel frames accentuate innovation; lightness; unparalleled flexibility; and comfort.

Switzerland excels in watchmaking, and certain elements unique to that industry are also reflected in Von Arkel designs – such as chamfers (cut-aways to make a symmetrical sloping edge) and the intricate, meticulous polishing – so respected and renowned for Swiss watches. These characteristics are beautifully expressed in Calibre 4 Outline designs.

Buffalo horn has long been considered amongst the most regal of eyewear materials; used in spectacle making for centuries. However, Von Arkel has a modern, environmentally-aware take on Buffalo horn – using only horn from domesticated Indian buffalos that have passed away. Warm, rich tones of Buffalo horn united with Von Arkel’s intricate, precise crafting results in a luxurious design that will be appreciated – and enjoyed – by the discerning wearer.

Superb gemstones opulently accent frames that are exquisitely crafted with unprecedented quality and distinction. Shimmering diamonds sparkle on a Calibre 8 Steelmaster design that embraces the apex of sophisticated gracefulness.

The Calibre 9 Entourage collection includes sleek silhouettes with enticing details: no rivets, no soldering or setting – and no screws. The Calibre 9 has a complex, hidden mechanism featuring a friction-controlled movement – a hinge that is durable, and a frame exceptionally comfortable to wear. Discover more of the illustrious and exquisite spirit of Von Arkel Switzerland at www.vonarkel.com JG

Claire Goldsmith / Eyestylist – The passion to create original and imaginative eyewear creatively flows in the Goldsmith genetic code. The family-run business – now under the leadership of dynamic Claire Goldsmith – is embracing new horizons for the nearly century-old British company. Claire comments on the creation of her own innovative collection – Claire Goldsmith Optical.

Please tell us how you perceived and envisioned the concept that developed and evolved into CG Optical? “CG evolved through an inner ambition to pursue something for myself. Initially all the OG designs we made were replicas of styles held in our archive. They were relics brought back to life in beautiful new colour ways and modern acetates. We’ve since developed the collection to include new original designs, but at the conception of the relaunch there wasn’t a platform for me to create new styles. I was dubious about doing so under the Oliver Goldsmith name. It was so iconic and historically treasured. I wanted something of my own to create, and so the natural evolution was to launch my own brand.” (Above image:Claire Goldsmith)

Was your inspiration or motivation influenced by fashion trends; art or architecture; travel; or other appealing circumstances? “My initial inspiration certainly came from my heritage and the incredible brand my great grandfathers had created and the legacy they left behind. OG was at its peak during the 1960’s and 70’s – and these decades continue to be enormously influential to me: from fashion, car design, architecture…there is something so cool about that period of time that I am forever drawn to the fantasy of the era – the celebrity, the clothes, the apposition of both frivolity and attention to detail  – in detail. But CG is a new brand, and much as I enjoy looking to the past for inspiration, it is today’s customer we are dressing, and as a Londoner (myself) and as a London brand, I am lucky to be continually inspired by the city, and the people who live within it.”

What are your favourite materials and colours in which to create a collection? “OG is an acetate brand, and so it’s very much what I know best. It’s a material I understand, and I love the joy of creating new materials through laminates or changing the thickness of a frame to reveal the richness of its colour. For me, acetate is part of our identity, whether we are talking OG or CG. I adore super light stainless steel frames; I think they are beautiful, but you can’t be every brand to every person and it’s exhausting trying to be. I dabble with metals and combination frames, but my core material will always be acetate – other brands already do metals or wood or vinyl so well – I’ll stick to what I know and do best!”

What is the demographic profile of the CG Optical wearer? “I don’t really think demographics exist in the same way they once did. The CG customer is varied, simply because of the incredible cities and stores around the world where we are represented. Our frames are contemporary classics, and our customers tend to revere the values of the brand rather than because they fit into a particular demographic. We’ve dressed the eyes of so many different people, and so many age groups, and I love that.”

What shapes and colours do customers most desire this season? “When I purchase something I want it to last more than a season, and I like to think my customers buy into CG as a lifestyle rather than a seasonal piece. Personal style is so – well – personal – and if my frames can help someone express themselves or become an integral part of their image, then that makes me happy. I truly don’t design to fit into trends. Of course, I’m conscious of what fashion is dictating, but what someone wears on their face doesn’t always correlate with what they wear on their body. There are some amazing brands producing incredibly modern and fashion forward eyewear who dictate micro trends within the eyewear industry, but the colours and shapes we produce at CG focus more on longevity.”

You love to create and have an enterprising spirit. Are there possible creative design thoughts or ideas being cultivated? “Definitely! We are living in such an entrepreneurial era, with the internet and social media providing a platform for almost anyone to launch a brand or concept. I find this both incredibly inspiring and at times, overwhelming, but I do like the idea of being able to be creative in other industries: to dabble or delve into different projects as I see fit. For now, CG an OG keep me more than busy, but who knows, perhaps that enterprising spirit will need exercising at some point!” www.clairegoldsmith.com