Design + Inspiration

100% Optical London: who’s showing?

16th January 2018

London’s 100% Optical takes place on 27th to 29th January, and promises an exciting event, celebrating 5 years of success at the city’s ExCel centre. Many different types of eyewear will be showcased during the weekend, with companies travelling from far and wide.

The Austrian company SILHOUETTE will launch the new Alpha Collection to UK opticians, a new addition expanding the Titan Minimal Art range. The Collection introduces a number of distinguished technical highlights, focusing on an architecturally modern design. A striking nose bridge and an updated metallic temple aesthetic, with the choice of a polished or matte finish, combined with a delicate decorative element are also highlighted. New to the range, inspired by recent SS18 trends, is the luxurious brass and rose gold metal surface. www.silhouette.com

Nalu from LINDBERG Sirius Titanium – an award-winning collection

LINDBERG’s presence in the UK continues to go from strength to strength and the Danish company will showcase highlights from across its collections for 2018. Watch out for their Sirius Titanium which won the Red Dot Award in 2017. More details at www.lindberg.com

BeHot at WOOW Eyewear – Design Eyewear Group

The ‘Be Hot’ shapes in the WOOW Wool collection have light metal fronts and beautiful matching “Argyll” socks on the temples. Be Hot comes in 2 shapes and 6 colour combinations, and celebrates five years of the Woow Eyewear brand. BeHot1 is typically colourful and upbeat in a line that brings a youthful energy to eyewear! Woow is part of Design Eyewear Group and can be found at their stand at 100%. www.wooweyewear.com

Gotti Switzerland offers a diverse collection of smart, minimal eyewear including 3d printed luxury styles (DIMENSION), a lightweight trendy rimless collection (Perspective) and design classics in titanium and buffalo horn. The new DIMENSION frames offer the ultimate in personalised 3d printed eyewear – with a touch of bold colour! www.gotti.ch

SILMO Paris - The Optical Fair. 25th - 28th September 2026

MIDO 6-8 February 2027. Welcome to Eyewearland

LOFT Santa Monica Show October 16th and 17th

EYESHAKER, a new cleaning method for glasses and sunglasses, launched in 2017

EYESHAKER, an Austrian company who first launched their cleaning product in 2017, will also exhibit in London for the first time. This product is a brilliantly simple way to thoroughly clean away dust, makeup, sweat or finger prints, and keeps frames and lenses looking smart and stylish. A must-have for the optical practice. Try the product out at the Eyeshaker booth or visit www.eyeshaker.at

Andy Wolf Eyewear: Amira from the Soul Collection

The Soul Collection by Andy Wolf offers classic design with trend-led nuances of colour and design. Model Amira is the ultimate round style with a unique narrow metal bridge and bold canary yellow colour choice. Find more classic tones and brights in the Soul Collection at 100% and on www.andy-wolf.com

100% Optical will showcase a range of independent labels in 2018 including the following brands: Andy Wolf, Booth & Bruce, Cazal, Dandy’s, Eyeshaker, Francis Klein, Gotti Switzerland, Kirk & Kirk, Neubau, Savile Row, MODO, Markus T, Tavat and Silhouette. For more information visit www.100percentoptical.com CN

Design + Inspiration

OPTI-Munich magic: Eyewear diversity

10th January 2018

In just a few days, OPTI-Munich opens the 2018 edition to new eyewear horizons with diversity and distinction. The two-day event – 12th-14th January -showcases international designs and brands who will present contemporary and stimulating collections with signature styling, beautiful colours and amazing materials. Here are unique designs to discover for an exciting eyewear experience! (Top image: MONOQOOL launches their elegant 3-D CAFE Collection www.monoqool.com)

Norwegian designers Kirsten and Lars Iversen present their streamlined renditions in shimmering acetate. www.karmoie.com

French craftsmanship is beautifully demonstrated in Jérémy Tarian’s distinguished shapes and fine attention to details. www.jeremytarian.com

The glamour of Italian race cars in the 1960’s inspire captivating shapes in the Superleggero designs by Luca Gnecchi Ruscone at L.G.R, handcrafted with skill and finesse in Italy. www.lgrworld.com

Gerald Lasnik, inventor and designer for SEEOO, wears his latest creation – SEEOO Round www.seeoo.at

ONONO – the very few – designed by Vicky Strojek

Buffalo horn superbly crafted from sustainable sources highlights the luxurious collection by Vicky Strojek for ONONO. The slim, lightweight designs combine 20th century aesthetics with 21st century technology. www.onono.com

Vibrant purple sunglasses by SOL SOL ITO include striking shapes with coloured spring steal temples, and hand polished acetate fronts. www.solsolito.com (Photo by Hans Hansen)

BLACKFIN blends 1950’s inspiration with state-of-the-art construction and technology in Marrowstone – one of the new outstanding designs from the spring/summer BLACKFIN collection. www.blackfin.eu

Exquisite, featherweight, design ingenuity and advanced technologies highlight the minimalist eyewear creations by LINDBERG – award winning Danish label. www.lindberg.com

Modern retro influences eyewear designs in acetate and beta-titanium by Carin Eyewear from South Korea. www.caringlasses.com

Exotic woods, graceful designs, and refined colourations permeate the sophisticated collection by Gold and Wood. www.gold-and-wood.com

It’s count down to OPTI-Munich at Fairground Munich! For more details, visit www.opti.de JG

Design + Inspiration

New year…new looks…yet timeless trends

3rd January 2018

Eyestylist wishes our readers and sponsors a happy, healthy and joyous New Year! The eyewear year launches on a high note with OPTI-Munich next week..a show infused with creativity and style from international designers.

Austrian brand neubau celebrates 2018 with an impressive sunglass design – Sigmund & Carl, (above) named after the great psychoanalysts Sigmund Freud and Carl Gustav Jung. They may rarely have seen “eye to eye”, but they both liked to wear round spectacles. Sigmund & Carl is a combination of the frames worn by both of these geniuses. The frames feature the unique, precision-made neubau hinge that ensures a perfectly adaptable temple. Sigmund & Carl is eco-friendly, crafted from titanium, stainless steel, and the sustainable material PX. Visit neubau at OPTI in Hall C3 Stand 116 and www.neubau-eyewear.com

A lyrical silhouette, slim and featherweight, handcrafted in Silver Oak highlights ROYALE by ROLF Spectacles, a re-launch of a ROLF bestseller. ROYALE emits a natural glow as the noble wood gives the frame a silvery shimmer. The Austrian brand – recipient of numerous awards including their second SILMO d’OR in October – specialises in wood designs crafted in their own atelier. See more ROLF creativity at OPTI in Hall C2 Stand 419, and visit www.rolf-spectacles.com

The charming, flirtatious, sleek and chic eyewear by Plein les Mirettes will exhibit at OPTI-Munich for the first time. The Normandy based label in the French countryside specialises in beautifully crafted frames in unique colour combinations, as seen in Belle 9 – in curry, white and blue. Discover the entire Plein les Mirettes collection in Hall C1 Stand 331 www.plein-les-mirettes.fr

RIGARDS x DETAJ Horn x Sterling Silver Collaboration

RIGARDS has an exciting collaboration with Takayoshi Yamanami, the man behind the artisan jewellery label DETAJ. The composition of the elegant designs is formed by two elements: a genuine horn front and sterling silver temples. RIGARDS x DETAJ emphasises round shapes that are sculptural, and include RIGARD’s trademark bevelling. Distinctive and distinguished! Visit !hot at OPTI for more inspirational RIGARDS designs and www.rigards.com

A unique, edgy, and fun shape by TAVAT is inspired by Soup Cans from the 1930’s. The Round Mask SoupCan is a TAVAT Special Edition in a design with new and unique applications of different materials. The Round Mask sunglasses are equipped with Melanin Lenses that offer a superb duo of style and eye protection, all handmade in Italy. More TAVAT ingenuity can be found in yes! at OPTI-Munich. www.tavat-eyewear.com Additional details for OPTI – 12th-14th January – at www.opti.de JG

Design + Inspiration

Korea: introducing Stealer Eyewear

27th December 2017

Korea’s youngest eyewear brands are turning heads. One of the most popular rising names is the stainless steel specialist Stealer from Seoul, a brand that already has an impressive following at home, among them Korean influencers – such as actors Kim Moo Yul and Lee Hanee, who wear their frames on and off camera. The designs themselves are already in some of the finest boutiques in the South Korean capital (https://www.eyestylist.com/2017/06/haute-eye-seoul/). Opened in 2015, their retail HQ is in trendy Sinsa-Dong, Seoul. Lightweight and minimal in thickness and style, the collection plays with thin steel and fine steel wire to create interesting volumes with an industrial yet refined feel.

“As a brand we aim to re-interpret the material with an in-depth and unconstrained point of view….” Stealer Eyewear

Following launches in Europe at Silmo (www.silmoparis.com), the Paris trade fair for optics and eyewear, the Stealer collection is now available in a select number of European opticians and fashion stores including La Vue Parisienne (Paris), Optics Angelos (Athens), Mert Optik (Turkey) and Joseph Haver (Tel Aviv) and continues to grow its European following with a street fashion project in Milan, highlighted on Instagram. Stealer Eyewear will exhibit at MIDO 2018 (Milan). Find out more: www.stealereyewear.com CN

Design + Inspiration

Celebration of Vision: RCA x 100% Optical

24th December 2017

100% Optical’s “Celebration of Vision” Design Competition runs in partnership with London’s Royal College of Art to celebrate the show’s landmark 5th Anniversary.

Students were asked to respond to the theme of “celebration” using the medium of eyewear. The 14 entries were narrowed down by a judging panel of designers, lecturers and eyewear enthusiasts. The six RCA finalists announced this week are: Clara Chu, Womenswear – Accessories, Year 1; Andrew Bell, Womenswear – Fashion, Year 1; Julia-Kirstin Hauss, Womenswear – Fashion, Year 1; Carol Muthiga-Oyekunle, Womenswear – Accessories, Year 1; Becky Hong, Womenswear – Fashion, Year 2; Ely Cao, Womenswear – Accessories, Year 1. (Image above: Project by Clara Chu.)

The competition has historically been a platform for creative study in eyewear, with students going on to develop their own eyewear lines and experiencing invaluable internships.

As part of the brief, students worked with Mazzuchelli and Laes, who provided acetate for the construction of frames, while Tom Broughton from Cubitts ran a masterclass in frame-making. Students were expected to scrutinise the process of creating eyewear, be it protective or to enhance vision. Students were also required to investigate and respond to systems, forms and scientific optical instruments, as well as advanced lens technology.

The shortlisted designs will be exhibited at 100% Optical and the competition winner will be announced during the event for the UK’s optical sector which takes place between 27-29th January 2018. For more information about the competition, read about last year’s entries: https://www.eyestylist.com/2016/12/rca-x-100-optical/ – and find further details on visiting 100% in London, UK at www.100percentoptical.com CN