Design & Inspiration

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

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

Finding the perfect frame fit – like the perfect shoe – needn’t be a challenge…if you know where to look! Eyewear creators enhance their collections with beautiful frames that compliment smaller faces – with original and creative designs; contemporary materials; and extraordinary colours. Among our favourite selections is Mlle+41 (above) –  an innovative design by theo in Belgium. The dramatic shape gives the appearance of a larger frame, but is scaled to fit and flatter smaller faces, and the distinctive finish is a mix of shiny and brushed acetate. www.theo.be

Bright and cheerful is Blakey in HD acetate by l.a. Eyeworks in a zingy colour christened Red Hen. The frame is created with a 44mm eye size – but radiates a big presence. The neatly tailored edges and end-tip details add to the luminosity of the design. www.laeyeworks.com

Shimmering turquoise acetate highlights Tantot by Lafont Paris. The uncluttered, contemporary shape is comfortable and lightweight, and an excellent silhouette for smaller faces. Check out more designs at www.lafont.com

Stainless steel and Polyamide unite in a 3D laser design – D14 – by Tom Stevens at Stevens Eyewear in The Netherlands. The sleek frame in a smart duo of navy blue and a matt grey trim is crafted in the Tom Stevens atelier, where traditional spectacle making combines with the latest technology. www.stevenseyewear.com

This glamorous frame – PMO35 by J.F. Rey – is especially adapted for women with small faces. Animal print acetate is teamed with a stainless steel brow trim in gold and bronze, and an echo of Art Deco. Feminine and chic! www.jfrey.fr JG

No longer are there one or two key sunglass trends in a season. This year, the choice in shapes, dimensions and colour combinations by independent designers extends down a very creative path. The much loved classic round designs have been joined by squares, octagons, multi-sided lenses and slightly rarer triangular eye shapes, as illustrated in Smoke & Mirrors Sodapop sunglasses (5) where a small modified triangle is superimposed on a pearlescent white “main” frame. www.smokexmirrors.com

Hybrid designs – two shapes in one – are also a good example of what’s new and trending.

The innovative French label Peter & May Walk have created some wonderful catwalk designs with this concept in mind – model Cloud Cuckoo Land is a favourite with its round outer eye shape in a two-tone colour display and cute, flirtatious cat eye lens within. More details at : www.peterandmaywalk.com

Fakoshima, the conceptual Russian brand best known for its eye-popping sunglasses, has launched Struktur, a Bauhaus inspired collection of optical frames with sharp lines, subdued colours, and an architectural approach to the shapes and their defining details. Style 08/02/06 mixes the form of a cat eye with a flat top: it’s a gutsy design that converts the more feminine upswept shaping into a design that provides a unique statement for both men and women. www.fakoshima.com CN

The latest eyewear designs for men incorporate fine materials and intricate textures. Strong, dominant shapes are a hallmark at Rolf Spectacles, who recently captured the prestigious GOOD DESIGN award. Beautiful woods from The Tyrol inspire the creative team, and Vignale (above) is from Rolf’s Excellence collection – superbly crafted in a bold, squared form. www.rolf-spectacles.com Photo by Mahir Jahmal

African memories and a distinctive shape highlight L.G.R’s Albatros – inspired by the bi-plane and exciting adventures of Lady Heath’s pioneering fight in 1928. She flew from Cape Town to London, symbolising a true spirit of freedom and independence. Handcrafted in Italy to exacting standards, the metal and cellulose acetate frame has flat zero base tempered mineral lenses. The dashing design is available in four sleek combinations, including matt gold with black shown above. www.lgrworld.com

Elegant, classic and refined – LINDBERG style 8602 is a tribute to Titanium technology, in a design that spans urbanity to beach. The Danish company is a master of detail, and the temples are finely tuned to complete the sophisticated look. www.lindberg.com

Daniel Benner’s latest eyewear collection includes men’s designs with an interplay of materials that create a light, airy composition. Stainless steel in a silver and anthracite pattern achieves a distinctive mood for Cosmo 18, and each frame is totally handcrafted in Germany. www.bennereyeweardesign.com

The beauty, history and creative hub of Vienna are the source for the Neubau Eyewear collection. Paul is a lightweight, contemporary stainless steel design combined with Polymer temples. More news about Neubau at www.neubau-eyewear.com JG