Design + Inspiration

Passionate eyewear advocates Nathanaël Wenger and Dirk Geissmann host the second edition of Die Brillenmesse in the Rhine city on the 23rd-24th April. Approximately seventy international independent brands will showcase their collections at Dock One – an historical location built in 1851 with surroundings that offer classic industrial architecture.

Participants include Danish label Orgreen, who will present their finely crafted optical and sunglass collections, and British brand Claire Goldsmith, with innovative optical designs for men and women. In the stunning photo above – from the Hall of Frames 2016 campaign – the male model wears Claire Goldsmith Burton, and the woman Sommelier by Orgreen. www.clairegoldsmith.com www.orgreenoptics.com

Dashing Italian style include frames by L.G.R from Rome. The latest collection by Luca Gnecchi Ruscone features Mauritania, a chic panto design in bold tortoiseshell acetate. www.lgrworld.com

Loving Strangers is the theme for the refined Titanium collection by Adrian Marwitz. Lover 7 in loving bordeaux is gracefully sculpted in a modern classic silhouette. www.adrianmarwitz.com

Blue and its many variations is a favourite eyewear colour. Lafont Paris has released a new design – Tradition – in subtle blue tortoise acetate, with fine detailing and a special-fit nosepiece – distinctive and comfortable to wear. www.lafont.com

Die Brillenmesse Köln is a wonderful opportunity to visit and leisurely experience and enjoy independent labels with beautifully crafted eyewear. Mark you calendars now! 23rd and 24th April at Dock One in Cologne. More information at www.diebrillenmesse.de JG

The 3rd edition of the Scandinavian trade event, Copenhagen Specs, organised by Morten Gammelmark, took place last weekend in the Lokomotivvaerkstedet on the outskirts of the Danish capital. A strong attendance from local and international exhibitors ensured a buzzing atmosphere and plenty of inspiration for buyers travelling to the show; we met Scandinavian opticians as well as British and Dutch optical retailers, who had made the trip to enjoy a weekend away in the design capital.

Exhibiting for the first time in Denmark, Italian artisan label Hapter reported an “intense show” and a very warm welcome. The brand showed its new TXTL001 and RBBR001 designs which offer unique textured finishes exploring references to the mountains with interesting textiles and rubber materials worked into the frames. www.hapter.it

We were impressed to see US brand SALT Optics in Copenhagen, exhibiting their extensive new line, with fine metal and acetate styles featured. Jackie is one of the models in the Spring/Summer collection – the legendary eyewear shape has been given a slight makeover, resulting in a very refined and soft, feminine, rectangular lens shape. www.saltoptics.com

Sustainable brand Dick Moby from the Netherlands showed their M49 bio-acetate 100% biodegradable frames which feature CR39 lenses by Zeiss. www.dick-moby.com

Danish newcomer Falvin Eyewear was one of several Scandinavian representatives at the fair. The label is achieving rapid international recognition for its modern titanium frames, designed by jewellery designer Birgitte Falvin, and meticulously handcrafted in Japan. www.falvineyewear.com

The trip to Copenhagen also allowed us time to visit some of the city’s leading optical stores including the Orgreen flagship store – www.ørgreen-kbh.dk – and Optiker Poul Stig Briller in Frederiksberg and at Østergade 24 – www.poulstigbriller.dk.

For more information about Copenhagen Specs, visit www.copenhagenspecs.dk CN

Continuing our Eyewear Canine Companion series, today we meet Nelson, the beloved companion of Alessandro De Lorenzo at Boudoir Boutique in Venice, Italy.

How did you and Nelson meet? “He was born in a dog pound where his mother was rescued, so Nelson has never been mistreated. He is a Spanish Greyhound and was four months old. This breed is called Galgo in Spain, and the dogs are used for the rabbit hunt there. When the hunting season is over, most of the dogs are abandoned or killed – about 50,000 to 65,00 per year. Nelson is very well behaved; he likes bigger and smaller dogs, as well as cats and children. He’s really not a hunter. He loves to run – especially with other dogs, but he has inherited – from me – some laziness, and he loves to sleep most of the day.

What are Nelson’s duties in your boutique? “Well..he is in charge of the red sofa. If he’s left alone for more than five minutes, he starts testing the products – for example – eye drops, or tastes some of the frames. He greets clients and he makes sure nobody’s carrying weapons in their bags. Some people come by the shop just for him, and every day, at least a dozen tourists take pictures of him from the window.”

Does Nelson travel with you? “Most of the time we walk – that is the purpose of living in Venice! We go on the vaporetto (water bus) only if we have to go to the Lido, where the beach is. Otherwise we take the tram or the regular bus to go to the Venice mainland, and he’s OK with that. When I visit my parents in Cadore – the eyewear district – I use my car. He hates cars and he knows exactly what they are. When we go jogging and we run near parked cars, he wants to make a big arch around them.”

Does Nelson go to restaurants and cafés with you? “I am able to take Nelson with me; most places know us and the restaurant owners allow him to enter. Nelson’s lovely…but…food is way too attractive for him, so it’s hard to teach him proper table behaviour. Maybe when he’s a bit older…now I leave him home if I have to go out for dinner.”

“I would like to add that people consider rescue dogs, instead of professional breeders. There are associations that rescue greyhounds in Ireland, the United States and in Spain. In every country you can find pure breed dogs – and mixed ones, and cats – looking for adoption. They’ll be grateful to you.” www.boudoir.vencie.it JG

Brilliant buds, blooms and blossoms enthusiastically await the arrival of Spring – and its palette of colours. Ideally this is also the time to refresh, enhance and colourise your personal accessories wardrobe. A great place to start is with eyewear that combines originality, fashion flair and savoir-faire. Spectacle Eyeworks in Vancouver, Canada features striking new designs in the Pussy Galore Collection. Volume and tri-colouration bring glamour to Roya – with its focused attention to detail, temple accents, and feline curves. More eyewear news from Spectacle Eyeworks at www.spec-eyeworks.com

Lafont Paris unveiled a lovely optical collection in Milan that spotlights favourite spring colours. Among the highlights is a contemporary classic design in Navy Blue with a perky red trim on the frame front. Lafont has captured with Tatiana the trend for rounded, soft shapes that are extremely flattering on the face. www.lafont.com

Cutting edge technology, smart design, and innovative materials feature in the Charmant Z collection for men. The frames are very lightweight, with distinctive detailing, and clarity of line. Charmant ZT19827 exudes refined understatement. www.charmant.com

Japanese designer Masahiro Maruyama creates frames that are fresh, articulate, and an intriguing mix of straight and round forms. The distinct design of style 0022 reflects striking colour and ingenuity. www.masahiromaruyama.com JG

The Copenhagen fair this weekend promises a hand-picked selection of some of the best eyewear to hit 2016 from Scandinavia, Europe and the USA, exhibiting in the Lokomotivvaerksted, a historic venue with an industrial ambiance. Eyestylist.com looks forward to visiting the fair for the first time.

One of several French companies taking part in the show, Jean-François Rey will show Line 1985 (pictured above, style Officer 6565), a limited edition of glasses and sunglasses, which reference iconic models launched in 1985 via original drawings. Current manufacturing processes and materials bring a new interpretation, combining quality, comfort and lightness. Produced in a limited edition of 500 pieces per style, the models are released with an anniversary book featuring archive photographs of Joëlle and Jean-François Rey. www.jfrey.fr

From Paris, young designer Caroline Abram will show her latest vibrant eyewear designs in a collection that embraces bold colour, glam shapes and luxurious material mixes.www.carolineabram.com

Locals Orgreen Optics will attend with their extensive new collection for 2016 and several exciting statement highlights including the XY and YX sunglasses. Their range of slick, flattering titanium shapes such as the Ysabel (above) provide an excellent balance of everday style with the classic quality and superior lightness of premium titanium. www.orgreen.dk

From Norway, young couple Kristen and Lars Iversen travel to Copenhagen with their 2016 campaign and a collection of modern classics combining Scandinavian aesthetics and details from industrial design, always with a fresh twist such as unique understated wood look temple details. Find out more about Karmoie at www.karmoie.com.

Copenhagen Specs takes place from 5th-6th March 2016. For more information, registration and a full list of the eyewear exhibitors, visit www.copenhagenspecs.dk CN