Design + Inspiration

Positive Luxury and Karmoie

“Buy one, give one” Congratulations go out to Norwegian brand Karmoie, who have become one of the few eyewear labels to gain the Positive Luxury Butterfly Mark for social commitment (www.positiveluxury.com).

Karmoie founders Lars and Kirsten Iversen say their aim is to create beautiful, uncompromising eyewear while also contributing in a committed and conscious way towards a better future. For every pair of Karmoie frames sold, a pair of corrective glasses is given to a person in need, through a partnership with Eyejusters.

Captain by Karmoie
Captain by Karmoie

The Butterfly Mark is awarded by Positive Luxury – the organisation that communicates and celebrates luxury brands’ sustainable actions – and is a seal of approval which enables consumers to recognise brands they can trust.

Through Positive Luxury’s screening process, Karmoie has demonstrated a commitment to people and the planet across all aspects of their business including sourcing traceability policies, reducing their environmental footprint and the use of sustainable and recyclable materials. For more information, visit www.karmoie.com CN

Hall of Frames Zurich

Pace Setting Eyewear in Switzerland

Swiss, German and Austrian opticians visited the recent Hall of Frames event in Zurich – the only platform for designer frames in Switzerland. Kongresshaus was the amicable location, affording a quintessential view of Zurich’s beautiful lake and mountains. Co-coordinator Nathanael Wenger said; “This simple and elegant show is a ‘must go’ for all boutique opticians, and it is also a good opportunity to meet up with colleagues and friends.

Dominique Kasper - agent for Claire Goldsmith and OG Sunglasses at HOF Zurich
Dominique Kasper – agent for Claire Goldsmith and OG Sunglasses at HOF Zurich

“New brands presented for the first time in Zurich included: Edwardson from Geneva; Tom Rebl and Retrosuperfuture from Italy; Caroline Abram and Anne et Valentine from France; and Claire Goldsmith and Oliver Goldsmith Sunglasses from the UK.” Wenger noted that the diversity in style, sizes and colours is huge – “there are almost no limits in every direction. We could see an increasing number of brands with oversized, fine rimmed metal frames, from Coblens, Orgreen, and Götti – this could be the next big trend.”

Historic Kongresshaus Zurich
Historic Kongresshaus Zurich

Dates for the 2016 Hall of Frames Zurich have already been set – so note on your calendar – 2nd and 3rd October 2016 – to discover the latest, distinctive, artisan eyewear collections surrounded by Switzerland’s majestic beauty. www.hallofframes.ch JG

Top Photo: Nathanael Wenger, Tina, the ad campaign model, and Dirk Geissmann

 

 

 

 

A modernist story

RockOptika at the De La Warr

The world-famous modernist De La Warr Pavilion (www.dlwp.com) in Bexhill, England is the setting for an eyewear campaign by British eyewear label, Rockoptika. Creative Director Tom Herrington fulfils his passion for quality eyewear and fashion photography in the new images, which he shot with stylist Philly Piggott and assistant photographer Paul Cocks.

“The campaign is an integral part of my collection and how I believe it should be presented. I was already planning and visualising how it would look when I began to design the frames a year and a half ago. ”

 

RockOptika
RockOptika – a bijou appearance by Tom Herrington (right)
RockOptika
Maisie Jane Daniels wears model Sinistre / RockOptika

Tom explains: “I love the De La Warr, and it’s just five miles away from RockOptika HQ in St Leonards on the English coast. It’s an exceptional backdrop for a luxury collection which has been created in tune with modernist aesthetics. We are a lucky to have had special access to shoot at this architectural landmark.”

 

RockOptika
Eyewear: optical model Columbia in crystal / RockOptika

The latest RockOptika collection is influenced by the sweeping curves, stark lines and muted colours of Bexhill’s iconic building. Featuring in the campaign are model Sinistre, a modified round shape with a flattened top –  and Saiph and Vega, each one in keeping with the building’s hard edges and soft contours in a neutral colour palette – crystal, tortoise and classic black –  creating a natural yet striking focus against the De La Warr’s streamlined concrete and steel. For more information about RockOptika frames, visit www.rockoptika.com CN

Silhouette and Wes Gordon

My mission is to provide women with effortless sophistication” Wes Gordon

Young American designer Wes Gordon has teamed with Silhouette Eyewear in a new sunglasses collaboration for SS16, shown for the first time at New York Fashion Week in September.

Wes Gordon
Wes Gordon x Silhouette Eyewear

With the super light qualities typical of the Austrian eyewear company, the small round design features rimless lenses in a barely there high tech wire frame, produced according to Silhouette’s state-of-the-art eyewear expertise.

 

Wes Gordon x Silhouette
Wes Gordon x Silhouette Eyewear

Minimal and clean with a distinctive feminine charm, the design featured on the runway in four colours – nude brown, classic grey (pictured above), classic green and ocean blue, teamed with Gordon’s 2016 S/S Ready-to-Wear Collection, luxurious and timeless, with crisp silhouettes in coordinated white, yellow and neutral tones, and delicate monochrome prints. For more on Wes Gordon visit www.wesgordon.com. More details on Silhouette Eyewear at  www.silhouette.com CN

Die Brillenmesse in Stuttgart

Independent Innovators in Germany

Beautiful eyewear, vintage cars, and a countryside setting just outside Stuttgart, is an inviting prospect for the weekend of 17th and 18th October. The entertaining ambiance of Motor World hosts Die Brillenmesse, where approximately seventy international designers and companies will present their latest collections.

Both new brands exhibiting for the first time in Stuttgart, and familiar favourites will be showing their collections – including among others: Orgreen; Onkel Ferdi; KBL; Kirk & Kirk; Götti; L.G.R.; Entourage of 7; Face à Face; and Liebeskind. Kirk & Kirk presents their Kaleidoscope designs, and their lovely new matt colours in the Vivarium Collection. www.kirkandkirk.com Top image: Wallace in Cobalt Blue from the Vivarium Collection.

#Blakely by Entourage of 7
#Blakely by Entourage of 7

Sunglasses and optical frames in graceful shapes and lovely colours highlight the collection at Entourage of 7 in Denmark, all finely crafted in Japan. www.eof7.com

Original print by Liebeskind
Original print by Liebeskind

Liebeskind from Berlin features vibrant colourations with their own print creations, made with a high-resolution HD printing technology. The results are striking! www.wagner-kuehner.de

Die Brillenmesse is an excellent opportunity to investigate the latest collections by eyewear innovators in a unique and memorable location. So save the date – 17th and 18th October at Motor World in Stuttgart. Further details at www.diebrillenmesse.de JG