Design + Inspiration

British Eyewear Talent Showcased in Competition

23rd December 2014 The finalists have been announced for the Eyewear Design Competition organised by 100% Optical and The Royal College of Art. The next generation of eyewear designers will present their creations at 100% Optical in February 2015. Top image: Alice Howard-Graham for ‘Ready to Wear’

There are two categories – Ready to Wear and Couture. The judging panel includes eyewear luminaries Lawrence Jenkin and Jason Kirk; Marie Wilkinson from Cutler and Gross; designer Emma Montague; Walter Berwick from Algha Works; and RCA tutors Flora McLean and Heather Holford. The students will make the frames themselves at legendary Algha Works in London, with the help of experienced frame-making professionals.

How do British students envision eyewear for the future? Visit 100% Optical 7-9 February 2015 for insight into what is next in frame design. The winners will be announced at the show. www.100percentoptical.com  www.rca.ac.uk JG

Götti Snow Goggles

28th November 2014  It’s ski and winter sport season! A time for fun, style and safety on the slopes. Ski goggles add a dramatic, dashing accent to ski wear, and Götti’s new snow goggles are the ideal accessory.

Brilliant technical features – including a flexible and resistant matt finish rubber, polycarbonate mirror 400 UV lenses, plus an anti-fog system – ensure lightweight comfort as well as style.

The impressive design is available in fabulous colours too – black with blue mirror lenses; white with red mirror lenses; and yellow with shiny gold mirror lenses. www.gotti.ch JG

Chic  and Refined

28th October 2014 New refining colouration techniques give grey tones a transparent or matt richness that works well with many complexions. Grey has an intriguing history in fashion, music and art. Rembrandt used complex greys in his paintings; in the Eighteenth century, grey was a very stylish colour for men and women; and in the 19th century composer Claude Debussy was inspired by grey tones he saw in a Whistler painting.

Current eyewear collections feature noble variations of grey, including Anna-Karin Karlsson’s striking acetate optical design Stockholm Syndrome (above), with finely textured sides. www.annakarinkarlsson.com

Fastens Seatbelt by Suzy Glam demonstrates the lovely acetate colour gradations that give grey tones shining luminosity, and features Suzy’s signature beveled grace. www.suzyglam.com

Segal in Matt Elephant Grey acetate by Claire Goldsmith Eyewear from the CG Lite collection highlights cool, uncluttered design in a contemporary mode. www.olivergoldsmith.com

Pewter Grey Pure Titanium by Adrian Marwitz with a streamlined sculpted frame front is lightweight, and expertly handcrafted in Germany. www.adrianmarwitz.com JG

Frames That Command Attention

25th September 2014 What is going to be in optical boutiques in the coming months? Some of the most original, beautiful and innovative eyewear that we have the pleasure to see in Paris starting today. International eyewear designers bring their personal inner “vision” and creativity to frames, and the results are stunning. Netherlands based Susanne Klemm at Suzy Glam has created “Goes Bananas” – Limited Edition sunglasses with slick edginess and flat lenses. Handcrafted in Italy, Suzy Glam frames express chic individuality, with amazing attention to detail. www.suzyglam.com

Theo in Belgium loves red – it’s a favourite colour featured in the collections. Mille+13 is a great example in thick acetate with sharp, defined edges, and lots of beautiful hand polishing. The frame front has two different finishes – the upper part is shiny, and the bottom has a wooden look. Bigger and bolder is the message at Theo! www.theo.be

The ghostly beauty of the sea and its myriad of morphological characteristics influenced the new RIGARDS signature finish: Plastron. Designer Ti Kwa and his team improved traditional horn equipment and developed their own prototype hand tools, which enabled the creation of a crude, alien texture on the horn. The result is a unique design that symbolizes protecting the eyes from elements of the outside world. www.rigards.com

 

Leisure Society’s new campaign – The Deep Serene – continues designer Shane Baum’s dedication to escapism as the ultimate form of leisure. To celebrate there are elegant new designs including Tilman Sun, named after the English Mountaineer Bill Tilman, who is known as the greatest explorer of the 20th century. The ultra-light design is made of pure gold-plated titanium on the front and temples. www.leisure-society.com www.silmoparis.com JG