Design + Inspiration

Sunnies for Tropical Destinations

30th December 2013 If the seaside – not snowy slopes – is your idea of a winter holiday, here are two ravishing sunglasses with style and glamour to enjoy wearing in sunny climes. Christian Roth’s dashing design has a vintage air with its beautifully curved shape. Pale blue acetate is accented with a cocoa insert on the frame front. And you can purchase this lovely frame NOW – through Eyestylist at www.christian-roth.com – click and order directly through their online shop.

Among holiday joys is having the time to leisurely browse in galleries, museums, and shops. Look particularly chic in LGR’s smart design – Reunion  – in smooth acetate. The round shape in elegantly crafted acetate is gracefully voluminous – all handmade in Italy. www.lgr-sunglasses.com JG

Ciro Tugnoli Takes to the Road on a Vespa!

29th November 2013 Continuing our series on “Designers Off Duty” – Blue Magic Eye designer Ciro Tugnoli shares his Vespa Rally adventures with Eyestylist.

“Vespa is the traditional scooter in Italy since forever….I started with my first Vespa at eighteen years old – not as young as people usually start. I began with an old one from my brother. I took part in my first “Vespata” in 2003. There are several Vespa weekends and meetings around the world, but I usually take part in the one that is held every year – usually in May in Bologna. It’s not really an official Vespa weekend; it’s more a crew of friends that plan a “clandestine” ride across the Bologna hills. We meet each other (I think we are about 300 Vespas) in a Bologna city centre square, and after a quick ride in the city centre (where people look at us with a lot of curiosity!), we start to climb the hills across the city. We drive for approximately 40km. It’s quite hard to drive a 50cc Vespa, sometimes with two people on it (Guya Montermini Blue Magic Eye Design Partner often accompanies Ciro), climbing the small streets up to the hills.

“Luckily, several stops are planned where we can enjoy a beer, a glass of wine and some music….The finish line is in Lojano, in a countryside manor called Palazzo Loup. This is where we usually eat some sandwiches with “mortadella” or some “pasta al ragû”, and we can just relax and enjoy the sun. This is also the place where the real competition takes place. Only the bravest can take part at “Gimkana” – a grass track full of the unexpected! I would love to collect vintage Vespas, but it’s an expensive passion and a lot of space is needed to store them. You must ride your vespa – not leave her inside a box. At the moment I have two: a PX50 from 1982 – my first Vespa – and a Vespa 50’s from 1960. I’m thinking about a bigger one – maybe 125/150cc – we’ll see what I’ll ride next springtime……” www.bluemagiceye.com JG

Kings of Past, the online store for vintage eyewear

29th October 2013  If you are a vintage eyewear connoisseur, wondering what the key looks are that fit with seasonal fashions of the season, we’ve got some guidelines. Musadik Rajani from Kings of Past, one of the specialists in fine vintage eyewear, tells us that nostalgic “traditionalist” pieces that are decorative and very feminine are becoming more and more sought after. “Think Jackie-O or Sophia Loren, for a touch of Hollywood glamour but choose earthy tones and retro shapes. The natural browns and lighter neutral colours are picking up, and items made with unique materials like natural wood and silk are in again. We have vintage wood designs by Gold & Wood and I’d say they are emerging as a special trend. Navy, two-tones and tri-colours are beautiful in eyewear, and there is a certain boldness returning with tartan, and with that, slightly grunge vibes too.”

Gold & Wood vintage frame above: http://www.kingsofpast.com/shop/vintage-gold-wood-ti-654-23-eyeglasses.html

According to Rajani, the classics are always popular although some shapes are always wanted. “For women, thin cat-eye shapes are gorgeous, particularly because they look great both as opticals and sunglasses,” he explains. “In men’s eyewear we are still seeing a fondness for the round shapes for their vintage overtones and memory of a bolder time period.” So is there an overriding trend? “Interestingly enough,” says Rajani, “because of our large range of clientele the biggest trend we’re seeing is individualism. Gentlemen who you may perceive to be into aviators may in fact purchase thick super large frames. Others want thin rounds or square/rectangles. Generally speaking, thin aviator frames or oversized Dior frames, for instance, are where we see most of the numbers but people today dress uniquely and in tune with personal characteristics. We love to be able to cater to this diversity, and it just adds to the excitement of what we can unearth from our vast vintage treasure trove…..it is going to be a great season!” Visit Kings of Past at www.kingsofpast.com CN

Originality and Ingenuity Prevail in Paris

28th September 2013  Clodagh and I are twirling around SILMO viewing multiple collections, and marvelling at the creative intensity of eyewear designers. Two impressive standouts are Theo from Belgium and Tarian in Paris. Japanese titanium and horn unite in perfect balance with striking shapes in eye-witness by theo. TV and TX (above) achieve a balancing act between symmetry and asymmetry, and also between a hard material such as titanium, and a ‘soft’ natural element such as horn. The ‘browline’ shape is inspired by the 1950’s optical look that accentuated the eyebrows. Gorgeous colours too — all accented with natural Indian water buffalo horn. www.theo.be

Bold, strong statement styles are the hallmark of Jérémy Tarian. His goal is to create unique and original frames in superior materials, while infusing the design with unexpected concepts. The voluminous lines in Shark Tank (above) are beautifully accented with graphic elements, and precise and elegant details. www.jeremytarian.com

Our explorations at the show continue – so stay tuned for exciting discoveries in eyewear excitement! JG