Design & Inspiration

New Eyewear collection: Arthod

21st October 2025

Sunglass style Albin, produced in high density acetate (HDA) with metal details – is part of the new collection launched by Arthod

Designed to fit the face with precision, this elegant sunglasses style, Albin, is the work of Arthod Eyewear, a small French independent eyewear label by Julien Vansteeger and Sylvie Savatdy. Launching their first collection this year, the brand is “the result of a combined vision”, rooted in a timeless design style with details offering contemporary edge.

“We place great emphasis on the selection of materials, colours, and lenses, ensuring every element reflects a commitment to quality and aesthetic precision. With our collaborative company, KYDJU, which supports the development and production of the collections, we are able to showcase the craftsmanship and technical know-how, behind each model we release.”

Above: Albin by Arthod Eyewear – featured in the first collection released this Autumn 2025 at SILMO 2025 and coming soon to the Hong Kong Optical Fair; model wearing the frame, Jenny Shane, photographed by Ron Kedmi

100% Optical 28 FEB - 2 MAR 2026, Excel London

Albin by Arthod – ‘*Albin’,* coming from Latin means ‘*white*‘ and ‘*luminous*‘ and evokes light and purity…

Geometric yet compact, the Albin model offers crisp facets which catch the light. Small yet assertive, the shape blends elegance and character with timeless refinement. The frame comes in a variety of soft colours, including caramel, dark blue, dark green and ivory. It is one of five frames offered in six colours with natural and soft inspiration for the design of each one.

About Arthod: Arthod is a French eyewear company influenced by art, history and lifestyles of the past. Combining the nostalgia of French design of the past, Arthod revisits its roots, its historical and cultural heritage to create a fusion of retro and chic. Based in Berry in the Cher department, the brand has chosen to feature materials such as Hexetate, a 30% recycled raw material, as well as High Density Acetate – offering properties of strength and stability as well as a pleasing aesthetic and finish. Find out more at www.arthod.com

Design & Inspiration

Luxury optics: Limited Edition by PRESS Eyewear explores gold leaf

20th October 2025

PRESS Eyewear – The I LOVE GOLD jewellery-inspired luxury edition was released at SILMO Paris 2025 – the collection is the brand’s latest collectible release, produced in limited batch

With refined minimal lines and jewellery inspiration, the Limited Edition features favourite iconic styles from the Streamline and Dreamers collections, such as Barracuda, Bel Air and Cobra. Produced in a limited batch of just 50 numbered pieces, the Edition blends titanium with gold leaf effect with artistry to create luxurious, detail-rich heirloom designs with a completely unique look.
PRESS Eyewear employs a sophisticated triple-plating technique – developed to ensure that the gold pattern enhances every surface with elegance and precision. This unique process adds remarkable depth and texture, resulting in a finish unlike anything seen before. It builds on the brand’s spirit of innovation, following the launch of their marble-inspired Limited-Edition finishes introduced in Spring 2025.
“Our brand continues to delve into new possibilities, and we are excited with what’s been achieved,” says Jeff Press, President + Designer, PRESS Eyewear. “This is one of our most collectible Special Editions to date…we are always looking to create designs in materials that are unique and innovative. Our plating technique produces a gold leaf effect that embodies our commitment to crafting authentically for the face…” Above: vintage overtones meet contemporary innovation: model Barracuda by PRESS Eyewear

I LOVE GOLD frames are finished in a combination of deep black matte and shiny plating artistically accented with gold detailing. The Zeiss brown gold flare lenses not only add warmth and elegance but also provide a smooth transition of tint for both sun protection and style.

‘I LOVE GOLD by PRESS Eyewear’ features eight bestselling shapes from the Streamline and Dreamers collections by PRESS Eyewear: Barracuda, Bel Air, Cobra, Moon, Love, Speedster, Toronado, and Yorba. Made in Japan, each piece is handcrafted to create a beautiful, quality finish where comfort is perfectly fused with unapologetic presence and a remarkable sense of style. Read more about PRESS Eyewear on Eyestylist at https://www.eyestylist.com/2024/04/view-from-an-expert-kayla-heersink-shares-favourite-moments-in-nyc-2/

The styles are constructed from premium materials including titanium with Zeiss nylon lenses, OBE spring hinges and custom silicon-coated nose pads. www.presseyewear.com

Design & Inspiration

Eyewear trends: Silmo Paris, September 2025

10th October 2025

Eyewear trends – Strong colour stories, a myriad of micro trends, and continued focus on fine craftsmanship in the luxury independent collections made for plenty of eyewear design inspiration at the Paris event. The 2025 show was as vibrant and inspirational as ever. The Trends Forum explored a variety of new moods and trends in eyewear – while the 32nd edition of the Silmo d’Or Awards celebrated “excellence, creativity and innovation” for 2025.

The organisers of the Silmo event reported healthy visitor numbers: the show welcomed 33,358 professionals – of those 52% were international visitors and 48% French, representing a net increase of 6.5% in visitors this year. More than 900 companies showcased their expertise and innovations across 75,000 m² of exhibition space. Exhibitors we talked to across the fair during the weekend were pleased with all aspects of the show, and all the events and special showcases organised by Silmo were highly appreciated and well attended. This year, special mention should go to the Moi Aussi Exhibition – Where Art Meets Optics. Conceived and supported by Etnia Barcelona, this exhibition showcased an artistic experience “where eyewear became a canvas for expression”. 90 artists were invited to reinvent eyewear and imagine a creation which transcended its traditional use to become a unique work of art.

Silmo also supports young design talent for the optical business via its Optical Design Contest. In its 4th edition, chaired by Michel Penneman, this year the contest invited design students to imagine “super-hero” eyewear: bold, visionary and innovative. The 2025 winner was GAIA by Hélène Caffin-Pinon (École Design Saint-Étienne), a children’s frame integrating plant recognition via augmented reality. Above: Silmo Paris 2025 – trend display – image courtesy of Silmo Paris

Nina Mûr: the new collection “Luminiers” displayed in the Trends Forum – multi-coloured sustainable wood eyewear made by hand – *image courtesy of Silmo Paris*

Silmo organisers highlighted a range of trends in the Trends Forum, emphasising a return of iconic styles, and a “quest for lightness and serenity”. Two other moods were underlined: a charismatic and assertive “allure” and energy in experimental graphics. A curated selection of optical and sunglass frames from exhibitors’ collections illustrated these directions with the aim of capturing the spirit of the times and anticipating tomorrow’s aesthetics.

Dzmitry Samal won a Silmo d’Or for model Luc – Eyewear Designer Category – Optical Frame

During the weekend we noticed a significant number of micro trends – from very specific vintage eyewear influences to fresh silhouettes – as well as key moods for 2026. Sustainability and sustainable material development are an ongoing focus while a changing approach to colour trends and colour work in eyewear felt fresh and expressive – created to allow more individual expression (all these areas will be looked at in the months to come on Eyestylist.com).

Ahlem x Campbell Addy Limited Edition – a sneak peek at Silmo Paris 2025 – one of the collab highlights we saw

The finest luxury eyewear brands and artisan labels – from across the world – were out in force at Silmo this year. Highlights we got to see included the new models at Rigards including the new Rigards x Ziggy Chen style “Moon Owl” (https://www.eyestylist.com/2025/09/silmo-paris-2025-rigards/), and refined handcrafted eyewear by Jacques Durand, Thierry Lasry (a new buffalo horn collection produced with Hoffmann), Lazare Studio, Lafont Paris and Press Eyewear. We are always impressed with newcomers and the start-up area, created to promote new creative talent, and the smaller independent brands showcased so well at Silmo – special mention to two of our favourite brands in France that are consistent in their quality, artistry and brand authenticity – Pontet – by Hermes Pontet (https://pontet-eyewear.com) – and the lovely Maggio Eyewear label, also from the South of France, the work of Julia Maggio (https://www.maggiojulia.com)

Additionally, Ahlem showed us their new collaboration with Campbell Addy, featuring two truly gorgeous frames, a beautifully crafted “sculpted-look” acetate and a reimagined luxurious gold aviator (pictured above).

FACE A FACE: model Flare won the Silmo d’Or – Eyewear Designer Category – Sunglasses – image courtesy of FACE A FACE

This year, the Silmo d’Or awards were chaired by the designer Oliver Lapidus. Among the winners were QED Eyewear in the Technological Innovation in Eyewear category for their model Phi – featuring a patented fastening system that can be assembled and disassembled quickly and easily with many sustainable advantages. In the independent eyewear designer categories, Dzmitry Samal won with the polygonal optical model Luc which featured coloured resin inserts. FACE A FACE won the Eyewear Designer category – Sunglasses with their impressive sunglasses model Flare. The Jury’s special prize went to the Barcelona brand SAPIENS for the model ER1813-M.

Next year, Silmo will take place on 25th to 28th September 2026 at Paris Nord Villepinte. Find out more at www.silmoparis.com

For all the news on the Silmo d’Or awards in 2025, visit https://www.silmoparis.com/en/silmo-awards/silmo-or/laureats

Design & Inspiration

TVR®OPT: Woody Carved Collection celebrates 10th anniversary

8th October 2025

The collection launched in Beijing, China in September; it is now available worldwide

Renowned for his refined digital illustrations that merge fashion with storytelling, South Korean artist Seungwon Hong continues to blur the lines between art and style through his latest collaboration with TVR®OPT. As the Woody Carved collection celebrates its tenth anniversary, Hong reflects on his creative journey, his passion for fashion, and the inspiration behind The Golden Wood Grain—a golden-hued tribute to craftsmanship, nature, and timeless design.

Based in Seoul, Hong is celebrated for his fusion of men’s fashion and impressionistic art. Inspired by stylish individuals and classical masters like Van Gogh, Monet, and Gauguin, his work resonates with elegance and emotional depth. Using digital tools such as tablets, Photoshop, and a MacBook Pro, he has collaborated with major fashion houses including Giorgio Armani, Zegna, and Brooks Brothers, with his illustrations exhibited widely across Seoul. His aesthetic is also shaped by cinematic icons, particularly James Bond, whose refined style continues to influence his creative direction. Above: new “Woody Carved” designs from TVR®OPT

TVR®OPT: Woody Carved Collection 2025 – the wood grain effect has a unique look

Hong’s relationship with TVR®OPT began in 2016 with a fashion illustration project interpreting the brand’s eyewear through his distinctive lens. This partnership blossomed into a formal collaboration in 2021 with the TVR® Classic JD Blackwood Edition. Now, in 2025, he returns with The Golden Wood Grain, the key visual for TVR®OPT’s Art Edition Packaging Collection, launched to honour a decade of the Woody Carved collection.

TVR®OPT China marked its official return with an exclusive private event and trunk show, held for the first time under the direct management of the Japan team. Taking place at The Ascott Hotel, Beijing in September, the event welcomed VIPs, KOLs, and loyal customers. Guests were invited to participate in a hands-on Woody Carved Workshop, deepening their appreciation of the artistry behind the collection. Themed around art and craftsmanship, the event celebrated both the tenth anniversary of the Woody Carved Collection—which debuted in 2013—and the launch of the new Art Edition, featuring Hong’s illustrations. The wood texture, now iconic to TVR®OPT, traces its origins back to the 1999 Wood Tone Romance Collection, created by master craftsman Eizo Onami. Exclusive décor inspired by Hong’s new artworks further brought the spirit of the collaboration to life.

Event in China to launch the collection, featuring the collaborative works for the launch by South Korean artist, Seungwon Hong

The Woody Carved story began with Mokuchoroman (木調浪漫), or “Wood Tone Romance,” a poetic vision of eyewear that resembled wood without being made of it. This philosophy lives on in TVR®OPT Woody Carved—a modern reinterpretation that combines hand-brushed wood grain artistry with vintage-inspired design. Founder Eizo Onami reflects on this evolution, describing it as a journey shaped by both romance and resilience.

Onami was guided by the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, which embraces imperfection and natural simplicity. He introduced the subtle “Aged Rivet” detail to symbolise the passage of time, creating a design that honours the raw beauty of nature and the acceptance of flaws.

“I’ve always wanted to create eyewear made from wood, but using real wood presents many challenges. It doesn’t last, it’s difficult to shape, and it wears quickly with weather changes. People may not fully realise the issues that come with actual wooden frames.” — Eizo Onami, TVR®OPT

TVR®OPT: concept and packaging for Woody Carved frames by Seungwon Hong

First launched in 2015, the collection returns with limited editions of the TVR®504 and TVR®505 frames. Key updates include upgraded hinges with 14K gold washers and the 6mm Japanese Zylonite acetate frames. The hand-brushed wood grain textures gain character over time.

Designed and developed by Eizo Onami – With more than 50 years in eyewear, Onami developed the patented Woody Carved technique—a process of over 280 meticulous steps performed by a single craftsman. Each frame is hand-brushed with a metal brush to replicate natural wood grain, gradually developing a glossy patina unique to every wearer. This innovative method, never before used in eyewear, has since inspired many brands worldwide. Following the passing of its original craftsmen, the collection was discontinued for years. Onami devoted over a decade to reviving the technique, training new artisans and refining the process. After five years of intensive development, the 2025 re-release marks a new chapter for TVR®OPT—a testament to the patience, dedication, and pride that define true handmade craftsmanship.

Find out more about the new collection at www.tvropt.com

All images by kind permission of TVR®OPT

Design & Inspiration

Autumn eyewear trends: artistic colour gradients

3rd October 2025

Gradient tones were frequently unveiled in our preview appointments at SILMO Paris..the tones are subtle, sophisticated and full of character and artistry

Sophisticated colour palettes and a beautiful exploration of the effects of gradients or graduated hues, the eyewear collections for Autumn/Winter served up some interesting new directions and colour mixes that felt creative and artistic, revisiting the shaded effects with new ideas and imaginative colour matches. Above: RSF Autumn/Winter – model Cherry Side Fade – model Cherry is an interpretation of the concept of street culture; the model recalls swimming goggles “which have evolved through a 90s rap video. The colour – with a special side fade – creates a new look compared to the more common vertical transition – www.retrosuperfuture.com

Andy Wolf – model Daisy – image by Fanette Guilloud

The Daisy sunglasses at Andy Wolf are a popular oversized cat-eye inspired shape. The gradient effect introduced explores three tones on the frame front, contrasting translucent and saturated colours for a dramatic result. www.andywolf.com

Model Nick by Veronika Wildgruber is a new rectangular acetate frame with soft edges, defined by its subtle complexity. A double shift in thickness creates the gentle colour gradients, adding depth and movement. The straight bridge provides minimalist clarity, giving the frame its calm, contemporary character. Find out more about the new collection at www.veronikawildgruber.com

LOOK ‘Nil Xinox’ 5433 – the material is said to be ideal for everyday given its lightness and comfort

A sophisticated tribute to the 1990s, reinterpreted with a contemporary twist, this series by Italian eyewear company LOOK is known for its attention to detail and the red dots on the temples. The ‘NIL’ solid colour fronts alternate with elegantly nuanced hues (see above) that dialogue with compact, harmonious dimensions. It is the ideal choice for those who love a retro yet timeless aesthetic and is designed for the adult consumer with a smaller face. The versatility of the colour is “a nod to Gen Z consumers with delicately vibrant shades”. The colourway pictured is called shiny transparent purple-brown gradient – paired with sleek temples in a light shade of shiny gold. Find out more at www.lookocchiali.com