Design + Inspiration

The latest frames by the iconic LA designers are bold and graphic statements,  radiating artistic freedom through a palette of bright and energetic colours that denote hope and joy

The Fall/Winter collection at l.a.Eyeworks is uplifting and full of terrific surprises, achievable only with the most attentive craftsmanship and detailing alongside the traditionally creative use of colour and inventive patterns selected for the designs. Celebrating an incredible 43 years this September, the company continues to create frame designs that break rules and bring new possibilities for the wearer, with a whole new raft of shapes or details that promote individuality and creativity with a bold artistic “soul”. Above: Gai Gherardi, co-founder/designer, l.a.Eyeworks at Silmo 2022, wearing the Montserrat in a ‘glossy’ black – photography by Amanda Sellem exclusively for Eyestylist – all rights reserved

One of the highlights in the season’s collection is model Montserrat, a unique design which is characterised by a ring of precise perforations around the lens. The design is described by the makers as “super hypnotic” and is clearly a favourite of Gai Gherardi who has been wearing it for the seasonal shows in black.

Model Curly offers a whole new way of wearing a shape that is inspired (but just a little!) by the classic aviator; the model has charismatic curves and an eye-catching keyhole bridge and is produced in HD acetate, making it sturdy and lightweight as well as unabashedly bold.

Patterned materials have long been a passion at l.a.Eyeworks, and their “eye-dazzling ones” are always a delight. The angular model Goodall comes in a choice of colours (we wouldn’t know how to choose between these!), ranging from fairy tortoise and Barbados blue to  whimsical ‘sparrow’ with delicate spots and feather patterns on a translucent crystal base. Find out more about all the new styles in the collection at www.laeyeworks.com

The French reading glasses label Izipizi has launched glasses with GoodNight© lenses, designed to encourage a good night’s sleep

The independent glasses brand Izipizi (Paris) has launched a glasses collection called Sleeping, with lenses that block artificial light and jumpstart melatonin production. The company says that if they are worn for around two hours before bedtime for 15 consecutive days, the wearer can experience maximum results and better sleep. The lenses are designed to help the body naturally stimulate and promote the production of the sleep hormone and were developed in collaboration with a researcher specialising in optometry.

The plano lenses are available in two of Izipizi’s bestselling frames styles – a panto and a square shape – and are made from “a bio-based material” composed of 45% castor oil. According to test results*, the Izipizi team claim that the results showed that after 5 days the time it takes to fall asleep is halved and sleep is deeper and likely to be more “restorative”.

*The study was conducted on 300 people with mild to regular sleep disturbances who wore glasses for 15 days, 2 hours before bedtime. For more information, visit www.izipizi.com

The chic finishes of the most advanced sustainable materials continue to surprise this year. We found three unique tortoise-inspired choices that we’d be thrilled to wear!

In eyewear, elegant tortoise tones are no longer the exclusive preserve of virgin acetate. Forward-thinking eyewear producers who have adopted genuine sustainable materials are creating frames with classic tortoise colours or varieties of the coloration, that have their own unique qualities and beautiful intensities and transparencies of colour. At Mykita, a company that has switched to sustainable Eastman Acetate Renew across its entire portfolio of collections, models like Davu in colour Zanzibar represent the cutting-edge of design in the Eastman material which is said to be hard-wearing and long-lasting, as well as having a good-looking finish and lots of potential for creative colour. Above: the Davu frame by Mykita in the very attractive Zanzibar colorway  – www.mykita.com

Model Malta is a new style from Sea2see, the company that collects and transforms recycled marine plastic into a material called UPSEA™ PLAST which is suitable for the production of high-quality frames with a variety of contemporary colours and finishes. Their most recent collection, which also includes marine-inspired colours, shows that the material is versatile and adaptable, as well as having practical qualities of lightness, strength and comfort. Sea2see is one of a small number of optical companies that is now BCorp certified, meaning that it meets particular standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. The company also operates its own non-profit Foundation and waste collection operation in Ghana.  www.sea2see.org / www.sea2seefoundation.org

The latest collection from Paradigm features the trendy square Debbie style in a selection of colours. The frame is made from ISCC-certified recycled acetate and offers an attractive modern take on colour and pattern.

A special showroom event for luxury eyewear in Athens

In southern Europe’s capital of cool, ‘Intro | Frames Forward’ – the luxury eyewear event for the Greek market, offers ambiance and an attractive presentation space for previews of fine eyewear lines.

This year’s INTRO took place at SOLID, a large, fashionable event venue in Neo Psychiko, an attractive leafy northern neighbourhood of Athens. The weekend saw the presentation of 8 unique eyewear collections, including Lapima, John Dalia, Chrome Hearts and new emerging label, Pontet Eyewear. The event, which took place on 15th and 16th October,  was well attended by the optical community, with clients travelling from across Athens and as far afield as Thessaloniki.  Organisers Maria Angeloudi and Natalia Klimi are well-known eyewear entrepreneurs who specialise in working with interesting high quality luxury brands from around the world. Above: the owners of Kokkoris Optics try on colourful sunglasses

The young French designer Hermes Pontet, who launched his first eyewear collection in 2021, showed new optical and sunglass styles with interesting links to travel and Athenian architecture. An uncompromising attention to details and decorative finishes is seen in the models which have fascinating stories and influences.

Appealing bright statement colours, including bright pink, white and different tones of green acetate were popular at the show. Luxurious metal frames were also well represented in the collections by John Dalia, Pontet and Chrome Hearts, where fine materials such as titanium, sterling silver and 22-carat gold plate looked shiny and sophisticated with strict attention to finesse in details such as the nose pads, temples, hinges and carefully crafted luxury end tips.

Launched in 2020, ‘Intro | Frames Forward’ organise exclusive eyewear events in Athens and Thessaloniki twice a year. For all enquiries about the next events planned for 2023, visit www.introshow.gr and write to [email protected]  – Photography @dionisioskoutsis