Design + Inspiration

In the final highlight in our close-up study of some of the most unique and classy specs for men we found some bold styles at l.a. eyeworks

A substantial frame, one that is worn to get noticed, is a fitting style focus for the last post in our menswear series this month. Nerd fashion? Geek chic? We prefer to call the thicker rimmed frames a statement of individuality and personality, a defining accessory with bold nuances of colour and design. Gone are the days of the big black so-called Clark Kent specs being the only option here as a more colourful approach and desire for variety in shape changes the perspective – let’s hope for ever more!

As bigger and bolder becomes a mantra for 2021 in eyewear, three new styles at l.a. eyeworks caught our attention for men. These styles are hand-finished, with “tailored” edges, smart distinctive shapes and a completely different colour palette from any other.  Above: Kola by l.a. eyeworks in colour Rock Pool – the shape is classical and the edges are refined – the Rock Pool coloration is a twist on a tortoise pattern, distinctive in its multi-colored pattern which features an uplifting mix of tones in blue and brown

Similarly, model Trout presents a strong thick-rimmed traditional shape with the keyhole bridge detail. The fun comes in the colour palette, which offers tones such as ‘Blue Jay’, an impressive striated pattern in elegant blues which turns the look from classic to elegantly adventurous, or quite different tones like ‘Dirty Martini’, an ever so popular light crystal that seems to be consistently popular as we head into Spring.

For those who simply must have a statement in black, our tip is to choose an intriguing matt or shiny finish which gives the look a modern edge. A style like Frankly is made from a sturdy titanium material from Japan and offers different finishes and colours of black, BIC blue and shiny silver, all stylistically intense and in true l.a. eyeworks style, totally exciting to wear! To see more of the latest frames in this new collection by the Los Angeles label, visit www.laeyeworks.com

Japanese Limited Edition – VINTAGE 1993 in rare 8mm acetate

If it’s rare and handcrafted you yearn for, the Japanese handcrafted label TVR has dipped into a prized archive of vintage acetate for the creation of a Limited Edition acetate design series – launched this month. The vintage 1993 8mm acetate material, available in two colour variations, was considered highly desirable in the past, and dates back to first production of Japanese Zylonite in the 1950s. Discovered by one of TVR®’s master craftsmen, the very limited quantity available has meant that just 99 frames will be produced for each colour – Vintage Black + Clear and Vintage Brown + Clear.

Above: the models in the series are distinguished by  flat fronts without rivets for a clean and minimal look and wide ‘library’ temples tapering to flared tips. A special polishing process highlights the handmade quality.

Menswear highlight: eyewear from salvaged wood – Le Wood GIVEAWAY launched by Lucentement

Avantgarde designers Rigards and creative fashion platform Lucentement have joined forces in a celebration of the platform’s 100,000 followers on Instagram: with a gift of a pair of Le Wood sunglasses.

One of Rigards’ most exciting recent works, created in collaboration with Uma Wang, the Limited Edition frame is noteworthy not just for its customized elements (vintage grey rims and light mirrored lens), but also for the extraordinary crafting of the frame: the wood is coated in gossamer-thin bamboo paper, and hand-painted using a traditional application of lacquer, with careful drying, sanding, and smoothing between each layer, until the final matte top layer is applied to produce lacquer with less shine, delivering a unique rendition of the time-honored art form. The frame is created in salvaged wood – paired simply and harmoniously with ultralight aluminum-magnesium — giving the natural material a second life in a frame that represents a piece of wearable ‘eyewear’ art.

Named “Le Wood”, this iconic collaborative style between Rigards and Uma Wang was designed to tie in with a reflection on dual themes: the powerful mountain scapes of the Andes, and the timeless elegance of Bauhaus ingenuity. Embracing a deceptively unfussy shape, the frame juxtaposes two nature-derived materials of opposite properties and two different worlds of traditions, skills, and associations, culminating in a singularly potent aesthetic.

For a chance to win this beautiful and iconic frame by RIGARDS x Uma Wang, we invite you to visit the Instagram page @lucentement + website: www.lucentement.com

About Lucentement – Lucentement was founded in 2013 by brothers Oscar and Ralph. The brothers started Lucentement to help Avant-Garde designers get more exposure via social media channels. Lucentement strives to become the most trusted and disruptive storytelling online platform within the avant-garde Niche. With the necessity to protect and at the same time credit this niche for its incredible influence on the fashion industry, Lucentement vision is to express avant-garde fashion and designers online in the most righteous way possible.

About Rigards – Rigards leads the way in avant-garde frame design, producing designs in unusual natural materials and exquisite metal combinations and influenced by incredible textures and patterns of the natural world. Founder Ti Kwa has established a new aesthetic style for handcrafted eyewear which is sought after by global connoisseurs of design and leaders in the field of avant-garde fashion and eyewear worldwide.

One to watch: a sophisticated style at Capote, inspired by the power and magic of  Ibiza, finely tuned with specialist manufacture

One of the highlighted brands in our TREND bulletin on Menswear directions this month, Capote offers mystery, attitude and distinctive, handcrafted design traits – inspired by its Balearic roots and the wild and diverse character of the island of Ibiza. Designed by Venezuelan born Alex Capote, the spirit of the collection today derives from ‘the karma life philosophy’, a notion of simplicity and minimalist attitude, authenticity of design and artisanal creativity.  The frames have evolved since the brand was first conceived in  2013, introducing fine materials such as titanium, beta titanium, Mazzucchelli acetate and aluminium, Italian or Japanese production and a more refined and curated style in the construction. Above: Capote / Cymatics frame 639Hz

Poised for the new season, the current frame shapes are tailored and not oversized – going against the grain of more commercial trends and relying instead on geometric, layered features and sophisticated tones of black, silver or gold, matt finishes and lens colours ranging from mirrored red to black smoke, understated yet edgy in black on black.

Early work by Alex Capote was created with the desert festivals such as Burning Man in mind. Capote made a design for the desert – the Incubus, with attributes to cope with the extreme conditions of the dust, an adjustable black rubber strap and avantgarde design in vintage-effect rubber and silver steel. Capote Eyewear has its own store in Ibiza at Carrer de Manuel Sora, 17, 07800 Eivissa. Find out more at www.capoteyewear.com

To read our TREND bulletin and forecast for the finest Men’s Eyewear this year, click on the link here: www.eyestylist.com/eyestylist-trend-bulletin-issue-2/