Featured

Eyestylist’s 4 favourite booth designs at opti 2026

19th January 2026

Stand design with a greater focus on sustainability and the use of cost-effective materials has visibly evolved in the last years in the optical world and companies and visitors we spoke to were enthusiastic about the more sustainable and innovative concepts on display. Reusable modular designs that can be customised reduce waste and highlight the innovative spirit and individuality of a company – and their brand values.

The Rolf stand, which was first launched at opti in January 2025, is welcoming and approachable with an open-plan modular design which uses minimal materials and interchangeable graphics and plants, making it easy to update and pack away or transport. The Rolf team designed the concept in-house. Find out more at https://www.eyestylist.com/2025/01/award-winning-natural-eyewear-brand-rolf-heads-to-munich/ – above, the ROLF stand at opti 2026, customised with a new campaign for the launch of substance aura – www.rolf-spectacles.com

Götti Switzerland: this year the brand presented the new collection Haute Contour inside their converted shipping container

For some years, Götti Switzerland has combined the use of a container – designed as an exhibition space and painted black – alongside an open plan area for meeting and greeting customers. The frames displayed in the container are arranged so that the feel of the space is that of a gallery. Additional displays in the ope plan space next to the container showcase the eyewear beautifully using back-lit wall stands matching those inside the container. www.gotti.ch

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

You Mawo: a fascinating architectural structure for the brand’s 10th anniversary

Celebrating 10 years, the 3D printed eyewear company You Mawo launched a new stand concept this weekend, bringing the wow factor to opti. The organic shape of the “layered” architectural concept and its striking natural colour – was one of the highlights of the show. On the inside of the stand, a 10th anniversary “exhibition” showcased the German brand’s early 3D printed prototypes and frames from various collections through the years. The folded form of the booth provided an inspiring backdrop for the launch of the new collection, Formation. www.youmawo.com

The Raydiant stand at opti – a recycled shipping container

3D printed eyewear brand, Raydiant also showcased their collection in a customised shipping container, with a display of frames on the exterior and an interior offering modular seating for meetings. Repurposed shipping containers have become quite popular as a sustainable choice for architectural use – both in commercial projects and domestic builds where architects are stacking them to create a wide range of buildings. Raydiant Eyewear is an innovator in the field of 3D printed eyewear showcasing a magnetic clip system. Their latest collection features a noteworthy high-quality surface pattern effect. https://raydiant.de

Sustainable design

Paloceras: 3D printed limited collections “made in Helsinki”

14th January 2026

The brand has created its own “MicroFactory” in Finland to be able to support new forms, bespoke work and artist-led collections

Paloceras has created a new set-up for the small-scale production of some of its most creative models, and invested in new technology by Genera, a pioneer in the development of 3D printing systems – from Austria. Describing it as a “MicroFactory”, the eyewear brand has successfully implemented the technology for printing the coloured material alongside a complete system for hand finishing (as well as polishing/tumbling) the frames in the traditional way allowing for complete control in-house. Alexis Perron-Corriveau, Design Director told Eyestylist: “The MicroFactory is for the production of a part of our collection: the manufacturing of the more experimental pieces. Hydroceras, and two other projects coming up – obviously this is separate from our main line and the Pebble Sun and Optical collections. We received a grant from the Finnish government and we were able to install the machines in September – and hired a full-time industrial designer who has expertise in 3D printing….it’s super interesting for us as we are not limited by traditional manufacturing techniques. We can do crazy frames and a lot of things are possible with this. It gives us another edge. In our core acetate collections we are also using some technologies that have just been developed – that’s the press moulding of the acetate to create inflated shapes. With the new investment and the MicroFactory, again we feel we are able to do something very different, pushing eyewear design even further. We can say we are already planning to acquire an additional new machine from Genera that will allow us to use custom colours on the spot.”

Paloceras production in Finland: “in the coming years, you will see production of this type becoming more common…” Alexis Perron-Corriveau

Paloceras will exhibit officially for the first time at MIDO 2026. The team told Eyestylist that they have a major new launch coming as well as other new projects to be revealed in the next weeks. They said: “We are looking forward to meeting our retail customers, some who we have never met face to face. We are both looking forward to meeting people who are interested in our product as we believe it is so different from anything that is exhibited at Mido or Silmo. So we will be excited to make new connections and show the product and see people smile.”

About Paloceras – Founded in Switzerland with creative roots in Finland and Portugal, Paloceras is an independent eyewear house set up by Alexis Perron-Corriveau, Design Director and Mika Matikainen, Creative Director. As praised by Vogue, Elle, Grazia, and Elite Daily, each Paloceras creation blends digital precision with hand-finished craftsmanship and draws on a rich visual language shaped by nature, memory, and quiet rebellion. Find out more: www.paloceras.com

Design + Inspiration

Eyestylist is 15 today

12th January 2026

Eyestylist.com was launched on 12th January 2011. The Eyestylist archive now features more than 3000 articles, trend stories, reviews and interviews with creatives, eyewear designers and independent optical retailers. Today we mark the occasion with the launch of a fresh look for the site and the Eyestylist logo and branding….follow our content in the next weeks to find out more about the last 15 years …and to follow views on what the future holds…

Created as a dedicated site for quality-driven independent eyewear brands of all sizes, Eyestylist started its journey as a review site and news source about independent eyewear and emerging designers. At the time, there were no other resources online specialising in design history, trends, news about the world of eyewear, and to this day, there are no other journalist-written websites reporting exclusively on the independent brands in the business – from small artisan labels to iconic luxury names, as well as reporting on related international events, independent eyewear stores around the world and stories with cultural significance to the creative optical field. We’ve been known to break a story or two about launches and news in the business! Above: Tortoise Jungle by Robert Marc – the first product reviewed on Eyestylist – posted on 12th January 2011

Audrey by Oliver Goldsmith Sunglasses, one of the first sunglasses featured on Eyestylist in 2011

In the weeks, ahead we will be publishing a series of articles and posts which look back over the last 15 years in eyewear and accessories design – since we published the first editorial in Jan. 2011 – https://www.eyestylist.com/2011/01/introduction/ – here we outlined our editorial mission at the time…. “to create a personal selection of individual pieces which we believe are representative of our times, unique in their features and absolutely worth a peep if you are into eyewear, sell glasses or sunglasses, or if you simply want to find a style for yourself that stands out from the crowd……” We will be looking forward to talking to some of the designers and retailers who have participated and supported the site through the years as it has developed and flourished.

Tuba by l.a. Eyeworks: the first l.a. eyeworks frame to be highlighted on Eyestylist.com

At the beginning, in 2011, it quickly became evident that by visiting workshops and production sites where possible, and meeting the designers and brand innovators at eyewear events in different parts of the world, Eyestylist could grow and flourish, developing new exclusive content, meeting emerging designers, and experiencing the eyewear designers’ world first hand – to create a site that explores this world of creativity and design from many perspectives.

Fabric frames by Lafont Paris (2016): Eyestylist visited the Lafont stores in Paris in 2016

Today we have followers and readers across the world. Our archive of content and feeds both here and on social media continues to grow and develop, with the original Eyestylist commitment to the leaders and innovators in avantgarde, handmade, luxury and fine glasses, sunglasses and accessories and the optical retailers who are ‘ambassadors’ for these exceptional brands. We have an endless appetite for innovation, design excellence and quality.

We have developed an interest in sustainability and how independent eyewear brands – and the business as a whole – are shifting their perspective to take a more holistic approach to sustainable innovations and developments, accelerating sustainable transformation (On this topic, we recommend reading our recent interview with Co-Founder of Frame the Future, Xenia Glutz Von Blotzheim : https://www.eyestylist.com/2025/11/xenia-glutz-von-blotzheim-co-founder-frame-the-future/

Work by jewellery and eyewear designer, Ely Yili Cao, featured on Eyestylist in August 2020 – Eyestylist highlights new and emerging talent in the business

We wish to send our special thanks to all those brands and individuals who have been a part of Eyestylist in the past and continue to support us going forward, and for all our continuing Sponsors in 2026, among them both iconic brands and a number of newcomers – as well as the international eyewear events:

With thanks to: ARTICLE ONE (www.articleoneeyewear.com); Blackfin (www.blackfin.eu); Diffuser Tokyo (www.diffuser-tokyo.com); Erker’s 1879 (www.erkers1879.com); FACE A FACE (www.faceaface-paris.com); FAOFLEX (Dandy’s and Germano Gambini (www.dandyseyewear.com and www.germanogambini.com); GOTTI Switzerland (www.gotti.ch); J.F. REY (www.jfrey.fr); Jisco Eyewear (www.jiscoeyewear.com) Lafont Paris (www.lafont.com); l.a. eyeworks (www.laeyeworks.com); LAMARCA Eyewear (www.lamarcaeyewear.com); LOFT Eyewear Show (www.lofteyewearshow.com) LOOK (www.lookocchiali.com) MIDO (www.mido.com); MOREL (www.morel-france.com); Otis Eyewear (www.otiseyewear.com); Nina Mur (www.ninamur.com); OGI Eyewear (www.ogieyewear.com); Orgreen Optics (www.orgreenoptics.com) Paloceras (www.paloceras.com); ROLF (www.rolf-spectacles.com); RES/REI (www.resrei.com); RIGARDS (www.rigards.com); SILMO (www.silmoparis.com); TVR Opt (www.tvropt.eu); The LONDONi (www.instagram.com/the_londoni/; 100% Optical (www.100percentoptical.com).

We also thank everyone behind the scenes at Eyestylist as we have a community of dedicated collaborators and individuals who have been involved in making this site a success. With special thanks to all those who are working with us and those who have made important contributions : DOWO Digital (www.dowo.digital), Helen Bratby (designer), Victoria Brunton (journalist), Gennaro D’Elia (fashion photographer – www.gennarodelia.com) and Oak Creative (www.oakcreative.net).

See you at opti and MIDO 2026! For all enquiries about being involved with Eyestylist going forward and advertising bookings, please direct your enquiries to [email protected] and meet us in 2026!

Design + Inspiration

Colour trends: timeless white, ‘Cloud Dancer’

6th January 2026

Pantone’s Colour of the Year, 11-4201 Cloud Dancer is in tune with eyewear colour palettes – despite the current trend for pastels, neons and brights

Described as a lofty white neutral and a whisper of calm and peace in a noisy world, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer reflects a yearning for “a future free from toxicity and excess.” The colour, which has a slightly greyish tint, is expected to be a hit in the worlds of interiors and fashion, given its “natural and human quality”, and for eyewear, it looks likely to receive a favourable reception, building on the enduring popularity of white and translucent crystal tones for glasses and sunglasses and its considerable versatility as a statement colour or more subtle quiet choice in other variations and where transparency comes into play. Above: MYKITA – model Kami in Spring Water / Pearl – the style perfectly illustrates the purity and simplicity offered by a tone of natural crystal

MYKITA Lite, streamlined design in contemporary colours

Crystal tinted eyewear is timeless and continues to be popular thanks to the lightness of the colour which is flattering for the human complexion and works for many differeny skin tones. www.mykita.com

Andy Wolf 4641 – chunky and bold styling

A frame that Andy Wolf describes as a nude tone, the 4641 makes a statement both with its sculptural form and lightness of colour, which is slightly unexpected in a chunky look that’s heavily bevelled, www.andy-wolf.com

A classic, slim rounded shape that addresses easy, every day wear, model Brentwood comes in a variety of light tones including crystal and an attractive greyish crystal tint called “Smokin”. www.erkers1879.com

Marni, produced by Retrosuperfuture: a vintage-inspired expression of white

An example of the vintage influences of the colour white, the Marni frame Phazar (produced by Retrosuperfuture) is both edgy and pretty, with its rounded cat eye silhouette in a cool tone of white that feels subtly transformed to a shade of today. www.retrosuperfuture.com

For more news on trends, click on our link: https://www.eyestylist.com/2025/11/eyewear-trends-qualities-of-pattern/

Design + Inspiration

theo eyewear: inspired by the subtle definition of make up

3rd January 2026

theo’s latest release is inspired by the art of make up and its powers of enhancing our features and gaze – to highlight who you are

The new frame series by theo is conceived like make up as pure expression, with the ability to add subtle definition to our facial features – without taking over or overpowering the face. The collection features titanium and acetate, combining precision and lightness with layers of warmth and texture for the ultimate expression. Each of the five frames has been built in “visual layers”, telling a story and creating an interplay of soft details and bold design – in combination colours.

The “make up” designs are built in visual layers and finished with a “recognizable theo twist” – playful, unexpected, and always expressive. They include a soft round shape, a cat-eye, a panto, a geometric shape and a modified square with rounded corners. The selection of colour contrasts make the face feel alive, without ever going too far, in combinations that are typical of the brand: pink and red, bright blue and yellow, neon green and tortoise or tone-on-tone bright blue. Find out more at www.theo.be