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20th June 2012 Our friends at Silver Lining Pictures, a boutique production company shooting in South Africa and Malta, are located in Cape Town close to the well-known optical store, The Oculus. Executive producer Renier Ridgeway – above, wearing Italian label L.G.R.’s Cape Town sunglasses (aptly named!) – arranged a shoot there, exclusively for Eyestylist, and here are the fabulous results.

Renier Ridgeway, Executive Producer: “This is a great find. As a producer I am often out on location and I wear sunglasses religiously. The collections here are well beyond the norm, and I like that they have names that I have not heard of. Our work is in advertising, both tv and stills. We represent a roster of international directors covering the spectrum from comedy to high-end beauty and more, as well as some incredible photographers – Marguerite Oelofse, Christoph Musiol, Jesse Leigh Elford, Max Mogale and Richard Keppel Smith, shooting all around the world.

Optometrist Pieter Steyn, The Oculus: “I have been wearing specs since I was 7 and I’ve always found it quite daunting that you have to compromise on your own personal aesthetic when choosing frames in a traditional eyewear store. The concept for The Oculus was born out of that need to provide a funky, relaxing, stylish, non-clinical environment to make the choice easier. I believe that your eyewear contributes more towards your personal style than any other item you own.

I love handcrafted eyewear. We stock Rolf wooden spectacles, Anne et Valentin, l.a. Eyeworks, L.G.R., Thierry Lasry, Mykita, Isson and RVS by V., one of my favourites. I am always on the look out for fresh, high-quality eyewear labels. For bespoke and couture eyewear, we have TD Tom Davies.” www.theoculus.co.za CN

The Oculus, Showroom 4, The Hudson, Cnr of Strand & Hudson Str, De Waterkant, Cape Town, South Africa

Photography for Eyestylist.com by Silver Lining Pictures. For more information, visit www.silverliningpictures.tv

Shane Baum at Leisure Society Discusses Luxury

How do you define Luxury? “Luxury is the act of feeling good about something, and whether it’s an object, a time – there can be a variety of luxuries in life – and they are all based upon really feeling good about something”.

What elements are most important when designing Luxury eyewear? “With eyewear, there’s always states of economy involved with whether you can create something or not. When building luxury eyewear, you have an open palette to paint with more colours, more exotic materials, more intricate designs, more labour and everything else. So eyewear becomes luxuruious when your palette of ingredients to design with becomes greater.”

Where do you find inspiration? “At the end of the day, eyewear is simply a product, and products are influenced by a variety of capacities. Whether it’s an heirloom piece from a chalice at a castle in Scotland, or a beautiful chair with beautiful lines, there’s a certain aesthetic. There is wrong or right to it because the public will vote and look at something and say:  ‘are these lines in the right place?’ The relation of those eyes to the human eye defines the most beautiful pieces of any luxury product. For me it’s all product design and architecture, so that can be as simple as beautiful heirloom pieces from Europe that are vases, candelabras, door handles, anything that is made from a pliable object and molded, is inspiration from my viewpoint.”

Do you have any special ‘luxuries’ you cannot live without? “Well, you could live without any of them, but life without luxuries isn’t really worth living, is it? (he says with a chuckle).  You know, my children are a real luxury, and I could not live without them. Everything else I feel thankful to have. I think in general luxury comes down to both quality ingredients, but also a lot of hard work. When you look at the great artists and what it took for them to make paintings, sculptures, or masterpieces of their eras, these are not things that were done in fifteen minutes or copied from anyone else. This was true artisanal craftsmanship and a dedication to an art form and a craft – with a lot of heart, time, effort and talent. When you think about eyewear design, it’s people with the extra inspiration that push all of us forward, and take this from a medical device that you wear on your face, to an art form that can be cherished from generation to generation.” www.leisure-society.com JG

15th June 2012 Metal sunglass styles are on the up and I’ve found these super ones that show how the trend just keeps on accelerating. Above, from German label ic! berlin, a style called ‘sauvage’ from their cool tres chic! collection, worn by picture editor, Maira Becke. This style is typical of this lightweight, graceful line for women designed with the collaboration of French designer Olivia Delorme. The fronts are engraved skilfully creating a special texture when you see them close-up. Every model comes with a silver neck chain in the same shape as the glasses, a touch I love!

Aviators are classic in luxury metals, but as demonstrated by this design from Finest Seven, there is scope to play on the traditional look of the frame. Here we see the fine lines of a triple bridge and triple arm in 14K gold. Part of the new collection by Finest Seven, these very luxurious sunglasses also feature UV protective Zeiss lenses. Available at www.net-a-porter.com and www.finestseven.com.

Meanwhile, some eyewear designers continue to develop clever techniques for metal work, creating mini works of art. Secret by Boz is a spectacular women’s spectacle design in stainless steel, inspired by a spider’s web and studded with Swarovski stones. Made in France by Jean-Francois Rey and his wife Joelle, BOZ frames are recognised for their creative elegance and are always intriguing. For more details go to www.boz-eyewear.fr. The BOZ label is available in the UK at Roger Pope and Partners www.rogerpope.co.uk CN

Pure Titanium from Framers

13th June 2012 The Berlin eyewear company has launched a stunning new collection featuring beautiful frame interpretations in Titanium. The frames are named after important locations that inspire the Framers craftsmen. Paris, above, is expressed in a curvaceous gold frame that combines fashion, love, femininity and a touch of the extrovert – all the qualities of the French City!  Highly purified Titanium is very lightweight and allergy free. Handmade in Germany, the new collection is a welcome addition to Framers’ sleek, avant-garde acetate creations. Available in Berlin at Brillenmode am Lausitzer Platz. www.brillenmode-berlin.de  More information at www.framers.de  JG

Michael Bastian Designs for Randolph Engineering

11th June 2012 An exciting new collaboration teams award winning men’s wear designer Michael Bastian and legendary Randolph Engineering. Randolph is the Massachusetts based company that lists the American Military Services amongst its clientele for eyewear, and Bastian has garnered numerous citations for his innovative men’s wear.

Bastian’s eyewear collection for Randolph combines superior quality with creative aesthetics. The result: glasses with distinction and uniqueness, plus unexpected details – including beautiful mineral lenses – that ensure their statement status. Top photo: Style JD in Clear with bright chrome clip on grey lenses. www.randolphusa.com www.michaelbastiannyc.com JG