Native New Yorker Zac Posen studied fashion and art in London, and his cosmopolitan air is reflected in his striking men’s frame Gent. Tortoiseshell and beige acetate combine handsomely in a strong, dashing shape with bold temple details. Zac Post features a chic collection of men’s and women’s frames. Visit www.kenmarkoptical.com JG
Beautifully crafted round shapes are a significant trend, and amongst the most elegant is Round by Savile Row. The graceful symmetry of the shape is artfully constructed in shiny rhodium – a rare and valuable precious metal, with a finely embossed nosepiece. Savile Row frames are handcrafted in London to the highest standards. www.savileroweyewear.com JG
Stratus is an award-winning frame series from young French designer, Lucas de Stael. An innovator who has a love for unusual eyewear materials, this is the first collection featuring these three particular materials together: stone, stainless steel and leather. It’s a combination we recognise as daring and exciting, and the execution is precise. The contrasts in the materials will work perfectly for those who desire a unique timeless design that pushes boundaries. Overtones of art deco offer an unexpected twist to the design. www.lucasdestael.com CN
From a new eponymous collection by a designer who first came to optics as the creator and designer of KATA, the Blake Kuwahara line is made by hand in Japan. I first met Blake when I started as a trade journalist in the eyewear sector in 1999, and was told by senior editors he was one of the most important trendsetting designers at the time. Today he expresses his eyewear passion once again in a collection that is elegant, understated, imaginative and executed with precision and attention to detail.
Style Corbu expresses the key concept of the collection, as Kuwahara explained to Eyestylist at Silmo: “I’ve taken familiar eye shapes but encapsulate them in a nontraditional surrounding shape. By making a “frame within a frame” the juxtaposition of shapes and colours creates a design tension that is fresh and quite unexpected.” The collection launches with nine unisex optical styles and nine sunglass styles. www.blakekuwahara.com CN
Generous proportions enhance beautiful sunglasses from British brand Finest 7 in a new colour – soft, harmonious Blush acetate. A sculpted cut-out nose piece, and detailed gold metal temples complete the ultra-glamorous look. Exquisite handcrafting excellence! www.finestseven.com JG