Reviews

Among the many new pieces shown by Rigards at SILMO, the RG1999TVA stands out for its effortlessly wearable shape and lightweight titanium build

First presented at Paris Fashion Week in June, the new model produced in the collaboration between The Viridi-anne and Rigards draws on a vast array of inspirations. Rigards describes it as recalling an approaching wasp with its antennae up, while at the same time evoking a bird of prey in flight.

The frame has a striking clip system which is secured by a pair of S-curve features: this minute detailing comprises two opposite halves, one closed and one cut-out — flanking the nose bridge, a stylised take on the Yin-Yang symbol. Concealed behind the intricate details are magnets which attach to the main frame with ease and a minimal subtlety.

For decorative effect, the frame and the clip also feature an organic ripple motif, where the delicate lines reference patterns in nature such as dune waves and the ornate foliage of the pinstripe plant. This frame has been released in six elegant colours (some accented with uniquely-placed spot patinas), and it is offered with a semi-hard case made from a single piece of vegetable-tanned Santa Croce leather. For more information, visit the Rigards website at www.rigards.com

Censur, created under the Prodesign brand, won a Silmo D’Or in the “Sunglasses – Eyewear Designer” category this weekend in Paris. The product release is part of a wider project named DANCE, which brings together the Danish and French design teams at Prodesign and Face a Face

Conceived as part of an innovative in-house design initiative called DANCE (combining parts of the words “Danmark x France“), with the idea of opening up a creative opportunity without boundaries, Censur by Prodesign represents a special departure for Design Eyewear Group and all those involved.

The concept originated from an internal design session involving all the designers and giving them free rein to work together and push the limits of traditional eyewear design without any rules. The two resulting frames have a distinctive structural bar across the lenses which the designers explain looks like a rectangular censor bar (the black bar used to cover up sensitive information). The desire was for this structural bold form to “challenge perceptions and invite wearers to experience the world from a different perspective”. In the frame, the beam design added a layer of mystery and sophistication. Above: Censur 2 by Prodesign won the Silmo d’Or 2024 in the “Sunglasses – Eyewear Designer category”

Censur 1 has the same distinctive bar as its sister frame, in a round shape that has an avant-garde and very individualistic look – and is well suited to the female face given the smaller shape. The colours are striking and include the bright purple above – a variation of one of the most important trending colours we saw at Silmo 2024 this weekend – as well as black or shiny silver. Find out more about Prodesign and Design Eyewear Group at https://designeyeweargroup.com