Reviews

Larkin

Paul Smith

I’ve got really into this Paul Smith collection and I know a few opticians I trust who are doing extrmely well with it. Apart from the eloquent names of the styles which are all after poets, the line draws part of its inspiration from the British Dandy and musical icons. Larkin is a unisex model with smart vintage lines, perfect as an optical but also well suited to sun lenses. Modelled on the spectacle styles worn by some of the most prolific British poets, the temples have small silver and black enamel round pins. The colour, “golden tortoise ombre” is reminiscent of the more traditional tortoise tones but with a more trendy look than classic interpretations of this patterning in acetate. CN www.paulsmithspectacles.com

www.paulsmith.co.uk

 

B09.5

Gold & Wood Paris / Wood Optic

This is a luxurious men’s optical frame (also produced as a sunglass) made in two exotic sounding woods…tanganika and bubinga for the face. The temples are made of bubinga while the front combines both woods. Wood is a fashionable material given its longevity and refined patterning…and of course its smooth finish which feels nice on the skin. It is an easy-to-wear material that has lots of exciting colours and effects….this style is subdued and classic with clean lines and a matt finish which adds to the sophistication. The combination of the two woods is simple and very effective for the overall elegance of the frame. CN

www.gold-and-wood.com

Volta

Anne et Valentin

French label Anne et Valentin have an exceptional ability when it comes to combining colours…their acetate and metal designs often include two tones or a play on transparent/solid colour contrasts. Volta is a really classic shape in acetate, turned into a more eccentric or exuberant frame through the clever use of high quality tortoise with a fresh shade of pink….bright refreshing pops of colour are on-trend and very desirable in fashion generally. This style is a very strong example of how this translates in eyewear. CN

www.anneetvalentine.com

 

Rose et La Mer

Anna-Karin Karlsson

I introduced one of of Anna’s designs in May, and I can’t resist showing this one too. Anna was first attracted to sunglasses when she tried on a style by iconic eyewear creator, Christian Roth. Anna has worked for some time designing bespoke luxury frames for a list of private clients including a few celebrity ones. ‘Rose et La Mer’ has caught the imagination of fashion editors with its super luxury design and asymmetrical lounging leopard. It’s a style based on fantasy, fun and humour! At eyestylist.com we look forward to seeing how Anna follows this imaginative style. It seems like there is a rush on at The Optical Wardrobe (www.theopticalwardobe.com) to buy these and they cost SEK 4500 which is about £435. CN www.annakarinkarlsson.com

 

Bubbly

Thierry Lasry

Some of you may have noticed that I am a bit of a fan of this label. There is something a bit cheeky about the model Bubbly. Whilst this wonderful vintage-look bug shape would not suit me personally I do think is a great look if you can get away with it. Teamed with this on-trend transparent shocking pink, it’s even better! If you don’t know about Thierry Lasry and you like statement luxury, take a look at www.thierrylasry.com. His clever take on vintage is fun and very creative. Quality of course is paramount and you can always guarantee you are getting the very best acetate, produced by leading Italian producers Mazzucchelli. The brand is available at Liberty (London), and some fine boutiques across the world including Storm in Copenhagen and Galeries Lafayette, Berlin.   CN