Reviews

3D printed eyewear is now widely available, and the lightweight, easy-to-wear polyamide material has become one of the leading state-of-the-art material choices in high-end eyewear boutiques worldwide. Young German 3D printed eyewear company You Mawo is one of the design-led businesses to develop its potential in a bespoke-fit, individualised service. Their innovative system takes a scan of the customer’s face with an iPad and provides a choice of timeless basic frame shapes in contemporary colours from which the final design can then be adapted for a wonderfully comfortable fit. The frame is produced in Germany within a few days and sent to the customer’s optician with the optimized shape for the customer – a service for which they have become much admired. They promise a turnaround for delivery of the final frame of 15 working days.

You Mawo’s Aviator style Ketil is one of the styles currently available, super light and very fine in the structure which is strong, stable and extremely elegant on the face.  “The final product is a unique symbiosis between human, science, craftsmanship and technology”, say the founders, with the added benefit of the 3D printing technique that waste is limited during the manufacturing process. Find more designs and learn more about the fast-growing You Mawo brand at www.youmawo.com CN

Slim, trim and elegantly minimalistic, the newest designs in 3D printing from the Götti Dimension Collection are a unique marriage of revolutionary manufacturing improvements, and sleek, innovative design. Kobi is superbly crafted in Götti’s own customised factory in Zurich, and shown above in Stone – a colour favourite that harmonises with spring and summer fashions. The beautifully sculpted shape exudes character, comfort and style. Five different designs are available in delicious colours: Ash, Berry, Sand, Moss, Mocca and Denim. Discover more Götti Dimension news at www.gotti.ch JG

Crafted with artisan ingenuity and galvanised with innovative technologies, ROLF Spectacles Titanium Skyline Collection is a remarkable testimonial to the Austrian brand. The multiple-award winning label features twenty-four prescription frames and six sunglasses with 3D printing processes, in elegant silhouettes with chic minimalistic assets. The Titanium designs are available in textured and smooth surfaces with five intriguing colourations – natural; anthracite; gold; black; and mocha – which are created  with an intricate process, influenced and inspired from the medical sector. Discover the enticing ROLF Spectacle collection at www.rolf-spectacles.com – and from 21-24 March in THE LOFT in New York City. https://lofteyewearshow.com JG

Sea views. Sundowners. Sugar and Spice. Peoples from Barbados (PFB) sunglasses collection by optical entrepreneur Alicia Hartman condenses the moods and colours of their Bajan origin in flattering UV protective sunglasses. Alicia’s love of the island’s culture, the natural landscape, spectacular views and everyday customs and lifestyle are the essence of her designs, which now include opticals with blue block lenses.

Three sun styles in fresh, tropical-inspired colours have been added for the new season, and will show as part of the full collection in New York next week. They explore subtle embellishments of glitter embedded in the acetate front and all the designs are made in Japan, integrating a screwless hinge and lightweight stainless steel temples for comfort. The frames undergo intense high-end polishing in the final stages to achieve a sophisticated glossy finish only achievable by hand.

Above: Model PFB 14 in colours C1 and C5 and PFB 08 (far right) in C1 – inspired by fresh Bajan coffee tones. For more details about Peoples from Barbados visit the brand at Vision Expo East – (Galleria 139) or click on the website link at https://peoplesfrombarbados.com. Visit EyeQ in Barbados to see the extensive collection of sunglasses and optical frames at Limegrove Lifestyle Centre Holetown. Find the frames in New York at www.selimaoptique.com CN

Retro re-interpreted with modern trends brings stylistic freshness to six frames from JF Rey that achieved iconic status during the 1980’s. For the revisit, the Marseille based company is inspired by the Scottish Highlands, with a unique mix of materials, colours and contrasts. Country tweeds, Houndstooth patterns, and Prince of Wales checks (first popularised by The Prince of Wales, later Edward VIII), are artfully worked into acetate frames contemporary and sophisticated. Featured above is Wilson – smart checks with an on-trend double-bridge. Additional discoveries from JF Rey 1985 at www.frey.fr JG