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Fine Art Eyewear

15th November 2013

Elegant Unison of Materials at Leisure Society

15th November 2013 Shane Baum is a master at designing eyewear that resembles fine art. His newest collection pays tribute to acclaimed philosophers with frames that are unique and distinctive. Rodrigues (above) features a keyhole bridge and bold metal insets on the front. Highly intricate multi-dimensional laser etching is applied to titanium with beautiful enamel insets. The temple tips are available in 12k, 18K, or 24k gold on pure titanium, combined with Japanese cotton-based acetate. The lenses are coated with Diamond Cast anti-scratch coating – completing a frame with precisely engineered components and meticulous attention to detail.

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The Scholarly Nietzsche by Shane Baum at Leisure Society

The 19th Century philosopher Nietzsche is honoured in a scholarly round frame with contemporary styling. Laser etching, enamel insets and white gold plated temple tips ensure that the frame is crafted similar to the finest jewellery. Nietzsche is available in chic tones of Matte Smoke (above) Black and Tortoise. Each Leisure Society frame is individually numbered and handmade in Japan by superb artisan craftsmen. Pure luxury for your eyes! www.leisure-society.com JG

Reviews

G.M.S Limited 2013

1st October 2013

Masunaga 1905, Japan

This Japanese label won an eyewear award in Paris last week for their G.M.S. Limited 2013 which I had a chance to take a closer look at. The frame has temples in solid 18 carat gold and beta titanium, welded using a new technology to give a smooth transition between the two materials, and an interesting colour contrast between the luxury metals featured. The rims and the saddle bridge are fashioned from titanium overlaid with bamboo. A signature round shape is inspired by a frame that Masunaga Optical presented to the Emperor of Japan in 1933; the style has been given a modern feeling using advanced technology. This is a luxurious optical style conceived to push design boundaries. www.masunaga1905.com

Boutiques

Vincent Optiek, Netherlands

6th September 2013

12th September 2013 A modern ambiance, fantastic attention to detail, and a penchant for Alpacas (see the youtube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvuicDX1cW0) -Vincent Optiek is a little gem that brings beautiful eyewear choices – labels such as Dita, Graz, Suzy Glam, Gotti Switzerland, Lindberg Precious, Lafont, Face à Face, Mykita, and others – to a local community in Houten, Netherlands. It’s the friendly, smart independent optician’s that some of us wish we had around the corner.

“The new shop has been open for 1 and a half years,” explains owner, Vincent de Goede. “I worked on the interior with a Dutch craftsman called Johan van Zutphen. Our aim was to reflect quality but without looking overly posh, to show a feeling of stylishness, but not excessively trendy.

“We have glasses for all ages, but most of my customers are between 25 and 55. My store is a bit unusual. Most Dutch optical stores are more classic, but there is a new breed of us on the rise. I like to have fun in what I do. For me that means working with the most beautiful eyewear I can find, in a store that fits me like a tailored suit.” Vincent Optiek, Plein 9A, Houten, Netherlands. www.vincentoptiek.nl CN

Boutiques

Sid Fiz Optique

29th August 2013

1st September 2013 Queen’s Park, a fashionable neighbourhood of west London, with a well-known gastro pub (www.thesalusbury.co.uk) inviting bakery (www.gailsbread.co.uk), small independent shops, cafes and a popular farmers’ market is the location of Sid Fiz Optique, a new eyewear store that is a wonderful modern addition to this area. Sid is an eyewear expert, with a wealth of experience of the finest labels on the market – he is also a distributor of some of them, who has long been working with special, quality brands, and who now has his own unique label – Coppe & Sid – in a partnership with Gaultiero Coppe – www.eyedesignclub.com

Sid FIz Optique interior — Sid Fiz Optique interior

For his shop which opened in July, Sid’s choice of frames reflects his knowledge and understanding of the new direction towards artisan luxury, something that is likely to please the fashion crowd and professional families locally. “I am in a really nice position to be able to fill my shop with well selected special labels; my customers will be able to walk down the street here and they will be the only one wearing the frame they purchase. There’s something for everyone, and yet we have chosen eyewear that is less mainstream and more about great design and clean, elegant aesthetics. From what I have seen so far, our customers are intrigued by new design and independent labels they may not have heard about before.”

Providence, Coppe & Sid — Providence by Coppe & Sid

As well as showcasing the Coppe & Sid Eyewear Collection, Sid guided me through labels that included Oliver Peoples, Frency & Mercury, Mykita, Jacques Durand, Lafont, Meyer Eyewear, Face à Face and for kids, Zoobug. “I have a created a minimal interior; my wife and I have designed absolutely everything ourselves and I think the shop reflects something about how we see eyewear moving whilst making this a store where you can see, touch, and try everything – the frames are not locked away and you can pick them up and try them on easily. “The shop also represents a great opportunity to show the Coppe & Sid label in full for the first time; the label has been a great success with the opticians I have worked with and I am looking forward to seeing the response in the eyes of the customer, that is where you really understand the success of a design so you can evolve the collection in line with their tastes and desires.” Sid Fiz Optique, Salusbury Road, Queen’s Park, London. www.sidfizoptique.com CN

Arts + travel

Best of Britannia 2013, London

20th August 2013

20th August 2013 Best of Britannia is coming up again in October and will take place at the Farmiloe building in London’s Clerkenwell. The exhibition showcases a special mix of quality British brands – established and emerging – encompassing an interesting range of industries and sectors, including interiors, furniture, lighting, food, sports, accessories, automotives… and eyewear too. Founder and Creator Antony Wallis explains: “It is a very exciting time to be a British designer and manufacturer – the London 2012 Olympics, the Golden Jubilee, and now with the arrival of Prince George, brand Britain is experiencing a major boom. At Best of Britannia, we have curated a collection of British brands that have authenticity, a strong British heritage and provenance, all under one roof. Visitors are in for a real treat.”

Among the fashion exhibitors we are looking forward to seeing are the accessories label, Age of Reason (https://www.eyestylist.com/2013/07/a-favourite-new-season-accessory/) and the British eyewear brand FAN Optics (www.fanoptics.co.uk), who recently launched a Limited Edition Sunglasses Collection – The Nine Worthies. Read more about it here: https://www.eyestylist.com/2013/06/summer-stories/.

Best of Britannia 2013, the Farmiloe Building, Clerkenwell, London – 3rd to 5th October 2013. To book a stand or attend as a visitor find out more here: www.bestofbritannia.com CN