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Boudoir, Venice

1st April 2011

Launch on the web

4th April, 2011 One of our favourite stores in Venice, which sells frames by brands like Reiz, TD Tom Davies, l.a. eyeworks and Lindberg but also jewellery and other interesting accessories and furnishings, has launched a new website at www.boudoir.venice.it

One of the reasons we have been following this store is that the owner, Alessandro De Lorenzo has launched a project to find a young eyewear designer called the DES-EYE-N Award, organised by LAB30100. Collaborating with prestigious stores around the world (see list below) the competition, which is designed for MA students studying fashion, product or industrial design, is open until end of April (30th) this year and entry is free of charge. For more information visit www.lab30100.com.

The ten optical stores collaborating in the project LAB30100 are:

Boudoir Venice; Optic Extrascharf, Berlin; Nathalie Bladt, Leuven; Oliver Goldsmith store, London; Optika Eclectic Eyewear, Saskatoon, Canada; Gogosha Optique, LA; Bruce Eyewear, Vancouver; Visual Culture Optical, Hong Kong; Loonen Brillenmakers, Oosterhout, the Netherlands; and Optica Toscana, Madrid.

LOFT Santa Monica Show October 16th and 17th

MIDO 6-8 February 2027. Welcome to Eyewearland

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Colour blocking for children

1st April 2011

With so much on colour blocking in grown-up fashion, I’ve been looking around for how this trend is coming into its own in childrenswear. It has filtered in to some of the coolest kid’s clothing and sunglass collections. Go totally mono colour if you dare! We think it’s a great choice for Spring/Summer. CN

YUMMY YELLOW 1. Leather Ballet Flats (buttercup) from Boden, from £26, www.boden.co.uk 2. Stella McCartney Henry T-shirt, in sunshine from £21.00 www.stellamccartneykids.com 3. Ruffle Jersey Dress (sulphur flower) by Boden, from £24.00 www.boden.co.uk 4. Daisy 3 by Zoobug with CR39 UV 400 cat 3 lens, from £25, www.zoobug.com

BOLD BLUE 1.Oscar coat (sharp blue), 100 euros, from Finger in the Nose www.finegerinthenose.com 2. Sunglass model VL1071 by Vuarnet, www.vuarnet.com 3. Dalton Sharp Blue Shark Short Sleeve Tee from Finger in the Nose www.fingerinthenose.com 4. Canvas shoes from Bensimon, www.bensimon.com

HOT RED 1. Icon slim fit jeans, Finger in the Nose, from 75 euros, www.fingerinthenose.com 2. ZB4 by Zoobug, from £29, www.zoobug.com 3. Trainers by Veja, www.veja.fr 4. FC72 T-Shirt £12 to £14, French Connection, www.frenchconnection.com

Arts + travel

Where to eat

1st April 2011

There are lots of places in London that are used to kids, and lots that prefer you not to venture in with noisy under 7s! I have been testing the waters a little more now my kids are getting a bit older and more used to eating out in different types of restaurants. I regularly choose to eat in Spanish places in London. One of my favourites is Tapas Brindisa in Borough Market. The Brindisa shop is just a few steps away, and this is where I stock up on Arbequina Extra Virgin olive oil and chorizo and may be some delicious Ortiz tuna. Tapas Brindisa is a reliable choice for fresh, authentic Spanish tapas, using ingredients sourced from the Brindisa storecupboard and UK producers including some of the Borough Market food specialists. When I visited last week with my 4 year old, we chose a large selection of hams, which included Serrano, Recebo and Carved Iberico de Bellota, my favourite. We also tried the traditional tortilla. A fine looking vanilla ice cream was served up for pudding and my little companion was delighted. Had we wanted to be a bit more adventurous there were lots more enticing hot dishes I would have liked to have tried including pork belly and quince and prawns al ajillo. I will be making a trip back soon, probably with the whole family. Brindisa currently has 4 restaurants in London including Casa Brindisa, South Kensington, pictured above, and the very centrally located Tierra Brindisa in Broadwick Street. www.brindisa.com

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Lunettes Lafont, Paris

1st April 2011

All In The Family

Lunettes Lafont is a French family affair. For over 85 years, there have been Lafont family members involved in the company. Now Philippe Lafont (centre) and his two sons, Thomas (left) and Matthieu (right) are closely connected with all aspects of the company. Twenty-five years ago, Thomas and Matthieu’s elegant mother, Laurence, launched the Lafont children’s collection. Madame Lafont always said: “you cannot make children suffer,” so Lafont frames for kids have always taken little faces and children’s preferences into consideration. Thomas has inherited the design mantle, and his collections of kid’s frames are created with his mother’s goal firmly in mind.

“Acceptance and comfort is the key issue for kids,” says Marketing Director Matthieu. “Small faces need specifically adapted frames. Our answer is to give different styles for different ages, and to offer exclusive colours. We provide a product that is harmless, and as strong as possible. Quality is really at the top of the list for parents. Why? Because kids can play hard, fall, and sometimes sit on their frames!”

GRIBOUILLE Boys frame — Gribouille, a boy's frame by Lafont

Lafont offers frames in several categories: 6 months to 4 years; Age 4-7; 7-12 years; and 12-16 years old. Acetate, metal, nylon and spring hinges ensure that the frames avoid breakage as much as possible. Even the names are fun – Gribouille, French for draw or doodle, is a boys frame alive with rockets, planets, and stars. Certain boy’s styles feature a little sports car on the tips of side pieces, and for girls, there is a ladybug – symbol of good luck.

GIGI,GABIE, CHARIVARI RVB Lafont — Gigi, Gabie and Charivari from Lafont

The Lafonts are passionate about eyewear, with their commitment to the profession, their design inspiration and emphasis on quality. The next generation of Lafont’s is growing up with a passion for eyewear. “My four year old daughter needs to wear glasses,” says Matthieu, “and she is so proud and happy to wear them! She selected her own frame.” The family tradition carries on! Lafont have their own boutiques in Paris, in superb locations on both the Left and Right Banks of La Seine. JG

For further details: www.lafont.com

Arts + travel

Arlington Avenue, Islington, London

1st April 2011

An elegant place to stay in the city

The UK is well loved for its bed and breakfast accommodation. My experience of this type of place to stay has been really lovely, but I would normally only expect to find a superb b&b in the countryside. As I am always being asked where the good b&bs are in London I decided to identify one that I would choose to stay in, and this is it! Tucked away in the residential area of Islington, this is a handsome house with a stunning antique filled interior. It’s a perfect stopover for a night or two and the location is far enough away from central London to give you an experience of London life, with plenty of interesting shops and boutiques and places to eat within walking distance….and it’s easy to travel to and from by public transport (tube and bus) should you want to visit sites and museums in the centre. Lovely garden, should you visit in Spring/Summer. Book ahead as there are just two rooms…for more pictures and prices, visit www.arlingtonavenue.co.uk