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Gilna Opticians, Clontarf, Dublin

23rd February 2021

Located in a North Dublin suburb by the sea, newly opened Gilna Opticians is modern, stylish and on-trend

Every aspect of the store from bottom to top is modern, clean and trendy. Features include the herringbone flooring, a large banana leaf plant in the waiting area, exposed brick walls boasting a selection of stunningly displayed frames and a ‘centrepiece’ of glass display boxes running from the front to the back of the room. High class brands such as DITA, Oliver Peoples and Tom Ford are just a few of the featured collections that had an initial impact on our overall reception of the space.

Sunglass wall with exposed brick at GILNA Opticians

An impressive, unique characteristic of this store – and of the GILNA group – is hidden in its origins. The first GILNA store was opened up by John F. Gilna in The Liberties; an area of Dublin that is widely regarded as the true root of the city, in 1951 on Thomas Street. Kevin Prendergast – the current owner of GILNA Opticians – told Eyestylist that staff from the nearby Guinness Brewery, as well as tradespeople from the surrounding area were amongst the many Dubliners to frequent the opticians back then. Kevin and his business partner Terence Scully took over the business in 2004 and their branch in The Liberties continues to welcome, as they put it, “a wonderful array of loyal, local and diverse clientele” to date. The pair followed with the opening of another GILNA Opticians in the IFSC and could not wait to get their hands on the unit on Vernon Avenue, Clontarf once it became available. After a visit to the store and in seeing what they have done with the place first hand, it is clear to see why.

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Details are a focus at this new contemporary eyewear store

Kevin outlined his intentions for the Clontarf store as “something that looked like it had always been there”. This underlined another unique aspect of this boutique’s design – its heritage. Across the store you can find original features of the building: exposed brickwork dating back to 1902, original patterns of brick that were once window arches and door frames as well as portraits of John F. Gilna and of The Liberties – dating back to the founding of the GILNA group in 1951 as mentioned. These splashes of authenticity combined with the stores immaculate interior design, the showcasing of the beautiful frames – lit up and displayed as though they were pieces of art in a museum – are some of the features that make GILNA a must visit boutique for any eyewear connoisseur, or history fanatic alike. For more information visit www.gilnaopticians.ie – GILNA Opticians, Vernon Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin

By Victoria G. L. Brunton

Design + Inspiration

Menswear: sustainable progress in eyewear

18th February 2021

Substance by Rolf Spectacles, Austria

A wave of new eyewear collections featuring sustainable materials are arriving for 2021 in line with a huge movement for change and effort towards sustainability in fashion and design. Among the highlights in independent eyewear, the Austrian label Rolf Spectacles has released a plant-based collection of sunglasses designed with their artisan principles, expertise and handmade focus – and 3D printing.

Their material is derived from plants grown in tropical climates without any kind of genetic engineering. “This remarkable plant grows six metres in just four months, and it comes back every year,” explains company founder and visionary Roland Wolf. “This makes the new material more sustainable and kinder to the environment than ever–and the perfect foundation upon which to build a new collection of glasses to meet the current demand for more climate-considerate products.”

Already an award-winning concept with an IDA Design Award 2021 and a Focus Open Award (end of last year), this new line features over 23 timeless, unisex shapes which are comfortable and light to wear, as well as colourful (there are six basic colours) and technically robust. Attentive to every detail, the 3D printed frames feature ROLF’s screwless Flexlock hinge, an ideal high-tech component which ensures a flexible fit on the face. Above: a very practical eco-friendly contemporary men’s sunglass style: ROLF model Fako in Black Grey – offering 100% UV protection – available online at 330 euros.

ROLF substance mount sun collection – available online

To make Substance more widely available during the pandemic, ROLF has launched a few limited edition “Substance Mount” styles for exclusive purchase online. Find the modified ‘D frame’ shape model Fako at https://online.rolf-spectacles.com/collections/substance-mount/products/fako-blackgrey)

About Rolf Spectacles – Glasses manufacturer ROLF was founded in 2009 in the heart of Austria’s Tyrolean Alps. The family company first became known for its unique wooden glasses; it is now offering a wide of range of innovative materials including designs in titanium, stone, buffalo horn and now plant-based materials – all without using any screws, thereby eliminating the need for any maintenance. Founder and visionary Roland Wolf has already surprised the international eyewear market with several innovations related to his core product, starting with materials and moving on to production technology and design. The eyewear designer’s approach is to combine his love of nature with timeless styles and innovative technology, the success of which is evidenced by numerous awards, including the Silmo d’Or, the German Design Award, the Green Design Award, the Red Dot Award, and the Muse Design Award. Despite the international acclaim and awards, the creative company continues to manufacture in the homeland of the brand, by hand, and using natural resources, remaining faithful to the guiding principle of the business: creating products that respect yesterday, work for today, and prepare for tomorrow. Find out more at www.rolf-spectacles.com

Creative spirits

Kechi ‘The Eccentric Dandy’

16th February 2021

Stylist, blogger and colourful fashion week street style setter, Kechi “The Eccentric Dandy” has a unique point of view on all things fashion. His eclectic style and bold dressing is exciting and rule-breaking and infectious to all. Having met at Paris Fashion Week in 2019, Victoria Brunton reconnected with him online in this interview for our menswear series on accessories and style.

Has your way of dressing always been received positively outside of our industry and have you always had such a strong confidence in your style, as you portray? I don’t think anyone is confident immediately; for me personally, it was a process of growing my confidence. I grew up in a small mid-western college town where much of dressing was about being ‘cool’, which ultimately served a culture of conformity. It wasn’t until the last couple of years leading to my jump to New York that I really began to play with my style. Cultivating my personal aesthetic took work— and lots of it – and while it was fun to do, dressing differently wasn’t always easy; one often encounters resistance when fighting against the grain, and that’s okay. More importantly the benefits to dressing, and in doing so being true to yourself and having others respond well to that, far overrides any criticism. To put it simply; if someone has something negative to say about me, or about how I dress that’s a reflection on them – not me. Above: photo by @scander9

What do you look for when selecting a frame? Perhaps you could tell us about your favorite pair of glasses in your collection… I adore eyewear because it is such an easy way to transform your look! As far as choosing frames; I look for how they suit my face and their overall suitability. I really enjoy different kinds of lens tints because there is so much choice; two-tone, a rose tint, a full black out lens or a nice hunter yellow — the options are endless! Different styles of frame definitely speak to different eras and moods; right now, my favorite frame is a pair of brown-tinted Tom Ford aviators – they go with everything. I do love my extremes in eyewear, but nothing beats a good classic pair of shades you can grab on your way out of the door.

When planning an outfit, what role do accessories play for you? Accessories aren’t any more or any less important than any other piece of clothing I wear; you can have great accessories and still be poorly dressed, in my opinion. So, having that balance between all of your pieces is essential. Sometimes your clothes are doing the talking while your accessories take the back seat – and vice versa, and if you really wanna party, everything; your clothes, accessories and hair are all talking at once – AKA me at every fashion week.

“For the love of prints” – photo by @rvrdwn

Is there a growing demand for more choice in the male accessories market? Do you often find yourself having to seek out an accessory categorized as “woman’s”, simply because it is not provided for in “men’s”? Looking at guys on the street there is certainly a growing demand for men’s and gender non-specific accessories. The fact that men are finding new ways to wear old accessories speaks to this; a recent example being men wearing fanny packs slung around the torso as a pseudo-purse VS the traditional way of wearing it around the waist. This has expanded to the more daring men wearing actual handbags and purses that are generally geared towards women. I remember seeing one of the members of the rap trio Migos rocking a Goyard purse; the hyper-masculinity generally associated with rap music and culture combined with the feminine connotations of a designer purse made this really stand out to me. Times are changing, in recent seasons some big brands are responding to this need; Prada, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Fendi are offering styles of accessories that are much more gender neutral in their utility and how they’re marketed. This can be seen further when you are really, as the kids say – ‘in your bag’ (pun intended) – the designated gender for that particular item shouldn’t matter; it’s just fabric at the end of the day, and if it speaks to you, it speaks to you. As they say; ‘if the shoe fits, wear it’ – I find this to be particularly true for all accessories; bags, eyewear— you name it. (more…)

Design + Inspiration

Men’s glasses trends: sustainable + retro

6th February 2021

Eyestylist TREND bulletin cover frame: the eco-friendly Jukkasjärvi by EOE Eyewear

Round glasses, panto styles, circular specs: whatever you call them it’s a shape to take note of. The classic retro style is distinguished and intellectual with limitless variations to elevate one’s style.

EOE Eyewear’s Jukkasjärvi – our cover frame for February – is among the contemporary, sustainable styles in this noteworthy collection which originated in Swedish Lapland. The unisex “round” design comes in tones of quartz, orchid or a new dandelion (see below) – our preferred shade for men. Made from ‘bio’ acetate, “friendly” because it does not contain petroleum it is also free from high-risk phthalates. Stylish precise design details are the key at EOE, and this frame stands out for its two-tone finish, with solid colour in the upper part and a transparent section below. Above: Victor Smangs wears model Jukkasjärvi – in colour dandelion. The frames are named after places in northern Sweden. “Jukkasjärvi” is from Cohkkiras, meaning “meeting place”. It’s also the location of a famous Icehotel. Photography by Studio Andreas Johansson

Jukkasjärvi by EOE Eyewear – in dandelion – an ideal round style for 2021

Recommended frames for men: Sustainable brand EOE Eyewear has a range of unisex frames including several easy-to-wear timeless designs we recommend for men. For those who seek a square design, try Bergglim, in trendy matt bark, or for a geek chic style choose the square thick rimmed He, available in black or bark and a perfect choice to dress up or even down. Visit EOE to see their latest designs at https://eoe-eyewear.com

Boutiques

Frankly Glasses, Toronto + Kuboraum

2nd February 2021

Shop-in-shop experience with Kuboraum, Berlin

Berlin’s avantgarde label Kuboraum continues its shop-in-shop installation project in a new collaboration with a brand new store: Frankly Glasses, Toronto. The store specialises in handcrafted eyewear and limited editions, and has made a point of curating its collections with attention to high-calibre acetates, stainless steels and eco-friendly materials.

In this new presentation of the Kuboraum collection – in which they are exhibiting the largest selection of Kuboraum frames in Canada, a part of the shop, inside and out, has been completely taken over with bold and eye-catching art work designed by founders Livio Graziottin and Sergio Eusebi.

Frankly Glasses shop-in-shop for Kuboraum

In 2020, Kuboraum partnered with REWORKS120 in Seoul, South Korea for their first Shop-in-Shop Experience outside Germany. They have also worked with DSM Beijing to create their own in-store “branded” Kuboraum space.

Frankly Glasses is located in Queen Street West, a vibrant are of the city boasting a mix of boutiques, vintage stores and a lively food and cafe scene. The eyewear store opened on 2nd January 2021. Frankly Glasses, 1530 Queen Street West Toronto ON

For more information visit www.franklyglasses.com / www.kuboraum.com