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Japanese eyewear – TVR 504 & TVR Arnel – 2020 Edition

4th September 2020

Virtual products showcase: The iconic style of actor James Dean, the panto shape is one of the most timeless vintage designs ever created. Based meticulously on the shape and replicating its style, the 504 and Arnel models by Japanese eyewear label TVR are recreated by hand by expert craftsmen in Sabae, Japan; the eyewear boasts 50s retro anti-slip strips, seven-barrel hinges, a keyhole bridge, signature SPM (Sun Platinum Metal material) spear rivets and miter cutting by hand. Above: TVR Arnel: classic style handcrafted in Japan

The TVR® Arnel® shape – also known as the JD frame – is usually patented using Japanese 4mm celluloid to accentuate the lustre and shine of the material. Its slim profile also adds comfort and a better fit. The updated iteration is crafted by hand by TVR®’s master craftsman in Sabae, Japan, Sawada-Yaemon.

The miter cut technique is a critical feature of vintage eyewear where the front of the frame and temples each lie at a 45-degree angle, creating a 90-degree angle. True Vintage Revival remakes all the original elements of the TVR® 504 and TVR® Arnel® using an exceptionally rare, authentic mould that produced the classic shape just as it was in the past.

TVR504: based on the classic style, worn by James Dean

“We come from a family of master craftsmen whose heritage dates back to the Edo period. Our family, the Yaemon, in fact is the first to perfect the iconic TVR® 504 shape using traditional measurements and techniques, making this collection extra special to us.” —Sawada-Yaemon

To celebrate the overwhelming support and encouraging response from customers over the years, TVR® will be offering this 2020 edition using Zylonite material, featuring the intricate Japanese engraving depicting The Great Wave of Kanagawa on the metal core.

Product: TVR 504 and TVR Arnel Brand: TVR (Japan) Website: www.tvropt.com / www.tvropt.eu Contact address: [email protected]

About the Eyestylist virtual products showcase: the Eyestylist virtual products showcase offers a unique launchpad for new avantgarde, artisan or luxury eyewear and sunglass products – through Autumn 2020. The showcase is an initiative designed to connect Eyestylist readers and specialist designers in the absence of international trade fairs + launch events due to the Coronavirus pandemic. For more details email [email protected].

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Design + Inspiration

Glasses designer: Jean Philippe Joly: details in acetate

2nd September 2020

Virtual products showcase: Glasses designer Jean Philippe Joly’s passion and commitment to unique handmade design is always apparent in his collections which tell a story of inventive creativity, savoir-faire and high artisanship. The designer is a self-confessed detailist with an eye for colour and sculptural aesthetics. His limited edition styles are popular with artistic individuals and have recently been worn by Natalia Vodianova, the Russian model/entrepreneur.

Above: the ever popular cat eye has a new “soft” look in this new entry by Jean Philippe Joly (model Jalouse) which would have launched this month in Paris : vintage turquoise acetate fitted with 24 hour delicate custom aqua sun lenses. A small wave detail on the side of the frame front and nicely formed hand-finished bevels are a finishing touch in this individual design.

Model Producteur by Jean Philippe Joly returns to the collection in new colourways : this frame has custom blue lenses for 24 hour wear. It has a discreet “depression” in the 8 millimetre Mazzucchelli acetate on the sides of the front and on the shiny polished temples. Real rivets are a typical “hallmark” feature of these designs.

Glasses designer Jean Philippe Joly chooses the finest Mazzucchelli acetates: above, a frame inspired by waves – model Surfeur

The choice of quality acetates by Mazzucchelli in Italy and the highest standards yet traditional manufacturing methods results in a refined design product of uncompromising quality.

Product: New-season collection – models Producteur, Jalouse + Surfeur Brand: Glasses designer – Jean Philippe Joly Website: www.jeanphilippejoly.com Contact address: [email protected]

Arts + travel

Italian eyewear event: ‘Enjoy Eyewear Again’

21st August 2020

Italian eyewear event – A special event in Italy for independent design brands

A new event concept by the founder of Miga Studio Eyewear (Italy) and like-minded independent eyewear brands and designers will take place on 7th September 2020 at Villa Avanzi, Lake Garda, Italy (by invitation only).

The concept is designed to bring customers and brands together again in a stunning, safe yet intimate setting, and to allow opticians access to some of the finest independent labels and their new offerings, in line with new social distancing protocols.

“We have organised an entire day dedicated to opticians who wish to discover unique eyewear with an inevitable glass of wine,” says Alessandro Fedalto of Miga Studio Eyewear who has conceived the event with others as a result of the many cancellations of trade events through 2020, due to the global pandemic. ” 20 eyewear brands from Italy, UK, Germany, USA and Portugal will share their latest projects and designs releasing for the new season and 2021 with a group of 100 stores located within easy proximity of the stunning shores of Lake Garda and the historic location. For more details contact [email protected]

Creative spirits

Ely Yili Cao: pearly jewellery eyewear

12th August 2020

Gemmologist and award-winning jewellery & eyewear designer Ely Yili Cao is a graduate of the prestigious RCA in London. Her latest work is entitled Lunette de Diadème.

“My collection uses luxury as a perspective and high-end jewellery as a platform,” says Ely Cao. The designer, who has taken part and won the 100% Optical / RCA Eyewear design competition (in 2020 and previously) for a work featuring delicate pearl settings, has created her latest work – Lunette de Diadème – as a means of exploring how spectacles have infiltrated our lives beyond a medical device and symbol of impairment.

Working with a mix of materials such as rhodium plated silver alloy, fresh water and Tahiti pearls with bluetooth earphones, Cao has imagined and created a new personal concept in luxury glasses, incorporating high-tech, connected to artisan jewellery-techniques, with handmade settings and a genuine appreciation of traditional construction. Her attention to detail continues into innovative functional and aesthetic features – with highlights which include beautifully conceived moveable jewellery parts, interchangeable lenses, and a hugely appealing charging case.

About: Ely Yili Cao, a designer who specialises in jewellery, eyewear and accessories, an authorized gemmologist and appraiser, earned her BA (Hon) degree in Jewellery Design, at the Central Saint Martins’ College of Art and Design, finished gemmologic study from GIA with scholarship, and recently graduated from the Royal College of Art fashion programme, specialising in accessories and eyewear.
Her design and craft skills have been selected and awarded worldwide — by organizations including The Goldsmiths’ Centre, The Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council in the UK, Gemological Institute of America in the US, Barcelona Art Jewellery & Objects (JOYA) in Spain; and by commercial companies including The Leatherseller’s Company, Theo Fennell and William Morris London (100% Optical / RCA competition). For more information visit @ely.yili.cao (Instagram) and www.elycao.com

Design + Inspiration

Cool glasses: sunny vibes at Lowercase

11th August 2020

Launch of three made-in-NYC styles as the Brooklyn label returns to normal production

A set of three stunning new cool glasses styles is announced by Lowercase, the NYC independent artisan label working out of a historic Brooklyn factory. The label has recently resumed full production post-lockdown and the new designs – Rose, Lenox and Astor – offer a refreshing reminder of the intricate processes and distinctive handcrafting techniques that go into a small-batch production at this level.

Astor by Lowercase – handmade in New York

The three new bookish frames are inspired by the renowned libraries of New York City, where the Lowercase manufacturing workshop is based. Merging craftsmanship with modern design, each style has its particular nuances from the effortlessly stylish shaping of Rose and the classic, versatile, and flattering Astor to the Lenox, which features rounded corners and smooth lines that soften the hard geometry. All Lowercase sunglasses are produced in hand-polished acetate and feature the finest hardware and quality Carl Zeiss sun lenses.Find out more at www.lowercasenyc.com