The Munich event celebrated the return of face-to-face meetings, friendly conversations and the bringing together of the industry again
opti 2022, which took place on the weekend of 13th to 15th May, following numerous prior disruptions from the pandemic, has been celebrated as an ideal reunion for brands and business partners, opticians and optical ‘friends’. A convivial and relaxed atmosphere, where visitors could have direct access to some of the finest established and emerging independent labels in the business meant that there was much opportunity for new inspiration, trend analysis and fresh and exciting buying opportunities for all those interested in unique eyewear. Above: Clodagh Norton, Eyestylist.com and co-founder of Lunettes ALF, Germain Bouchara – ‘catching up after over two years’ – photography by Julien Alazard
Lunettes ALF, a brand that is already well established in Germany, exhibited as part of Wolf Continental, the House of Independent Quality Eyewear working with a selection of luxury and artisan brands including ALF, Lasry, and Frank Custom in the German-speaking region.
Among the highlights of the weekend was a win by LEINZ Eyewear, who received the opti Box Award. Beate Leinz is a well-known eyewear designer and her young eponymous label has a captivating, creative contemporary design focus with consistent interest in quality, originality and modern materials such as 3D printed polyamide – exploring the materials’ potential in glamorous forms.
Several brands we do not know so well caught our eye at the fair, and a particularly warm welcome was appreciated at Lazare Studio, a label born in Lyon and headed by the optician (of Entre-Vues) and creator, Alexandre Caton. His expertise in and passion for vintage has translated into a collection that is innovative and surprising – where the choice of materials, weight distribution and technical details such as hinges are highly considered and result in a quite different outcome in terms of the experience of the frame and how it feels to wear.
Newton by Lazare Studio is representative of the ‘neo retro’ design work at the French brand. Each frame is described as the result of the meeting of “two worlds that were never meant to collide. On the one hand, a selection of exclusive signature parts made from ancestral materials sourced from Japan, and on the other, the extraordinary savoir-faire of the Jura workshops in France.”
Other innovators such as Cutler and Gross, Blackfin, Rolf Spectacles, VAVA, Youmawo, Ørgreen Optics, J F REY, RIGARDS and RES/REI showed the season’s new collections with attention on sustainability, exceptional quality and new modes of design; contemporary materials were more eclectic than ever, with 3D printed, customisable and plant-based designs well represented alongside the classic high-quality and luxury materials like cellulose acetate, wood, buffalo horn and titanium. opti 2023 will take place on 27 to 29th January 2023. To read more about what we discovered at the shows this season follow Eyestylist on the website and our social media. For more details about the Munich fair, visit www.opti.de
