Eyestylist

| Eyestylist 16th June 2020

Wearable art, created in isolation – Jen Nollaig

The Dublin-based designer shares her wearable art lockdown project, ‘Me, myself & eye’

Artist/designer Jen Nollaig developed a colourful collection of intriguing works centered around upcycling old eyewear frames, during the weeks of lockdown in March/April 2020. Nollaig has built a unique niche for herself in customised artworks, and has produced pieces for clients in the UK, NYC and Ireland.
“In lockdown, I needed to anchor my mind to something that made me feel at peace,” she explained,  “so I started to do what I love most and create.  For me this offers a way to escape; this is what this new collection is inspired by, a personal journey of escapism in isolation, an attempt to capture the current sentiment of the new days and feelings that I am experiencing.” Above: One of the new works: ‘Processing’ is created with layered cocktail sticks, hand painted and finished off with painted compressed polystyrene balls from an old bean bag.
‘Eyesolation’ – 1 by Jen Nollaig – worn by the artist

The works in the new series include ‘Eyesolation’ –  produced out of a deconstructed diamond belt Nollaig found in a charity shop and customised with ‘googley eyes’ fromher children’s craft box.

Jen Nollaig wearing ‘Adjustments have been made’

For ‘Adjustments have been made’ – the artist says she broke apart old eyewear frames to use as the base and layered crayons and colouring pencils on top.

Previous works by Nollaig with an Xmas ‘glitter’ and ‘bauble’ theme earned her the headline ‘Ireland’s most Christmassy woman’ (Irish Times in 2019). A custom design she created for a client in New York (@happyhappyphoenix) for the Afropunk Brooklyn festival brought the designer attention in WWD and Teen Vogue. Photographs by Jen Nollaig featuring the artist. Follow Jen Nollaig and hew new works on Instagram @jen_nollaig.

| Eyestylist 15th June 2020

Colour trends: soft colour mix

Delicate, mixed hues continue to trend in women’s eyewear and recent releases show a distinct rebirth of airy mottled tones and colour variants with transparencies. At a time when flattering easy-to-wear styles will be widely appreciated, these fresh ultra-modern palettes offer uplifting new modes for sophisticated feminine styling. Above: Veronika Wildgruber model Rachel in ‘pastel’. Two transparencies combine in a confident minimal shape with highlighted top bar. Find more designs at www.eyewear.veronikawildgruber.com

Freda by Andy Wolf

The new model Freda at Andy Wolf (Ultra Light – White Heat Collection) combines the very narrow two-tone metal frame with characteristic acetate nose bridge of this range and the matching acetate tips. The line uses custom acetates with unusual colour accents such as the Springtime-inspired design above combining yellow, pink and green. www.andy-wolf.com

Lukas by FLEYE – in the Signature Collection

Fleye’s beautifully considered colour palette and playful tonal contrasts explore natural hues and, in the latest models in the Signature Collection, the translucent Nordic light – captured in works by the 19th century Skagen painters. Model Lukas has an earthy texture, reminiscent of a classic tortoiseshell, with a lighter more translucent clarity. Find out more about these frames which were due to preview at the cancelled Mido fair in February at www.fleye.dk

Model Orely by Volte Face Paris: infused with 1980s retro style and colour “The design uses an original lamination technique with a colored stripe”

In the brand new releases at Volte Face Paris this month, the spectacle styles like Orely mix exclusive colours and unexpected transparencies to showcase French craftsmanship and artisan details, with chic patterning (some designs are directly inspired by contemporary textiles) and a subtle asymmetrical twist. Find out more about this new-look line at www.jfrey.fr

| Eyestylist 12th June 2020

London Fashion Week 2020: first digital event

Seasonless, gender neutral, with both men’s and women’s collections and a mix of new launches – designers are adapting to new ways of working and presenting new lines online at the first virtual fashion week #LFWreset

London Fashion Week (#LFWreset) has launched today as a digital event, hosting multimedia content from designers, creatives, brand partners and other key collaborators. Described as a global meet-up point, the website is filled with content ranging from interviews and playlists and  podcasts to digital showrooms + lookbooks, webinars and designer diary “stories”, available to all who wish to be a part of it, and (uniquely) not just trade. Above: London-based Brazilian designer Joao Maraschin – New Foreigner Traveller series – the photoshoot is launched at LFW today – with photography by Lucas Fonseca – Maraschin: ” I invited Brazilian photographer Lucas Fonseca to create a collaborative series that would show both our visions of the collection adapted to the current situation.”

The event promises a new format with an official schedule of brands and shows the typical support for and dedication to young designers and emerging talent where feasible. They include Brazilian designer Joao Maraschin who launched his collection Foreigner Traveller in February 2020 with London College of Fashion. Maraschin’s new work is presented in powerful still life photography by Lucas Fonseca where the absence of models offers a poignant reminder of current restrictions and difficulties of working as we did before.

London Fashion Week takes place from 12th to 14th June from its new home at https://londonfashionweek.co.uk

To find out more about Joao Maraschin and his new collection, visit https://londonfashionweek.co.uk/designers/joao-maraschin/

www.joaomaraschin.com

| Eyestylist 12th June 2020

Mask trends – The Friday edit: La LOOP La Mask

Elizabeth Faraut expands accessories collection with LA LOOP mask chain

Mask trends – As the market floods with new styles of mask in all shapes and sizes, Los Angeles-based entrepreneur Elizabeth Faraut has added a new mask accessory combining functionality and style in her beautiful luxury accessories line. LA Mask is a hand-designed solution to today’s need to wear masks in public places and helps keep track of them, says Faraut.

The concept for LA Mask came when Faraut was faced with trips outside her home on weekly runs to the market and it was too easy to leave her mask behind. “As the LA LOOP is the simple way to hang one’s eyewear around the neck, LA Mask performs the same function for the personal health mask.”

LA Mask by LA LOOP

When worn with a mask, LA Mask can hang from one’s neck with the mask hanging against the chest so that it is at one’s fingertips ready to be put on at a moment’s notice. When the mask is removed (by unclipping the clasps) LA Mask is a necklace or can be wrapped around the wrist and worn as a bracelet. For wider social benefit, through June and July, LA Mask will be donating a percentage of the proceeds to Downtown Women’s Center (DWC), an organization in Los Angeles focusing on serving and empowering homelessness and formerly homeless women. DWC envisions a Los Angeles with every woman housed and on a path to personal stability. LA LOOP has a long history of supporting the charity.

LA Mask is handmade in Los Angeles. The Vintage masks collection by LA Mask features fabrics like Guatemalan Indigo, seersucker blue, white pin striped cotton and Italian linens. The Classic collection masks are 100% cotton blend.

Along with this functionality, LA Mask’s creator says the product is connecting consumers and community. LA Mask customers are placing gift orders, asking their purchases to be sent directly to loved ones. Faraut is handwriting gift notes with orders that read: “Stay safe and healthy. I love you.” Find out more at www.laloop.com

| Eyestylist 10th June 2020

Titanium trends: Annie by Blackfin

Slim, pared down, and as light as can be. The new Annie model from Blackfin, the Italian independent brand, is part of the label’s Razor “retro-infused” collection created from 1mm Japanese titanium sheet and made in Italy. The eyewear producer has developed special micro mechanical processes to create the frames which, it says, have been custom-engineered to achieve a technically sound construction and finish – one of their lightest yet.

Annie by Blackfin, the Italian independent label: lightweight, timeless design

Blackfin is often ahead of the game in its launches and new high-tech titanium eyewear proposals – and even in these difficult and challenging times, the Razor concept represents a clear expression of pushing forward through innovation and bold design, for those who seek quality, technical construction and detail.

The colour palette for the Annie style ranges from the more sombre monochrome black to metallic powder pink, metallic blue, metallic Burgundy red, bright metallic violet and optic white – plenty of choice for all tastes and moods this season. Two-tone versions include white/polished silver, dark metallic bordeaux/polished silver, or Nano-Plated Champagne Light Gold combined with raspberry or bright metallic blue. Check out Blackfin’s full ranges at www.blackfin.eu