Eyestylist

Italian eyewear event: ‘Enjoy Eyewear Again’

August 21st 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.

MIDO 6-8 February 2027. Welcome to Eyewearland

“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]

Boutiques

Kitschenberg: the tiny gem of Munich

August 21st 2020

Curated with exceptional care and attention, the distinguished family-run optical boutique Kitschenberg in Munich, has been providing an eyecare service and an extraordinarily refined selection of eyewear to a very specific community of frame wearers – for more than 20 years. Stocking over 80% panto and round glasses shapes, owners Andreas Kitschenberg and his wife Steffi choose every piece themselves; with an unprecedented knowledge of the highest-quality labels and an appreciation of the craftsmanship and finesse of the materials – Andreas says they have identical taste for glasses – the couple go out of their way to explore new makers and designers with individual, covetable designs from around the world.

Kitschenberg: the new interior by Stephanie Thatenhorst

The shop itself is something of a destination and perfectly encompasses the beauty and refinement of the selection of eyewear inside. Andreas explained to us the redesign: “Last summer, the time had come for something new and we completely renovated the shop. The 29 square meter shop has a 4 meter high ceiling and is covered with walnut wood. The lines are very angular, the inner shape is like a cube – a clear contrast to our otherwise round glasses. We worked with interior designer Stephanie Thatenhorst – and as you might imagine we have had a lot of compliments for the design of such a small yet striking space.”

Kitschenberg’s interior is finished with striking walnut wood

Labels currently featured here include TVR from Japan, Lunettes Alf from France, and Savile Row from the UK. “These are glasses with a soul, just as we like it; glasses that stand out from the crowd, handcrafted with absolutely meticulous attention down to the smallest details…”

The Kitschenbergs have also added their own small acetate collection – Kitschenberg acetate – and a luxurious buffalo horn series – Kitschenberg Horn. “All of the styles are of course Pantos,” says Andreas, with delight.

Kitschenberg’s curated collections: “glasses that stand out from the crowd”

At Kitschenberg everything is by appointment, it has always been that way, allowing a more personal fitting and selection of a frame. “We are located in a very beautiful part of Munich, between the old town and the Isar river. There are good restaurants here, but no other shops. We don’t have walk-in customers…everyone is coming to us very specifically and often they have been coming back time and again for years.”

https://www.kitschenberg.com/ueber-uns/

Design + Inspiration

Fleye Copenhagen: Elements of Art

August 18th 2020

“Each frame is the intersection of craft and art – a representation of our vision for modern designs crafted to last….”

Fleye Copenhagen’s innovative, creative concepts expand yet again with the introduction of ‘Elements of Art’: an eye-catching arts-inspired collection which pays tribute to Denmark’s Thorvaldsens Museum, its evocative colours, architectural features and marble and plaster sculptures.

Inspiring a new collection: experimental molding in geometrical soap blocks

Through a process of experimental molding, the designers at Fleye sought to recreate the mood of the works – and the process of creating them – while adding a contemporary context. As they explain, “Rather than molding in clay and cast, the designers began creating soap in various forms, colours and patterns from the Thorvaldsens Museum. Afterwards the geometrical blocks of soap were stacked on top of each other, creating art sculptures and visions for the new designs.”

Inspiration was drawn from the historic museum, its colours and its works of art / Images courtesy of Thorvaldsens Museum, Copenhagen. *Left photo credit: Sarah Coghill*

The result is a line up of glasses with new inspiring colorways and engravings as well as patterns and playful transparencies created by light reflections and closely aligned to the historic elegance and visual aesthetics of the Thorvaldsens Museum and its exuberant heritage and works of design.

About Thorvaldsens Museum, Copenhagen, Denmark (www.thorvaldsensmuseum.dk) – the museum is dedicated to the art of the Danish neoclassical sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen, who lived and worked in Rome for much of his life. The museum can be found on the island of Slotsholmen, near Christiansborg Palace. More information about this new season arts-inspired collection at www.fleye.dk

Creative spirits

Ely Yili Cao: pearly jewellery eyewear

August 12th 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

August 11th 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

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