Eyestylist

Folding eyewear: Balto by ROAV

13th August 2019

Independent eyewear brand ROAV introduces Balto

Folding sunglasses have been around for decades. The Italian label Persol claim their 714 as the first-ever commercialised foldable design. Since then, beyond the classic designs and some iconic examples from the 1970s, new innovations in this area had been fairly scarce, until in 2017, the Californian start-up ROAV came along with a robust, screwless patented metal design, launching via Kickstarter, the crowdfunding platform.

ROAV frames are made from 0.6mm stainless steel – they say they are thinner than an iPhone – and have micro hinges “press-formed” into the metal. Folding at the nose bridge, sides and along the temples, the whole frame packs down to fit snugly into a soft, flexible ‘pouch’ or case that’s under 7 cms wide. Every detail is there to make them easy to pull out and put away and convenient for travellers, weekenders and those who love a slim tech design for practicality and ease with enough detail in the styling to make them wearable.

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Balto by ROAV – packs into a small pouch

For the most part, the shapes are straightforward and timeless and suit most faces, with regular black or gunmetal and a few more flashy colours such as gold (see above). The very flat TAC polarised sun lenses – which provide standard 100% UV400 protection (scratch and shatter resistant) vary from traditional hues for a tone-on-tone effect with matching frame to super bright acid mirror tones of red or green.

In conclusion, ROAV sunglasses are available online and, increasingly through opticians, and they come with a 2 year defect free warranty which means your style will be fixed or replaced during that time if you find any problems. For more information, visit www.roaveyewear.com or in the UK, go to www.roavuk.com CN

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Japanese eyewear: True Vintage Revival TVR®

12th August 2019

Introducing TVR®, an eyewear collection by skilled craftsmen from Sabae City, Fukui Prefecture, Japan

Japanese precision, tradition and artisanal craft: at the centre of the frame manufacturing region of Fukui, where artisans have worked for over 60 years in old family-owned workshops, today there are just a few traditional factories existing in Sabae who still produce handmade eyewear, and a handful of craftsmen and women of this age who continue to produce eyeglasses by hand. Some of them work exclusively with True Vintage Revival – TVR®, a small label dedicated to their extraordinary expertise through the revival of the historic “classic” shapes. Above: Artisan Yamada Mitsukazu, in his 70s, works with his wife in their traditional workshop. He has been making frames since he was 16 years old. Between them, they make around 100 frames a month.

Inside the Sabae factory where TVR® frames are produced

TVR® uses time-tested methods to create these high-quality “revival” designs as well as original tools and moulds which date from the 1920s to the 80s. They also use the “Datum Expression Size” technique, a masterful method for measurement used during the 50s in Japan to obtain a subtle balance in the design for comfort, durability and lightness.

Craftsman Yamada Mitsukazu: one of the TVR® collections is dedicated to Yamada

In the making of the TVR® classics, vintage design features including the keyhole-bridge, functional ‘spear’ rivets, 7-barrel hinges, and other traditional spectacle details are boldly executed with skill, passed down through these generations of craftsmen whose families were responsible for starting the production of Zylonite/celluloid spectacles in the early 1950s.

Model TVR®504: a shape made famous by James Dean

Today, TVR® produces a selection of collections in Japanese zyl and SPM Sun Platinum Metal – a metal material first used in Japan in the 1930s and a favourite of the former Emperor of Japan, Hirohito. The shapes are inspired by 50 rare and collectible frames the TVR® team found discarded in an old Sabae factory. The collections include the mainline TVR Collection and “YM” – the Yamada Mitsukazu collection. For details about frames in the collections launched for 2019, visit www.tvropt.com CN

Reviews

Neo mint: Opal sunglasses by Lowercase

10th August 2019

If you’ve never before tried pastel tones, the coming season is a good time to explore their beauty. In eyewear, transparent crystal, with just a dash of colour, has become an ideal companion for contemporary apparel, with soft pink, mint, blue or grey (on-trend now) infused in the acetate with subtlety and modern appeal.

In tune with the mood, independent brand Lowercase has unveiled a set of modern tones in their made-in NYC collection, where mint green – a gorgeous hue in sync with the neo-mint palette – and tones like saffron are ideal choices for now – and months ahead.

Designed in collaboration with California based swimwear label NU SWIM, the Opal sunglasses (pictured in mint green) feature a soft oval shape and elegantly slim arms. For protection, the frame is fitted with Carl Zeiss CR-39 sun lenses with optional polarization and -100% UVA/UVB protection. Launched this month, the frame is available for pre-order in mint (as well as canary yellow, red or honey) direct from the Lowercase site by visiting https://lowercasenyc.com/products/opal?variant=12309584216144 CN – for more on colour and new trends click on the link: https://www.eyestylist.com/2019/07/kensington-goes-california-the-eye-est-london/

Design + Inspiration

Summer Festivals: Vinylize at Sziget 2019

7th August 2019

Sziget festival has become one of Europe’s summer season musical highlights. Held each year in northern Budapest, the week-long event now attracts over 565,000 visitors and puts on around 1,000 performances. This year, the line up includes singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran, Post Malone and Twenty One Pilots from the US and Martin Garrix, DJ and record producer from The Netherlands.

As in previous years, all of the lead musicians/performers will receive special commemorative sunglasses made by Vinylize, the Budapest vinyl eyewear brand. Above: custom sunglasses by Vinylize await Ed Sheeran this week – where possible Zack Tipton makes the frames from the artist’s own vinyl – in this case he was able to use a copy of ‘Divide’ – Sheeran’s third album.

Gold Foo Fighters logo features on sunglasses for singer-songwriter David Grohl

Vinylize was first commissioned to make sunglasses for Sziget when Zack Tipton, co-founder of the brand, had lunch with Károly Gerendai, the visionary behind the event. Gerendai appreciated the fit between Vinylize and Sziget instantly. After he sold 70% of his stake in the festival in 2018 to a US-based private equity firm, the new organizers saw the value of continuing to work with Vinylize and the relationship continues.

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The Vinylize team arrives at Sziget the day before the festival begins and stays throughout. “We design and pre-make the sunglasses and take our buffing wheel, thermal equipment to form the frame to the performer’s face and sandpaper for the final touches. Much as we’d love it if the performers dropped into our store for fittings, we work from photographs. 90% of the time our frames fit pretty well, and we just need some minor adjustments.”

For more information about Vinylize music projects and their vinyl eyewear visit www.vinylize.com – Sziget Festival takes place this week through to 13th August 2019. https://szigetfestival.com CN Find out more about Vinylize frames by clicking on our latest link: https://www.eyestylist.com/2019/03/eco-conscious-vinylize-tipton-x-nespresso/

Creative spirits

Theo x Vincent

7th August 2019

Antwerp is a creative force for emerging young designers. The city is home to avant-garde theo eyewear, and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. The lure of Antwerp and its stylish impact convinced German born Vincent Thürstein that The Royal Academy Fashion Department was where he wanted to study. Curiosity about a tribe in the Indian Ocean living apart from outer civilisation, sparked Vincent’s concept for his catwalk collection – Mokushiroku (above image) which in Japanese means apocalypse. In a reimagined post-apocalyptic civilisation, people will be just as prone to need eyewear as we are. Vincent knocked on theo’s door, Serge Bracké responded, and a dynamic collaboration was formed.

Theo x Vincent – eyewear reimagined for a post-apocalyptic civilisation

Vincent used inspirations from Japanese fisherman, Korean female divers, Rodchenko sculptures, Marcel Breuer and other sources to create his binoculars that bear a similarity to fishermen’s diving goggles. “I wanted to combine natural materials such as horn with metal components for the constructional elements,” said Vincent, “And Serge and I worked on the oxidation processes of the frame surface in the same way as I experimented with fabrics in my collection.”

Thürstein’s fashion design and theo x Vincent eyewear

When Vincent’s fashion silhouettes appeared on the catwalk, the smart details on the outfits and the softly muted but pleasing colour palette gave a reassuring glow. Theo x Vincent eyewear added the finishing touch to Mokushiroku. For more trailblazing eyewear designs visit www.theo.be JG

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