Eyestylist

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.

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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.

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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.

Previous years: Zack and Yulia backstage with Robbie Williams and Ayda Field

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

Arts + travel

Crafting Plastics: part of ‘Food’ at V&A

6th August 2019

The Crafting Plastics Studio – award-winning innovators in materials and design – are a highlight of the V&A’s latest exhibition looking at food and farming and sustainable practices for the future.

Described as a multi-sensory exhibition, there are opportunities to participate by tasting or touching items on display, and overall the exhibition features more than 70 contemporary projects, new commissions and creative collaborations by artists and designers who are working with chefs, farmers, scientists and local communities.

Part of the discussion falls on creative projects using food products in innovative ways. A central feature of this section is the extensive work of Crafting Plastics who have created a type of compostable bioplastic, named Nuatan, from corn, starch, sugar and cooking oil. Colours are achieved using natural pigments such as turmeric or coffee.

Founded in 2016 by product designer Vlasta Kubušová and production designer Miroslav Král, Crafting Plastics has achieved consistent recognition for the material from the design world owing to its extraordinary versatility (it can be injection moulded, 3d printed or blow-formed) and eco-friendly properties, which include not being harmful to fish. Their first collection (‘Collection 1’) of biocompatible biodegradable sunglasses was exhibited at Salone del Mobile Milan in 2016 and since then they have won several awards which include Forbes 30 under 30 in 2018. The most recent project, Collection 4, features a series of handmade lighting objects. For more information about Crafting Plastics visit www.craftingplastics.com

FOOD: Bigger than the Plate runs until Sunday, 20th October 2019 at the V&A, South Kensington, London. www.vam.ac.uk

Reviews

Luxury eyewear: Deryn by Vera Wang

4th August 2019

“Eyewear is the biggest accessory; it can change your whole mood”, declares fashion designer Vera Wang. The new optical styles from the celebrated designer enhance both mood and style mode. The latest releases are feminine and glamorous, featuring contemporary silhouettes in sophisticated colourations. Whether a graceful butterfly shape; a round semi-rimless in metal and acetate; or the beautiful square acetate Deryn (above), the selections are stunning. A waterfall Swarovski crystal pattern decoratively highlights the corners at the front of Deryn. Vera Wang’s eyewear, dresses and bridal wear all reflect her modern, pared-down approach to fashion and lifestyle. See more Vera Wang eyewear designs at www.kenmarkeyewear.com JG

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