Eyestylist

Ten years ago, Nathanael Wenger conceived a contemporary concept for an eyewear event – Hall of Frames Zurich. Artisan, independent brands would be featured, and Wenger was keen to find a unique location with sufficient space, amenities, and an historic past – blending both modern marketing techinques – with memorable, entertaining potential. He succeeded with Papiersaal, a noteworthy industrial building in central Zurich that is surrounded by modern architecture. With its convenient location the hall specialises in private, corporate and public events.

For a period, HOF Zurich was in other locations; now for the 10th anniversary of this annual eyewear event, the show returns to Papiersaal for a gala showcase of prestigious eyewear specialists. Participants include leading brands featured in the finest optical boutiques – including Götti Switzerland; Neubau Eyewear; Orgreen Optics; Von Arkel; Woow Eyewear; Falvin; Blackfin; Coblens; Face à Face Paris; and Specs Lab Zurich among other ultra-quality labels. Von Arkel (top image) will present their elegant designs including style 0807-001 from the Entourage Buffalo horn/Caliber 9 collection. www.vonarkel.com

Timeless designs in a variety of intriguing shapes feature at Coblens – the German label noted for its distinctive double-bridge styles. www.coblens.com

Bold and imaginative colours highlight Face à Face Paris frames in acetate (above) plus acetate and aluminium combinations. www.faceaface-paris.com

Retro and futuristic elements harmonise in Silverdale BF828 from the Blackfin Black Edition designs. The exclusive finish is possible with the Blackfin Nano-Plating treatment. www.blackfin.eu

Come join the fun – both business and pleasure – at Hall of Frames Zurich – 07-08 October at Papiersaal. www.hallofframes.ch JG

The charm of current trends in eyewear and the effect of ground-breaking technological advancements is nowhere more evident than in the men’s eclectic eyewear collections. Gone are the ordinary shapes and lack lustre colours, replaced by specs styles with beautiful  finishes, colour enhancements, tiny embellishments or special details to catch the eye.

Materials are a particular mode of expression for this new direction, whether traditional (with a new colour proposal) or more avantgarde or complex in how the final result is achieved.

Above: Illustrating an acute attention to details to create an effect: Original Penguin’s the Moocher, which has the look of a suspended lens, with a coloured frame and crystal inner eye rim. www.kenmarkeyewear.com

For luxury, acetate model 9256 by the Australian eyewear brand Carter Bond, designed by Jono Hennessy, concentrates on a superb tonal range: colours in the latest WONDERLUST collection emerge from a naturally deep base of woodland and camouflage torts. Softer shades blend together into a range that has been designed “to work with their tonal partners and textural contrasts.” www.carterbond.com

Kafée Racer, a new capsule collection from Tavat Eyewear, is the result of a design competition run at the Art Centre College of Design in Pasadena, California. The winning student, Miguel Harry, went on to collaborate on a statement piece with the brand, inspired by the world of Café Racing, striving to produce eyewear with the functional and aesthetic elements of the classic motorcycles. Tavat saw this piece at a perfect addition to the collection, which focuses on combining form with function and designing technical eyewear with purpose. www.tavat-eyewear.com

The beautiful originality of the vinyl frames in Tipton’s Vinylize collection comes from their texture and striped coloration, as well as their understated shapes. The frames are produced in Budapest, and hand finished with quality features such as resistant 3 barrel hinges. For further details visit www.vinylize.com

With a camo colour theme, and expertly finished bevelling which lends a sculptured effect to temples, Claire Goldsmith’s model Hendrix is a bold chic statement in her latest collection that pays attention to classic highlights – such as the tiny traditional double rivets at the temples – with a heritage that includes the most eloquent of celebrity endorsements for this type of chunky acetate design, notably the British actor Michael Caine. www.olivergoldsmith.com CN