Eyestylist

JF Rey CarbonWood

April 3rd 2018

Nowadays, exceptional materials and unique combinations inspire intriguing eyewear designs, as seen in the handsome collection for men – JF Rey CARBONWOOD. The frames feature fine materials, style, creativity, and technical excellence. Slim layers of carbon fibres unite with natural wood tones in contemporary shapes. Combinations include intense black carbon silhouetted with wood, or bi-material variations with bright colour contrasts. Discover more versions of sleek JF Rey CARBONWOOD designs at www.jfrey.fr JG

MIDO 6-8 February 2027. Welcome to Eyewearland

Design + Inspiration

Oak: desirable design

March 30th 2018

In the design world, oak provides an inimitable surface texture, desirable natural colour tones and opportunity for innovation in form and detail.

A tribute to the great master of chair design, Hans J. Wegner, whose anniversary takes place in early April, a unique edition of the Wishbone Chair is produced in ancient oak.

The Danish architect is considered a pioneering furniture designer of the twentieth century. As a driving force behind ‘Danish Modern’, he helped change the general public’s view of furniture in the 1950s and 1960s. His passion for designing chairs, more than 500 of them, is recognised worldwide and reflected in his title ‘the Master of the Chair’.

The oak edition of the chair is available on April 2-3rd, 2018 exclusively, and features a brass plate engraved with Wegner’s signature and a certificate of authenticity.

“Hans J. Wegner has left a unique cultural heritage that continues to inspire. His furniture has the potential to be challenged and reimagined in new materials. This is what we have done with the new Ancient Oak variant, which will be of particular interest to collectors and Wegner enthusiasts,” explains Knud Erik Hansen from Carl Hansen & Son.

The special-edition Wishbone Chair can be purchased from authorized Carl Hansen & Son dealers and flagship stores. Details at www.carlhansen.com

ROLF Spectacles: the handcrafted Sprite and Star models

At ROLF Spectacles, the leader in handcrafted wood eyewear, who subscribe to the same high craftsmanship standards in wood design, the circular SPRITE and STAR models from the EVOLVED collection are for lovers of pure minimalist glasses. Made from Smoked Oak, Maple Smoked Oak, and Smoked Oak Walnut and handcrafted in the Austrian Tyrol with outstanding precision through each step of production, the grain of the natural material and the subtle nuances of the colours are immediately visible. Moreover, these artisan frames offer exceptional comfort thanks to the natural finish of the oak and a multi-directional screwless, metal-free Flexlock hinge. Find out about ROLF Spectacles stockists at www.rolf-spectacles.com CN

Boutiques

The First Floor at Götti + Niederer Lucerne

March 29th 2018

Repeated visits to the elegant Götti + Niederer Boutique in Lucerne, Switzerland are always a genuine pleasure. Located in a landmark building, the boutique – celebrating its 25th anniversary this year – is situated on an historical square – Mühlenplatz – in the city’s charming Old Town. Evolution and discovery go hand in hand for Urs Niederer – whose passion for fine eyewear sizzles with enthusiasm.

Welcome to the First Floor at Götti + Niederer Lucerne

The latest excitement in the boutique is the launch of The First Floor. This beautiful space, just above the main building, with its original parquet floors and decor has occasionally hosted exhibitions, designer appearances and short-term events, but was never used continuously. Now Niederer – with the design expertise of Thomas Frischknecht, who works at Götti Switzerland in Marketing and Communication – has launched a concept for young, fashion conscious people who love frames, but may not be able to afford luxury labels.

Emphasis is on sunglasses, with frame prices not exceeding 300 Swiss Francs. Niederer resources young eyewear and accessory designers from Switzerland and globally. The selection includes Sunday Somewhere from Australia; Pride, Web and Gambini from Italy; Funk Food in Germany; and Myth from Korea, among others.

Frames are stylishly displayed on metal lattice work

The decor on The First Floor is fresh, contemporary and chic. “I love cactus,” says Niederer, “so when Thomas and I were discussing the design concept, we wanted something simple and natural.” Frames are displayed on cube units, wall shelves, and metal latticework, with an exotic selection of cactus displays. Frischknecht’s streamlined, uncluttered approach to The First Floor ambiance ensures an inviting, relaxing environment for leisurely trying on frames. Niederer plans to hold various events on The First Floor – and stipulates: “Everything is going to be fun and an adventure!” And indeed it is! www.goetti-niederer.ch JG

Reviews

erase by Masahiro Maruyama

March 25th 2018

Japanese designer Masahiro Maruyama has a fresh, artistic approach to frame design. The erase collection, the latest series proposed by the young designer and a terrific example of his innovative style, applies the process of drawing and ‘erasing’, removing pieces of the frames and questioning the understanding of perfection.

Each frame is individually shaped by a skilled craftsman by filing the entire surface. This makes it possible to create a well-balanced combination of rim, endpiece, thickness of temple, and shape of nose pad for an excellent feel and fit. Intensive polishing allows for the very smooth finish and beautiful luster.

Portrait of the designer: Masahiro Maruyama

All Maruyama’s designs are produced in the eyewear region of Fukui, in Kawada ward, Sabae city. According to the designer, here, “the fine craftsmanship and quality goes without saying.” For more information about Maruyama, one of the most talked about Japanese young designers in original eyewear this season, visit www.masahiromaruyama.com CN

Design + Inspiration

Tony Gross, Cutler & Gross, 1939-2018

March 23rd 2018

Tony Gross, co-founder of British eyewear brand Cutler & Gross has died, aged 78. Gross was an advocate of fashionable, trendsetting eyewear design that attracted fashion circles and celebrities including Elton John, Princess Diana and Grace Jones.

The Cutler & Gross label was started in London in 1969 by partners Tony and Graham, who met at optometry school in London in the ’60s. The entrepreneurial duo opened their first store in Knightsbridge in 1971, stocking handmade bespoke frames, designed, unlike most at the time, as a fashion accessory.

“Tony truly believed in the transcendence of spectacles from unattractive, government-funded pieces of eye science to a genuine fashion accessory infused with sex appeal and glamour.” Extract from Forty Years of Vision and Style, 2009.

“I still have vivid memories of meeting Tony at Optometry College in London,” says Graham Cutler. “We were looking for something to occupy ourselves at lunchtimes, and Tony suggested poker. So he taught me how to play and groups of us would play each day for money. He had been a professional player before going to College, so was very successful! We also discovered that we had met a lot of the same people in our earlier rambles around Soho.

Modern style: Cutler & Gross model 1277 – from the 2018 collection

“After college our friendship continued, and we ended up working for the same group of Optometrists in London, and often working together. We started talking about opening our own practice, where we would each be able to work just six months of the year. Obviously that plan didn’t work out!”

Marie Wilkinson, Design Director for over 30 years at Cutler & Gross said: “He was, without question, a pioneer, turning eyewear into the genuine fashion accessory infused with sex appeal and glamour that we know today. The first three decades of the brand’s existence had much to do with Tony’s formidable social appetite and his ability to mix just as easily with Royalty and music stars, as with his wonderful friends that filled the Cutler & Gross stores. Tony’s enthusiasm and taste were undeniably infectious, and coupled with his skill as an Optometrist, drew huge cross-sections of people to the brand. His spirit continues to give Cutler & Gross its unique and much loved personality to this day. He will be sorely missed.” Portrait (top) by Dennis Rolfe / www.cutlerandgross.com CN

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