Dramatic, bold sunglasses by Finest Seven cut a stylish statement in eyewear. Zero 12 is among the dynamic new designs from the British brand. The graceful, sculptural silhouette is enhanced with a voluminous butterfly shape and blue lenses by Carl Zeiss. Elegantly crafted, Zero 12 expresses bespoke individuality and retro chic. www.finestseven.com JG
Eyewear in Round shapes has the distinction of being both traditional – and new. Round frames have been favoured from Benjamin Franklin to Ghandi, Iris Apfel, Elton John and Harry Potter. What is new, is the amazing diversity and the eyewear impact of dynamic Round shapes. Whether in wood, titanium, acetate, rimless, stainless steel, or mixed materials – the enthusiasm for the Round silhouette is a highlight of this season’s eyewear.
Children also love the Round shape, with Zoobug’s stylishly chic design ZB1030 certain to appeal to emerging fashion enthusiasts. The handmade acetate frame – with superb fit for young faces – is among the exciting new optical range from the award winning British brand. Fabulous colours too – including a fun, streaky mix of blue/purple/crystal, featured above. Photo by Sarah Winborn. www.zoobug.com
Putting rimless frames into Perspective: Sven Götti reinvents the sleekness, and minimalist aesthetics of the Round shape with his new designs from the Götti Perspective Collection. Masterfully engineered – which Götti researched and refined during several years – the frames have no soldering involved, no screws, and no glue. Perspective/Shape RR53 is a new dimension in streamlined eyewear. www.gotti.ch
Blackfin has launched a new chapter in their Collection – Blackfin Lamina PLUS. Superbly crafted in Italy, the frames unite titanium with cellulose acetate eye-rims. The Italian brand expresses style and innovation with Cutler BF794 in beautiful colourations. www.blackfin.eu
ROLF Spectacles, the pioneers in fine wood frames, has won the renowned GOOD DESIGN Award – the prestigious recognition for cutting-edge products – with Topolino. The Round shape is reminiscent of the Italian classic car for which it is named. Handcrafted in the Tyrol, ROLF’s Topolino is available in luxurious wood combinations. www.rolf-spectacles.com
Bold colour accentuates Carter Bond 9207 in shimmering emerald acetate with colour-coordinating wood scratch temples. Discover more Round shapes in acetate and mixed materials from the Australian brand at www.carterbond.com
Norwegian designers Kirsten and Lars Iversen appreciate the timelessness of vintage frames, whilst bringing a fresh approach to their lightweight, contemporary designs. Rise in Twig acetate harmonises naturally with contrasting colour on the sides. www.karmoie.com
Canadian creator Mehran Baghaie interprets the Round shape with an intriguing design – Iman – in ultra-thin stainless steel. Colourations are linked to the various stages of the maple leaf. Explore more innovative styles at www.spec-eyeworks.com
Pollipo’ favours the Round form in Tortoiseshell Amber acetate – style 619 – with handmade riveted hinges on the front and temples. The frames are crafted in Italy, and hand polished with the traditional tumbling process. www.pollipocchiali.it JG
Interchangeable eyewear systems are not a new thing and personalisation continues to be a highly desirable characteristic for eyewear enthusiasts. NOG frames by French designer Laurent Albouy – launched at the optical fair Silmo in 2016 – take the interchangeable concept up a notch with a modular system offering smart, contemporary shapes that can be put together by their owner, in a host of different modern design-oriented colour combinations.
The frames are made up of four pieces with two lenses (sun lenses are provided and optical ones can be fitted by your optician), and are completely screwless. The ease of assembly means that the wearer can change the pieces as and when they want. The pieces come in a minimal box and are standardised so that the consumer can order new coloured pieces to add to their “nogs eyewear wardrobe”. Find out more about the nogs start-up company from Lille, France, at www.nogs.fr CN
Neubau’s contrasting Material Mix collection possesses character and sleek design. Inspired by the mixed materials used in contemporary architecture and fashion, the frames are streamlined and beautifully crafted. The collection includes Mia in tempting Blackberry, combining a gentle upswing on the temple, and a full shape. Neubau was launched last year, and the designs have already attracted international acclaim. Visit www.neubau-eyewear.com for more information on the Material Mix sunglass and optical collection. JG
From small first-time exhibitors to highly regarded international designers, the selection of frames at 100% Optical offered an exceptional opportunity to British opticians and international buyers last weekend. New launches by Tavat Eyewear, Gotti Switzerland, Kirk & Kirk, Silhouette, SALT. Optics, MonkeyGlasses and L.G.R, among others, ensured that diverse, fast-paced innovations in eyewear could be fully appreciated.
Tavat Eyewear, from Italy, returns to 100% annually. Pictured above: campaign for Tavat’s forward-thinking SoupCan Collection AW16/17 – a unique “sandwich” frame design with rimrock closing and watch crown mechanism. More details at www.tavat-eyewear.com
neubau eyewear launched several new frames which will be available from April. The designs are created in natural PX, a high quality eco-friendly polymer that is light, flexible and durable. The frames (above, model Valerie) come in delicate natural colours including crystal clear versions and trendy shades of green. www.neubau-eyewear.com
Italian titanium specialists Blackfin, who have just started to make their mark in the UK, showed their innovative new optical and sunglasses collection. Designs such as model Loven by Blackfin show their achievements in decorative work on super light Japanese titanium. www.blackfin.eu
Mouet Eyewear, created in 2014, exhibited for the first time at 100% in London. Carlos Martin and Fran Penalba, a designer and an architect, have developed a range of artisan acetate designs, made in one of the last remaining traditional frame workshops in Spain. www.moueteyewear.com
MonkeyGlasses, one of the notable design-focused eco frame brands, based in Denmark, launched a new eyewear collection with colourful sustainable leather coverings. The eight colours are inspired by the Nordic night sky and include silver or gold coated stainless steel with a natural horn/wood look for spectacle temples. www.monkeyglasses.com
The judging of the excellent RCA x 100% eyewear design competition took place during the fair. Congratulations to Becky K. Hong – the overall winner, and all the shortlisted RCA students whose eyewear projects showed innovation, imagination and a detailed understanding of today’s eyewear trends and new directions. 100% Optical takes place from 27th to 29th January 2018. For further details visit www.100percentoptical.com CN