Eyestylist

| Eyestylist 12th September 2016

Timeless and authentic: genuine horn

More than two decades ago when Sven Götti started designing eyewear, his first frame was in bona fide horn. “I love to work with this material, and I know people appreciate the product. This target group has found its personal style, and seeks the appropriate accessory to emphasise their individual character. They appreciate sophisticated, high-quality designs,” says the Swiss designer. Above photo: Borg in grey natural horn

Handcrafted by artisans: Götti horn frames
Handcrafted by artisans: Götti horn frames

Genuine horn has been used in eyewear since the middle of the 15th century. The horn featured in Götti frames is ethically and ecologically produced from Asian water buffaloes that are kept as farm animals. Nowadays, technological improvements ensure that horn eyewear is even more durable. Specialists create the frames entirely by hand – so each pair is a one-of-a-kind treasure.

Götti horn polished to a unique sheen
Götti horn polished to a unique sheen

The frames are incredible works of art, crafted with passion, diligence and love of detail. It takes three days to refine the surface with polishing paster and wood elements, and the frame finish achieves its unique sheen from an expertly trained artisan’s hand in a small German atelier. “Besides stylish creations, customers also appreciate sustainability,” observes Götti. The elegant authentic horn collection by Götti will be presented at Silmo 23rd-26th September. More Götti innovations at www.gotti.ch www.silmoparis.com JG

| Eyestylist 9th September 2016

Trends and technical triumphs

Autumn highlights international fashion and accessory shows, and eyewear buyers, enthusiasts and consumers will want to indulge in the new season’s inspirations. Originality, style savvy, and exciting technical improvements are expressed throughout the collections. Vancouver, British Columbia is resplendent with natural beauty – a seaport city surrounded by mountains – and the home of Canadian designer Mehran Baghaie at Spectacle Eyeworks. His latest collection includes the elegant maple leaf as muse, with stunning results.

The pattern on the frame demonstrates nature’s amazing maple leaf intricacies. “I wanted to make the colours as reminiscent as possible to give the sensation of the flow of change in the life cycle of the maple leaf,” says the designer. Crafted in stainless steel in Germany, Joryne (above) features a vintage cat-eye silhouette with multiple technical elements. www.spec-eyeworks.com

Genie by Lafont
Genie by Lafont

Retro designs – in eyewear, fashion and for the home – continue to fascinate. For over ninety years, Lafont has been creating eyewear with elegance, charm and Parisian chic. A frame that the family firm created in 1980 – the iconic optical design Genie (above) is now available in a sleek sunglass version in gorgeous colourations, including blue variations reminiscent of the sea. www.lafont.com

Leaving Cuckoo's Nest by Anna-Karin Karlsson
Leaving Cuckoo’s Nest by Anna-Karin Karlsson

Dramatic, free-spirited, majestic and romantic eyewear is the theme at Anna-Karin Karlsson. The award-winning Swedish designer brings glamour and sophistication to her frames, evident in Leaving Cuckoo’s Nest in glossy black acetate with gold flecks, black Swarovski crystals on the temples, and gold-plated end tips. Stunning! www.annakarinkarlsson.com

GEO III by Smoke x Mirrors
GEO III by Smoke x Mirrors

The GEO collection by New York brand Smoke x Mirrors features ultra-light mixed material frames with sharp, geometric angles. The innovative frame shapes in stainless steel and acetate with flat lenses, unite technical qualities and craftsmanship, in desirable designs for men and women, and includes GEO III (above). More news at www.smokexmirrors.com All the brands featured here will be at Silmo – 23rd to 26th September at Villepinte. www.silmoparis.com JG

| Eyestylist 6th September 2016

Show preview: Silmo approaches

Expectations are running high for exciting trends, original colour combinations and new-found inspirations for pattern and details. As the international eyewear fair Silmo (www.silmoparis.com) draws near our attention is on the finest sunglass and optical collections, and highlights that spark new beginnings and a fresh perspective for the frame wearer.

At JF Rey, the eyewear design label from Marseille, uplifting colour is the central focus in a visual series entitled Life is Color: the optical frame JF1402 (above) is a new combination of metal and acetate with a casual feminine elegance, and smart easy -to-wear eye shape. Further information at www.jfrey.fr

Jono Hennessy 8388
Jono Hennessy 8388

Australian designer Jono Hennessy always brings warmth and vibrancy to the Paris show. Their preview of frames highlights exotic Mazzucchelli acetates: inspired by the Australian landscape with matt stone finishes, opal like stripes and exciting tones reminiscent of desert sunsets. Pictured is model 8388, a typical example of Hennessy’s magical irridescent colour schemes where the graduated look comes into its own. www.jonohennessy.com

Moondance by MONOQOOL
Moondance by Monoqool

As 3D printing grows in popularity, so are the eyewear collections using this sophisticated technology, which offers endless possibilities for lightweight design and a multitude of colour and shape proposals. Denmark’s Monoqool presents its new collections for Silmo: model Moondance in charcoal grey is lightly textured, finely proportioned, and features the standard screwless hinge in this collection: practical, versatile and designed for a nice fit, Monoqool has a talent for balancing tech with stylish design. More details at www.monoqool.com

Saint Martin by Blackfin
Saint Martin by Blackfin

Titanium remains a leading material in the metal eyewear selection, both for its excellence in performance and clean minimal aesthetics. A great range of high-end designs in this material have emerged in recent years, bringing about a consistent fine-tuning in terms of the quality, detailing and finish.

The young Italian eyewear company Blackfin, experts in titanium designed with Italian finesse, will show their range of opticals and sunglasses in Paris – the collection favours rounded shapes and unisex designs such as model Saint Martin (BF769), with its arched double bridge and curved lines in a two-tone combination. Available with a natural shiny or satin titanium finish, the model represents an interesting mix of 1980s influences with modern, high-tech appeal. www.blackfin.eu

Caroline Abram
Ruby by Caroline Abram

Inspiration from nature and a desire for intriguing pattern suggests an ongoing interest in creating effects on the surface of the frame, something to watch for at the eyewear fairs: in the new R Collection, young French designer Caroline Abram plays with the effect of natural leather and python on a nylon frame front: model Ruby in bright blue features signature curvy titanium temples teamed with the bold and  glamorous butterfly shape. www.carolineabram.com

Silmo Paris – the international eyewear and optics fair – takes place from 23rd-26th September at Paris Nord Villepinte. For further details and registration visit www.silmoparis.com CN

 

| Eyestylist 5th September 2016

Clarence by SALT.

Optical designs and sunglasses feature in the beautiful new collection by SALT. Optics to be presented at SILMO. The California brand captures the natural, relaxed ambience of the region, and translates it into designs with universal appeal. Smooth acetates and finely crafted titanium are silhouetted into contemporary styling with unique detailing, demonstrated in Clarence in antique gold. Explore the wonderful world of SALT. at www.saltoptics.com JG

| Eyestylist 2nd September 2016

Colour trends: Autumn in green

Introduce a natural green hue into your interior or wardrobe this season. Rich, dark forest shades in printed designs and unusual blocked combinations create a calm and elegant style. An occasional flash of neon or fresh apple green provides an added lift to more classical winter colour schemes. CN

1. Cire Trudon Gabriel scented candle £70, www.net-a-porter.com 2. Quartz mirror by Christopher Guy, £2,695, www.christopherguy.com 3. Oliver Goldsmith model Sophia (1958) in Evergreen, www.olivergoldsmith.com 4. Godstopper lamp by Curiousa & Curiousa, £2,100, www.curiousa.co.uk 5. Cordoba emerald rug from £1,068.00. www.vanderhurd.com 6. Chair upholstered in Serpentino col. 006 by Dedar, £146 per m, www.dedar.com 7. Model James +15 in colour 21 by theo, www.theo.be 8. Pierre Hardy Slider satin slip-on sneakers £325, www.net-a-porter.com 9. Sophie Hulme Albion leather tote £750, www.net-a-porter.com 10. Model Tow in colour 373 by theo, www.theo.be