Eyestylist

Summery sunnies

2nd July 2016

The joys of summer are celebrated in literature, prose and music. Eyewear designers take part too, with gorgeous sunglasses that reflect beauty and imagination. Whether on the beach, in the countryside or on city streets, brighten your wardrobe and spirits with spectacular sunglasses. Tropical tones of luscious, luminous turquoise acetate with a dab of sunshine yellow accent at the temples, ensure that Twitt (above) by Face à Face is a memorable summer statement. The exaggerated silhouette is glamorous, confident and alluring. www.faceaface-paris.com

Understated chic from Norway is expressed in Karmoie’s elegant design – Star. Streamlined features with contemporary shaping highlight the frame with its subtle two-tone colouration.www.karmoie.com

PJS Spitfire 031 Parajumpers by Coppe-Sid

Free-spirited and timeless, PJS Spitfire 031 is a handsome design with Polarised anti-reflection lenses. The new Parajumpers by Coppe-Sid collection is handcrafted in Japan, and includes contemporary, stylish designs for men and women. www.coppeandsid.it

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Ic! berlin’s latest collection is inspired by forces of nature – from the Arctic Ocean to the Mojave Desert. Colour contrasts combine in Janina – tofu stainless steel with mirrored lenses in bronze yellow dust. Click on www.ic-berlin.de for additional innovative sunglasses from the German brand. JG

Reviews

Délicat – theo plus Matali Crasset

30th June 2016

Bold, intense colours characterise interior designs by Matali Crasset, and she extends her prodigious talents and gorgeous colourations to eyewear with a theo collaboration. Electric blue metal and contrasting acetate temples distinguish Délicat, with its strong brow line and voluminous shape. An exciting statement frame for summer fashions. www.theo.be JG

Creative spirits

John Robshaw, NYC

27th June 2016

New York based textile designer John Robshaw on travel, textile design and a sunglasses collaboration with Mondelliani

“I am travelling regularly in India, Asia and now Africa and South America,” explains John Robshaw, the textile designer who has linked up in collaboration with Mondelliani in Rome, the independent label co-founded by Federico Mondello. “I met Federico through a mutual friend who had given me a pair of Mondelliani sunglasses. We started to think about a collection that experimented with my textile designs. A meeting in Rome, one in NYC, and we had come up with these incredible sunglass designs. It was interesting and fun. I hadn’t imagined there were so many things to know about eyewear, it is a fascinating world.”

“When you look at my textiles it is as if you have been on a world tour alongside me.” John Robshaw

Caption — Robshaw x Mondelliani style – photographed in Rajastan

Available at www.johnrobshaw.com, sunglass design has been a new departure for the John Robshaw Textiles emporium which specialises in bedding, wardrobe, tabletop, curtains and travel accessories. The frames have unique decorations and all the benefits of the quality artisan finish of a Mondelliani design. The frame shape Sanganer, one of the first styles created in the collection is inspired by an old Indian frame, recovered by John during one of his trips in Asia.

The John Robshaw brand continues to expand through new collaborative projects, although Robshaw’s passion for the world keeps him on the road as much as possible. “By working abroad I became a minor character in the lives of the people I work with, and get inspired by what I see and do there. I go to their weddings, celebrate their festivals, get sick with them. I develop relationships with the people who are teaching me.” For more information about John Robshaw and Mondelliani, Rome, visit www.mondelliani.it / www.johnrobshaw.com/fashion/sunglasses.html CN

Design + Inspiration

Style and flair: optical designs for women

24th June 2016

The latest optical creations by international designers achieve a desirable harmony of classy shapes, unique colourations, and varied materials. Whether your preferences are for retro or super modern shapes, bright colours or subtle shades, there is great variety with welcoming appeal for every type of lifestyle: professional, sport life and casual wear.

Australian Colin Redmond is a former automobile designer, and when he sketched the Shear Scallop frames (Kaspi above from the collection), he said: “I really wanted to create something polar opposite to contemporary popular trends, something fun and fresh. I needed inspiration from somewhere unique, and used my two year-old son’s crayon scribbles, tracing over his ‘art’. To recognise his contribution, I named the frame after him – Kaspi – For Caspian.” Intriguing angles and curves highlight the interesting shape, and the colours are optimistic, confident and curious. Handcrafted in France. www.niloca.com

ic! berlin’s Crew Collection is a splendid assortment of designs reflecting the interests and passions of the company’s “crew” (employees). Fatima wears Fatima R – her optical choice in chic pewter. The ic! berlin sales rep loves music by Adele, boxing and confesses that her guilty pleasure is Tiramisu. See all the new shapes and colours from The Crew Collection at www.ic-berlin.de

Refined cat-eye shapes are a continuing favourite with women, and among the most enchanting is Shaba by Luca Gnecchi Ruscone at L.G.R. The elegant silhouette with its heightened cat-eye detail is chic and contemporary. Shaba and all L.G.R eyewear is masterfully handcrafted in Italy. www.lgrworld.com

German designer Daniel Benner enjoys combining aspects of vintage with modern touches. Cosmo 19 unites classic design with a difference – the panto lens is playfully updated with “open” parts for an airy shape. Temple detail is artfully expressed and duo-colours in black and red stainless steel are striking elements of this design.www.benner-eyewear.com

Contrasting colour combinations emphasise the beauty of Orchidea from the Flowers Collection by Res/Rei. Multi-colourations on the top part of the frame further enhance the handcrafted Italian design by Oliviero Zanon. More on the beautiful Flower Collection at www.resrei.com

Vera Wang’s impeccable taste and her modern approach to fashion translate effortlessly into her latest optical designs. V384 features a sensual, yet subtle cat-eye shape, and the colours are beautiful – shown in Midnight with mixed colour temples, and additional colours include Amethyst, black and brown. www.kenmarkoptical.com JG

Reviews

Limited Edition Pearson by Blackfin

22nd June 2016

Produced for the exclusive Yacht Club in Capri, Italy, the dapper limited Edition Pearson (BF730) by Blackfin delivers all the attributes of a hand-finished technical titanium frame in an exciting new colour way: an exterior in opaque charcoal grey and interior in ‘Serendipity’ blue, the official colour of the anchor in the Yacht Club’s logo.

Created ahead of the Rolex Capri International Regatta last month in a run of just 50 styles, each of the styles was customised with the wording, “Yacht Club Capri 2016”. Blackfin frames are exclusively produced in Agordino, Belluno, Italy, in line with a specific ethos referred to as “neomadeinitaly” – a term that is designed to underline authenticity, Italian provenance and commitment to its local team and environment. www.blackfin.eu CN

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