Eyestylist

Continuing our Eyewear Canine Companion series, today we meet Nelson, the beloved companion of Alessandro De Lorenzo at Boudoir Boutique in Venice, Italy.

How did you and Nelson meet? “He was born in a dog pound where his mother was rescued, so Nelson has never been mistreated. He is a Spanish Greyhound and was four months old. This breed is called Galgo in Spain, and the dogs are used for the rabbit hunt there. When the hunting season is over, most of the dogs are abandoned or killed – about 50,000 to 65,00 per year. Nelson is very well behaved; he likes bigger and smaller dogs, as well as cats and children. He’s really not a hunter. He loves to run – especially with other dogs, but he has inherited – from me – some laziness, and he loves to sleep most of the day.

What are Nelson’s duties in your boutique? “Well..he is in charge of the red sofa. If he’s left alone for more than five minutes, he starts testing the products – for example – eye drops, or tastes some of the frames. He greets clients and he makes sure nobody’s carrying weapons in their bags. Some people come by the shop just for him, and every day, at least a dozen tourists take pictures of him from the window.”

Does Nelson travel with you? “Most of the time we walk – that is the purpose of living in Venice! We go on the vaporetto (water bus) only if we have to go to the Lido, where the beach is. Otherwise we take the tram or the regular bus to go to the Venice mainland, and he’s OK with that. When I visit my parents in Cadore – the eyewear district – I use my car. He hates cars and he knows exactly what they are. When we go jogging and we run near parked cars, he wants to make a big arch around them.”

Does Nelson go to restaurants and cafés with you? “I am able to take Nelson with me; most places know us and the restaurant owners allow him to enter. Nelson’s lovely…but…food is way too attractive for him, so it’s hard to teach him proper table behaviour. Maybe when he’s a bit older…now I leave him home if I have to go out for dinner.”

“I would like to add that people consider rescue dogs, instead of professional breeders. There are associations that rescue greyhounds in Ireland, the United States and in Spain. In every country you can find pure breed dogs – and mixed ones, and cats – looking for adoption. They’ll be grateful to you.” www.boudoir.vencie.it JG

Brilliant buds, blooms and blossoms enthusiastically await the arrival of Spring – and its palette of colours. Ideally this is also the time to refresh, enhance and colourise your personal accessories wardrobe. A great place to start is with eyewear that combines originality, fashion flair and savoir-faire. Spectacle Eyeworks in Vancouver, Canada features striking new designs in the Pussy Galore Collection. Volume and tri-colouration bring glamour to Roya – with its focused attention to detail, temple accents, and feline curves. More eyewear news from Spectacle Eyeworks at www.spec-eyeworks.com

Lafont Paris unveiled a lovely optical collection in Milan that spotlights favourite spring colours. Among the highlights is a contemporary classic design in Navy Blue with a perky red trim on the frame front. Lafont has captured with Tatiana the trend for rounded, soft shapes that are extremely flattering on the face. www.lafont.com

Cutting edge technology, smart design, and innovative materials feature in the Charmant Z collection for men. The frames are very lightweight, with distinctive detailing, and clarity of line. Charmant ZT19827 exudes refined understatement. www.charmant.com

Japanese designer Masahiro Maruyama creates frames that are fresh, articulate, and an intriguing mix of straight and round forms. The distinct design of style 0022 reflects striking colour and ingenuity. www.masahiromaruyama.com JG