Eyestylist

London Showtime!

2nd February 2016

All eyes – 100% – are on London this weekend – 6-8 February – as 100% Optical opens at Excel London. The three-day event hosts international eyewear designers and companies, who are presenting the latest, innovative optical and eyewear collections. Austrian based Silhouette will present several selections, including Titan Accent (above) the feather-light, elegant frames for men and women; in addition to Sun Specs for 2016 and Urban Lite. www.silhouette.com

Darell by Sven Götti for Götti Switzerland

Slim and trim frames are a prevailing trend, and Götti introduces a sleek design – Darell – in Titanium with a smart double bridge. Götti will also present beautiful Genuine Horn designs that are superbly handcrafted. www.gotti.ch

Havana Fiammato Tortoiseshell acetate highlights a stunning design by L.G.R. – Reunion II Flap. A flat double bridge, brown leather flaps and silver mirrored lenses add to the distinction of this unique design. www.lgrworld.com

LOFT Santa Monica Show October 16th and 17th

SILMO Paris - The Optical Fair. 25th - 28th September 2026

MIDO 6-8 February 2027. Welcome to Eyewearland

Line Art Opera Collection - XL2067 - by Charmant — Line Art Opera Collection – XL2067 – by Charmant

Handset ruby, diamond and amber Swarovski crystals enhance this luxurious frame – XL2067 by Charmant – from the Line Art Opera Collection. The temple detail is intricately designed and inspired by musical waves in lightweight Excellence Titan. The Charmant Z collection for men will also be presented at 100% Optical. www.charmant.com Mark your calendars! 6-8 February at Excel London. More info at www.100percentoptical.com JG

Arts + travel

Jacqueline de Ribes

29th January 2016

Tall, elegant and aristocratic, Countess Jacqueline de Ribes (born 1929) is recognised as one of the celebrated fashion personas of the 20th Century. Her statuesque silhouette was a designer’s dream; and style was in her genes – as a child de Ribes loved to play “dress up”…and carried this radiant imagination into adulthood.

Jacqueline de Ribes in her own design,1983

The Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City is staging an exhibition of designs from the Countess’s opulent personal wardrobe, including dresses that she created for her own company from 1982-1995. She was consistently on The Best Dressed List and respected for her originality and superb style and manner.

Jacqueline de Ribes in her own design, 1985

A multi-faceted woman, de Ribes was also a theatrical impresario, a TV producer, and she helped organise Museum and Charity events. Nature conservation and environmental protection were also among her pioneering projects. The exhibition also includes videos, photos and personal effects. Jacqueline de Ribes: The Art of Style is a fascinating glimpse into the life and boundless style of a truly elegant woman. Continues until 21st February 2016. www.metmuseum.org JG

Photos: Top image: Jacqueline de Ribes 1955 by Richard Avedon The Richard Avedon Foundation Middle image: Photograph by Victor Skrebneski, Skrebneski Photograph 1983 Bottom image: Photography by David Lees, David Lees/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images

Design + Inspiration

Contemporary Classics

29th January 2016

Eyewear with classical shaping remains a perennial favourite – and new variations bring further enhancement. Rectangular and panto silhouettes are highlighted with colour, and innovative finishes. Canadian based designer Mehran Baghaie at Spectacle Eyeworks has launched a commanding men’s frame – Daniel (above) – in stainless steel with a textured finish – an ideal example of uniting tradition and trend. www.spec-eyeworks.com

Carmen's Birthday by l.a. Eyeworks — Carmen’s Birthday by l.a. Eyeworks

L.a. Eyeworks is always ready to party – and the California brand believes that your face deserves a celebration. So let the festivities and fiesta being with Carmen’s Birthday in colourful Jimmy Tortoise Scrapple with custom hand-painted scrolls on the brow – in Brick Red. The frame is acetate with metal brow accents. More eyewear party-pieces at www.laeyeworks.com

Cosmo 16 by Daniel Benner for Benner Eyewear

A design destined to be appreciated by both men and women; Daniel Benner’s Cosmo 16 is a sleek panto shape in stainless steel, in striking colours of Turquoise brown fade. See more of Benner’s new frames at www.benner-eyewear.com

Retro touches enhance The Marvin by Original Penguin – with a voluminous acetate shape and swoop detailing on the bridge. The colours are gorgeous – including French Vanilla (shown) Tortoiseshell, Blue, Black and Green. For more info on new designs by Original Penguin – visit www.kenmarkoptical.com JG

Design + Inspiration

100% London: tomorrow’s trends

26th January 2016

The show season is now in full swing. London will welcome optical companies and designers from far and wide at the third edition of 100% Optical, held at ExCel. Designers are preparing new collections for the seasons ahead, with focus on innovation, new technology, technical processes, colour and design. Trend highlights will include hot new colours – we’ll be expecting more interior design inspired metallics, and a rise in light, delicate pastel tones. The delightful coral featured in the Kaleidoscope Collection by Kirk & Kirk is a good example of this direction – www.kirkandkirk.com. A soft focus, summed up by new caramels,nude tones and cappuccino hues, offers a fresh colour story that we can expect to be a lasting one, with its chic, ultra-flattering look for natural skin tones.

Pantos by Tavat — Exclusive preview: SoupCan Acetate by Tavat

With our eye on the new arrivals and up-and-coming talent, 100% Optical promises a good line-up of international newcomers this year, including brands like Smoke x Mirrors, Fakoshima and Tavat Eyewear, who have a new lightweight acetate version of their eye-catching SoupCan design launching at the show – www.tavat-eyewear.com.

Trends in colour combinations will be a key topic, brightening up classic shapes or avant garde silhouettes with a dash of something unexpected. Labels like Woow Eyewear from Paris – a 2-year old design brand by Architectures (Face à Face), show the fun opportunities of multicoloured eyewear geared to a young generation who increasingly expect fashion-driven trends and idiosyncratic details, here in the form of little messages or words written at the end of the temples or on the lining of each design. www.wooweyewear.com

From even further afield, Australia’s Jono Hennessy, now widely available in leading optical boutiques in the UK, will show bright combinations of wood-look with punchy blocked colour (Carter Bond) and textile embellished eyewear (Jono Hennessy) that sum up a widespread desire among the independents to shake up the classic looks with striking colours and beautifully attentive finishing. www.jonohennessy.com / www.carterbond.com

100% Optical is a trade fair for the optical sector. The exhibition takes place from 6th to 8th February 2016 at London’s ExCel. www.100percentoptical.com CN

Reviews

CC2A by Cabrio Eyewear

24th January 2016

From Hoet in Belgium, Cabrio’s CC2A has a striking fine mesh detail on the top of the front – personalised in luxurious gold or silver. The Cabrio collection’s CC line was launched in 2015, developed in a collaboration between designer Bieke Hoet and Materialise, the Belgian specialists in 3D printing. For this latest collection, Materialise employs a special 3-maticSTL software which can apply the advanced textures to the sides of the designs. In keeping with the philosophy behind the existing 3D-printed Cabrio collection, the new CC models, of which CC2A is a fine example, combine performance, comfort, and aesthetics for eyewear that is classic in its elegant design and cutting-edge in its production. The luxury feel of these 3D styles is impressive. www.cabrio-eyewear.eu CN

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