Eyestylist

New-season frames

1st January 2013

1st January 2013 January is the start of a new hunt for the leading creative designs at Eyestylist.com. I have seen much of Anne et Valentin’s 2013 sun and optical collection but I shall be revisiting this one over and over in the months ahead. One of the women’s specs that pops out from what I have seen so far is this vibrant cat style Adele (above) – a modern take on the traditional catty shape designed in sweet colours including a shiny tortoise and a forest and emerald green. The style is featured in the label’s look book 2013 which we have found very inspiring. And the cat’s eye shape is a safe choice again in 2013 – it’s going to be popular. www.anneetvalentin.com

At Theo, the creative eyewear specialists in Antwerp, we have been much impressed by the houndstooth trend they have reinterpreted in frames, first reviewed by Eyestylist here: www.eyestylist.com/2012/11/ew-te-227/. A totally inspired Eye Witness collection combining the innovative, reproduced pattern and trendy colour pairings such as the red with orange highlighted here, we are following this design concept with a close eye. www.theo.be

MIDO 6-8 February 2027. Welcome to Eyewearland

LOFT Santa Monica Show October 16th and 17th

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

New children's collection by ic! berlin — New children’s collection by ic! berlin

ic! berlin say they will be showing a new selection of frames for children in Munich in a few weeks time (opti ’13), including this perky little shape with cute eye lashes. This is one of a number of highlights we predict are coming in children’s spectacle design this year. www.ic-berlin.de CN

Home

The season

29th December 2012

and reason – for celebration…and we are always ready to toast independent specs designers at Eyestylist! Click on REVIEWS for exceptional shapes and colours in glasses and sunglasses. For creativity from Australia to Iceland, visit Designer of the Month and Boutiques. Valentino is highighted in City Guides, with a stunning exhibition in London. And we highlight frames featuring diamonds and art deco details. To all our readers – Joyous and Healthy Holidays!

This site is legally privileged, controlled and operated by Eyestylist.com. Material on this website may not be communicated in any way whatsoever, without prior written authorization of Eyestylist.com.

rolf. /></a></div></div></section></article><article data-id=

Category header

Ready for Resort!

29th December 2012

Colourful Frames for Sunny Climes

29th December 2012 When the temperatures dip to zero, resort fashions look so tempting…..so do sunglasses that look as if they were especially created for the beach and poolside. I’ve come across two lovely styles that are fun, colourful, and perfect for warmer climes and sunny days. Sheriff and Cherry’s nautically inspired Mediterranean blue acetate frames (above style 8766) with blue lenses are spiked with white trim on the temple ends, and an anchor and star motif, handmade in their Croatian workshop. www.sheriffandcherry.com

Both sea and sky tones are featured in Summazeit (above) by Andy Wolf. Luminous acetate in tones of turquoise, violet, yellow and soft pink highlight the round shape. Handcrafted in Austria, the turquoise lenses are stunning! www.andy-wolf.com JG

Design + Inspiration

Trend watch: grainy effects, textures, wood-look

26th December 2012

I have been looking at the beautiful grainy effects and natural finishes and textures in eyewear. Not only are we seeing more and more frames made from horn and wood where the natural colouring, texture and natural grains in the material are clearly visible, but there are also more and more wood-look and marbled acetate styles on offer, that have grainy surfaces or striated colouring….all of which are very elegant and show remarkable attention to the end result.

Examples pictured here include the natural horn frame (below) by the Hong Kong based label Rigards – the textured surface is very beautiful, and reminds me of early 15th or 16th handmade spectacles but the Rigard shapes are interesting and often wacky for a 21st century interpretation. www.rigards.com

RG-0010-natural-sanjuro1 — Horn spectacles by Rigards

The Carter Bond frames (examples top and below), designed by Jono Hennessy, have the warmth and feel of wood to the point where I was sure it was wood; I have a selection of these sitting on my desk and everyone keeps commenting on how cool the matt wood frames are. But I have been put right: “These frames are acetate. It is a technique Jono has developed to give that natural wood look; the frames are fully adjustable, so they adjust and glaze exactly the same as another acetate frame.” Impressive! Designed by Jono Hennessy in Australia. www.carterbond.com

I am also very taken with the subtle textures inside smooth acetate. The white example from Bologna’s Blue Magic Eye (top image, centre frame, model BME V3107) shows a gentle pattern that is similar to that of the smooth inside of an oyster shell, coloured in a pure striated snow white and combined with a silver metal detail on the arms. It is a very chic design, robust, with a clever pairing of the materials. www.bluemagiceye.com CN

Home

Next stop…Germany

21st December 2012

An eye on the Munich show, part 2

21st December 2012 On our must-see list at the show coming up in Munich are a number of collections for men including cool classic design for the well-heeled gent and strong statement pieces for the fashion aficionado. From Brit label Kirk Originals, models from the Beam collection gives a suitably punchy colour kick for 2013, with new tone proposals launching including a bright almost fluo orange, a trendy choice for the season. Kirk Originals will also show their Stripe and Pins lines in the Twenty Collection, a celebration of their recent 20th Anniversary offering colour in a retro style and an interpretation that is clearly a nod to the brand’s heritage and international successes over the years. www.kirkoriginals.co.uk

byron_sun_front — The Byron by Leisure Society

Leisure Society (Baum Vision Europe) will include the presentation of the very dapper classic round model Byron at opti, a new style by Shane Baum, inspired by the poet and featuring a classic key hole bridge and rich colourings. “With each new style comes heritage, perfect for the spring flaneur and chic conventionalism”, says Baum. “As a designer I am always aware of the smallest details in my surroundings; it is in the tiny features of even the most grandiose items that I find inspiration.” www.leisure-society.com

Also exhibiting in Munich is the young Californian designer Garrett Leight, son of Oliver Peoples’ founder Larry Leight and one of a small gang of new generation eyewear designers with a genuine passion for quality and creativity – and returning that to eyewear for the future.

FRONT_Brooks_MBLK — Brooks, a classic from Garrett Leight (GLCO)

The GLCO designs are contemporary classics, use traditional craftsmanship and hand finishing techniques, and feature old-school materials and natural, muted colorations – typically tortoise – that highlight the elegance of spectacles of the past. I saw them in Paris this year for the first time, and was surprised by the classical, understated direction and earthy natural colours I was shown. No attention-grabbing bright colours were featured here and yet the collection has its own personality that the fashion crowd connects with. One to see. www.garrettleight.com

For a full list of the designers and companies that will be visiting Munich on 25th to 27th January, go to www.opti-munich.com CN

Blackfin Eyewear: success built on “passion, experience, and above all, people”

DaTE returns in September

Diffuser Tokyo: fine leather eyewear cases with SOMÉS Saddle

Eyewear trends: lilac and purple

Eyewear trends: The language of reduction

Hong Kong International Optical Fair 2026