Götti Switzerland Launches Snow Goggles
16th November 2012 Winter sports are part of Switzerland’s DNA – and Götti has the know-how and creativity to design eyewear for snow adventures. Function, flair and fashion fuse harmoniously in Sven Götti’s sleek new Snow Goggles. I saw this stylish design when I visited Götti’s offices last month – and love it! Technical features include a polyurethane frame that is light and durable, plus anti-fog, ventilation and double-glazed polycarbonate mirror lenses, with 100% UV protection for sunny days on the slopes. The goggles are extremely comfortable, and compatible with helmets. Available in black with silver mirror lenses, and snow white with rainbow flash lenses – very impressive for après ski – now all that is necessary is lovely, powdery snow! www.gotti.ch JG
Pauric Sweeney launches sunglasses
Mayfair, London
15th November 2012 Pauric Sweeney’s Mayfair store is the kind of place you can get hooked on beautiful luxury accessories very quickly. A contrast to the delightful cobbled back street where it is found, the minimal interior design is reflective of the designer’s character and love of refined luxury. The colourful geometric display in the window is described as typical of Sweeney’s style at home.
I visited, on recommendation, to see Sweeney’s first sunglasses collection. Born in Co. Donegal and trained as an architect, the designer launched the accessories label in 2004 and since then has gained international recognition. Produced in prestigious leathers sourced in Italy and finished by hand with elegant stitching and eye-catching detail, he now makes everything from totes to clutches, and has added a successful Diffusion Line – Pauric by Pauric – as well a men’s accessory range.
Made in Japan, the sunglasses blend the designer’s interest in materials and surfaces with references to softly rounded vintage shapes and detail such as retro-chic metalwork, contrasting with pretty shades of acetate. Colours include black, a soft pink (above) and a translucent cobalt blue. Retailing at £330.00, the styles have been produced with a nice quality and finish making them a chic accompaniment to a Sweeney bag – we like the combination of the Dbox (above) and the pale sunglasses (above) in particular. More to come? We shall keep an eye out. Stockists include Luisa Via Roma, Florence, and Avenue 32 (www.avenue32.com). 33, Bruton Place, Mayfair, London W1J6NP. www.pauricsweeney.com CN
Pastel Serenade
Gentle Colours, Distinctive Shapes
14th November 2012 Soft, mellow pastels are seen throughout eyewear collections this season, and these two designs and colours deserve special mention. Jodie (above) by Face à Face is a luminous acetate beauty with an arched brow, and a tri-colour glow of cotton candy, vanilla and crystal. www.faceaface-paris.com
Bailey (above) by Claire Goldsmith Legacy explores the deeper intensity of pastel colourations, with a transparency play of jade on the frame front, highlighted with chocolate temples. A sculptural union of classic and contemporary defines the frame shape. www.olivergoldsmith.com
Tortoise Treasures
Variations on a Classic Theme
12th November 2012 Designs in tortoise are a highlight of this season’s eyewear collections – we’ve seen a variety of styles with individual characteristics. Clodagh Norton featured a bold tortoise design on Eyestylist.com on 9th November, and the two designs shown here verify the wonderful tortoise interpretations that are possible. Fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff, and luxury eyewear designer Shane Baum have collaborated on a stunning collection, including Chelsea (above), a virtuoso creation that teams tortoise acetate with gold. The gently sculpted shape is all handcrafted, and the designers are scrupulous with details that are precise and intricate. www.baumvision.com
Happy Days is the sprightly new collection from Vanni in Italy. The design above (v1900) features multilayer acetate with a mix of transparent and Havana, to create a tortoise variation with blond highlights. The diversity of tortoise really does make these frame designs eyewear treasures! www.vanniocchiali.com JG
Trend watch: bold at the brow
9th November 2012 Unique shapes accentuating the brow line are a recurring theme and will be increasingly sought after in the months ahead. One that caught my eye recently was ‘Rock-a-Nore’ from the British label RockOptika, named after the beach front in Old Hastings, home to the designer Tom Herrington. It’s a man’s acetate style – available in tortoise and a very suave ‘Mazzucchelli’ pure black – that is quite big in size and statement, with a modified pentagon shape combined with a retro key hole nose bridge. Image above, Rock-a-Nore by RockOptika (from £249.00), photographed by Tom Herrington. www.rockoptika.co.uk
Jeremy Tarian’s snazzy Sky Bar also illustrates this direction perfectly – it is a sunglass design with a symmetrical zig zag formation in dazzling gold metal. This is a fabulously unique take on the brow accentuation – mostly we are seeing examples of straight horizontal lines over the top of the front of the frame so this one is rather special. Tarian’s frames are made in the Jura in France, and the designer pays careful attention to the quality of the materials and comfort of each unique design. www.jeremytarian.com CN