Eyestylist

Pure Titanium from Framers

13th June 2012 The Berlin eyewear company has launched a stunning new collection featuring beautiful frame interpretations in Titanium. The frames are named after important locations that inspire the Framers craftsmen. Paris, above, is expressed in a curvaceous gold frame that combines fashion, love, femininity and a touch of the extrovert – all the qualities of the French City!  Highly purified Titanium is very lightweight and allergy free. Handmade in Germany, the new collection is a welcome addition to Framers’ sleek, avant-garde acetate creations. Available in Berlin at Brillenmode am Lausitzer Platz. www.brillenmode-berlin.de  More information at www.framers.de  JG

Michael Bastian Designs for Randolph Engineering

11th June 2012 An exciting new collaboration teams award winning men’s wear designer Michael Bastian and legendary Randolph Engineering. Randolph is the Massachusetts based company that lists the American Military Services amongst its clientele for eyewear, and Bastian has garnered numerous citations for his innovative men’s wear.

Bastian’s eyewear collection for Randolph combines superior quality with creative aesthetics. The result: glasses with distinction and uniqueness, plus unexpected details – including beautiful mineral lenses – that ensure their statement status. Top photo: Style JD in Clear with bright chrome clip on grey lenses. www.randolphusa.com www.michaelbastiannyc.com JG

Sama Designer Sheila Vance Discusses Luxury

8th June 2012 Eyewear designer Sheila Vance at SAMA Eyewear in California shares with Eyestylist her views on Luxury.

How do you define Luxury? Luxury is a state of mind, a way of seeing, understanding and interacting with the world around us. Though it may seem counterintuitive, luxury – like faith – is an incredibly egalitarian concept. As a result, we can all enjoy the luxury lifestyle! In the material realm, luxury can be distilled into equal parts quality, style and exclusivity. If a product lacks any of these elements or their presence is out of balance, then it lacks authenticity and can’t be classified as luxury. Though there are numerous designer brands masquerading as luxury brands; the sad truth is that there are fewer and fewer true luxury brands in the world with every passing year.

What elements are most important when designing Luxury eyewear? Eyewear is unique amongst fashion accessories in that it must combine the style of haute couture with the precision of a medical appliance. Merging fashion with such a high degree of functionality presents unique challenges that can only be met by a master eyewear designer.

What inspires you to create eyewear? I find inspiration everywhere: nature, art, fashion, history. I also travel frequently and find seeing new places and meeting new people incredibly inspiring. Once after returning home from a particularly breathtaking trip to Egypt, I was so inspired that I designed my ultra-luxurious Sahara collection based on the experience! I love listening to music and find that it helps put me in a creative place. My taste is eclectic and includes everything from classical and opera to contemporary electronica. I’m also inspired by fine art and love visiting museums. I’m awed by Monet’s use of colour, Picasso’s use of form and shape, and Rembrandt’s use of light. Architecture is another of my many passions.

Do you have any special ‘luxuries’ that you like/enjoy/cannot live without? I love beauty and grace in their myriad forms. (more…)

Special Edition Eyewear from Design Master

6th June 2012 Subtly luxurious and crafted with meticulous workmanship, Tom Ford’s new, exclusive collection merges gentle retro 1950’s influences with contemporary design and technology. Finest quality gold-plated metal meets precious water buffalo horn in a frame of lasting elegance and refinement. Each frame and its leather case is presented in a beautiful Bakelite box ( a chic 1950’s touch) with a soft brown lining. With every frame is included a certificate of authenticity, and a special cleansing cream and chamois cloth to provide the correct care for the water buffalo horn. A true Renaissance man, Tom Ford knows that the highest level of design is all in the details. www.tomford.com JG