Eyestylist

Crystal Frames

24th April 2012 Clear plastic – or crystal – frames were a stylish expression in the 1950’s and 60’s – as they are today! Designers are re-inventing – or re-launching – frame designs in elegant, clear crystal. The above frame is from Blue Magic Eye – style 3303 – with distinctive temple detailing.

This handsome vintage concept is sometimes enhanced with new materials, such as Lafont’s combination of crystal and carbon, or spiked with sophistication, as in Framers’ sleek crystal and black sunglasses. www.bluemagiceye.com www.framers.de www.lafont.com JG

Vidal Erkohen

22nd April 2012  Creator of RVS by V, Vidal Erkohen, first set up his business to sell rare vintage frames (www.rarevintagesunglasses.com). We asked him to model a few and here are the results…thanks Vidal! Here, as part of our Vintage series, Eyestylist asks Vidal about his passion for vintage eyewear and how it has shaped his own designs at RVS by V.

“Vintage eyewear has a soft spot in most people’s heart, whether it may be the memory of a loved one wearing them when they were a child, or the vision of their favourite actor wearing them in the their favourite movie. A piece of vintage eyewear from the ’80s may have been a hit back then, but today it may signify a whole era that will bring back hundreds of memories to its user. I believe a piece of eyewear can only truly be iconic by passing the test of time, and that is exactly why some vintage frames are particularly sought after, year after year.

Can you tell me about your own collection, RVS by V., and how it is affected by your love of vintage? “I always try to keep true to vintage style in our RVS by V. designs by keeping the updates we make to our designs very minimal. The way we use materials, our finishing (which we always do as matt) and our colours are all very important to me. I am in love with colour and it holds great importance in all of my designs. I believe the colour tones you use bring a whole new modern look to timeless styles that sometimes seem to come from a ‘black and white’ era. I think men sometimes shy away from wearing colours and this is why I try to incorporate vibrant hues with classic design; I like to help them overcome this habit.” www.rarevintagesunglasses.com www.rvsbyv.com CN  Photography by RVS by V. for Eyestylist.com.

 

Frames inspired by Dolce Vita and Federico Fellini

20th April 2012 From Australia comes another collaboration from the frame company, Colab who launch a line with the Italian illustrator Jonathan Calugi…with images inspired by Fellini. Another super retro theme for our Vintage month!

The collection includes references to the 1963 release ‘8 1/2’ and Mastroianni’s lead character, Guido. The sunglass style JCA001_8 1/2 has a trendy half bi-tone front, matte brushed gold trim and is part of a Limited Edition of 1000 pieces. The best way to order these from outside Australia is online at www.colab.com.au/shop

Kings of Past

19th April 2012 Last month I had the opportunity to meet with Kings of Past for the first time….Sebastien showed me a small selection of their latest pieces, some of which we are publishing here. I have also talked to Musadik Rajani, an expert on vintage eyewear and one of the principals of Kings of Past, the vintage eyewear retailer. Musadik has shared his insights here into this special world of glasses….and over the last weeks he has given me a really good understanding of the beauty and quality of some of the best vintage eyewear (image above, Emmanuelle Khanh sunglasses at www.kingsofpast.com).

Why is vintage so desirable? I believe fashion is always inspired by the past. The past sets a precedent for the future to follow. And ‘vintage’ is a very loose term used to describe the past. In eyewear specifically, the past is very interesting because all the designs were original. Eyewear as a mainstream fashion accessory is a 30-40 year old concept, so the eyewear from that era is largely considered to be original in design. In today’s tech-savvy world, people are really looking for originality and design. A simple branded logo on a mass produced eyeglass or sunglass is not enough.

Do you work with celebrities? Why do they choose rare vintage? 
We work with many celebrities either directly or through many of our accounts. Celebrities are constantly being photographed, and this drives a greater desire for them to look and be different. They choose Kings of Past vintage eyewear because of the authenticity, the rarity and the fact that all our eyewear is unworn. We work with anyone who has a genuine appreciation for fine and unique eyewear.

Which are your favourite vintage pieces this year? This is very difficult. I have many many favourites for different reasons. The Jean Claude Killy sunglasses (pictured above) are a favourite because of the incredible details…the hollowed carbon fibre temples, ‘wishbone’ hinges, folding temple tips, shocks in the bridge, and the lenses. I also like our vintage Ralph Lauren pieces with acetate fronts and detail engraved metal, and the Cazals are a favourite because of their outrageous designs and impact on American culture. We also do very well with Alain Mikli vintage styles at the moment. (more…)