Eyestylist

This week’s event in Munich is a chance to catch up on design, tech and colour innovation in the independent eyewear collections

Munich awaits the 2024 Edition of the opti fair – taking place this week from Friday through Sunday, with a full programme of events, activities and seminars for optical specialists attending the 3-day trade show. In independent eyewear news, a wide selection of new and innovative frame collections will be on show for the first time, including a strong showing of sustainable eyewear collections, luxury sun and optical ranges as well as iconic Austrian and German eyewear brands that have long been of special interest in this region of Europe.

opti’s organisers recommend a variety of activities for the event, from browsing in the opti BOXES (in Hall C2), to visiting the opti OPTICS START-UP area in Hall C3, and enjoying a stroll through halls C1 to C4.  They have arranged an opportunity to book a curated tour of the show in advance – either focusing on ophthalmic optics with eptitop GmbH or independent eyewear brands, with Karin Stehr (www.opti.de/en/messe/highlights/opti-guided-tours). Above: the independent brand from Italy, RES/REI’s recently launched men’s eyewear collection is among their headlining ranges for the show; the styles have a contemporary feel, yet their quality and finish is beautifully rooted in tradition and classical, iconic craftsmanship – www.resrei.com

The sustainable eyewear company Rolf Spectacles is a long-time exhibitor at opti. Since it’s first exhibitions in Munich, the brand has won numerous awards for their innovative product lines in sustainable materials, most recently the MATERIALICA Award 2023 for their 3D printed Wire collection – produced from rapidly renewable castor beans. www.rolfspectacles.com

Junk Plastic Rehab are working with repurposed waste and the result is creative, bold and original. The label will be one of the highlighted brands in the Opti Boxes (C2 / BOX8) this year : https://junkplasticrehab.com

New this month, and part of their Spring/Summer 2024 collection, model Haori is introduced in the Japan Now! collection. The FACE A FACE designers continue their artistic journey to the heart of contemporary Japanese design – inspired by Shiro Kuramata, Issey Miyake, Rei Kawakubo, and others. “They are all designers whose work combines delicacy with a disruptive aesthetic – a fascinating contrast that permeates the vision of the JAPAN NOW collection”. The Haori is a delightful creative two-tone acetate, available in two shapes and exciting multiple colours. www.faceaface-paris.com

Henau Eyewear’s imaginative frames, designed by Marc Delagrange, are like pieces of architecture in minute size. The collection includes distinctive striped pieces (above, M2103), quirky round styles like Lunaforte and extraordinary couture pieces like Vega, Callas and Jadim. www.henau-eyewear.com

opti takes place from 12th to 14th January 2024 at the Fairground Munich. For further details visit http://www.opti.de

Morel France proposes the Colour of the Year, Peach Fuzz – a shade of peachy orange – in acetate styles for women 

As the Pantone Color Institute unveiled the Peach Fuzz hue as the trending colour for 2024, eyewear companies were poised to bring the colour into the world of frames. According to Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of Pantone, the peach shade embodies feelings of compassion and conviviality with a harmonious, warm sensation – promising qualities to flatter the face. As a natural, gentle light pastel tone, the ‘Peach Fuzz’ colour works beautifully in crystal acetate, and combines quite seamlessly with other popular colours in the eyewear lines, including natural browns, red tones and orange. Above: Morel’s 2024 collection for women explores the Peach Fuzz tone in combination with darker shades such as red 

The harmony and softness offered by this peach hue are explored in the new Anna frame design by Morel. An ode to femininity, the synergy of the colours featured highlights peach tones with vibrant golden shades, blending into “invigorating” crimson reds. The new Lisa style is similarly on-trend in this colour palette, with its bold acetate collages in warm tones of tortoise, peach and red. For more details visit www.morel-france.com