Eyestylist

Carla Fuentes for FOLC Eyewear

July 4th 2023

A new collaboration with artist Carla Fuentes

Barcelona’s exclusive independent eyewear label FOLC introduces a new collaboration with the Spanish artist Carla Fuentes, resulting in evocative portraits which the brand is featuring for their latest cleaning cloths for summer 2023.

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Fuentes created two oil paintings inspired directly from the FOLC campaign. Printed on different sustainable textile supports, Folc has designed and locally produced a limited edition of cleaning cloths that accompany the sunglasses and eyewear collection.

Carla Fuentes (Valencia, 1986) has created visuals and album covers for bands and solo artists such as Polock, Russian Red, Hewel, and Ariel Pink. Her work has been published around the world. Find out more at www.folc-eyewear.com Above: The making of the portraits, featuring the artist.

Arts + travel

Hall of Frames, Lucerne

July 3rd 2023

The popular Hall of Frames event for independent opticians returns to Lucerne on 24th September 2023

Hall of Frames (HOF) will return to Lucerne in September for a 1-day event at the renowned lakeside Museum of Transport – one of the most scenic locations in the optical fair calendar. The event, which showcases eyewear brands and work by independent designers from Switzerland and Europe, will be held in a large exhibition hall with table space for all exhibitors. Show organiser Nathanaël Wenger told Eyestylist he expects forty brands to participate, making it a must-attend event for anyone involved in the Swiss eyewear scene. Above: Nirvan Javan’s new Shades of Toronto collection was released last month. Hall of Frames will be an opportunity to see the young Swiss brand’s latest ranges in a friendly and convivial setting

Visitors to the Hall of Frames can expect to see a wide range of eyewear styles at the fair, with exhibitors including iconic brands and specialist designers, among them Coblens, Nirvan Javan, Morel, Moscot NYC, Orgreen, Rolf Spectacles, Porsche Design, and You Mawo, among others.

High tech eyewear – Porsche Design – Patrick Dempsey Edition: Porsche Design attend Hall of Frames this September

Nathanaël Wenger has confirmed that Beck Optikhandel has joined HOF as one of their partner companies for the 2023 event. Beck Optikhandel distributes a large assortment of optical products throughout Switzerland. HOF’s main partner, Nikon, will continue its cooperation with the exhibition.

MOREL 20173K: made in the Jura (France) – the French company returns to the event in Switzerland this year

The material variety and colour expertise of Ørgreen Optics are always highlights at the Hall of Frames event

Dynoptic, an association of around 100 owner-managed opticians from all over Switzerland, the Basel-based architectural firm Studio Arenas and Contedi, a developer of online tools for opticians, will also be back as partner companies. The fair has confirmed that bookings remain open for independent brands who wish to take part. For more details, visit www.hallofframes.ch

Reviews

Summer showcase: a new TVR®504 edition, handmade in Japan

June 29th 2023

The Japanese artisan label’s new release is a 10th Anniversary version of the popular 504

If you’re a fan of this label, you’ll know the 504, an iconic shape inspired by a 1940s archive frame: for the brand’s 10th Anniversary, the style returns in a new configuration with smart new hinges and striking metal cores. First introduced in May 2013, TVR®504 has already been made available in over 80 colours and seven different sizes. For summer 2023 — having been unavailable for over a year — the model is now also thicker than before in a 6mm Zylonite with a structure and angle offering a very solid feel. Above: the new version of the 504 featured in a classic black with lightweight polarised lens clip with vintage filigree design

“Quality handcrafted eyewear is our DNA and we are proud to re-introduce these iconic vintage styles to a new generation of eyewear customers…” Sawada-Yaemon – Master Craftsman for TVR®

TVR® OPT – the 504 optical style (above) and exclusive ‘Anniversary’ case and accessories (below)

Tradition is fundamental in the making of the TVR®504. Each piece is made by hand by skilled Japanese master craftsmen using the traditional measurement method called ‘Datum expression’ — a fading methodology that has been used to produce spectacles since the 1950s in Japan, and remains a cherished form of art that TVR® OPT continues to uphold; other complicated processes in spectacle making are also part of the artisan process at the Japanese label, including hand-cutting, moulding, as well as reexploring the beauty of long-lost details for the frames.

The new model also boasts meticulously decorated new metal cores. As one of the first brands to reintroduce the highly detailed core in the temples in 2015 (feather core details seen in Yamada Mitsukazu x TVR® YM-001, YM-002, and YM-003 collections respectively), the latest cores reference the dragon from the Myōshin-ji Temple in Kyoto in Japan. The design depicts the dragon known as the happonnirami no Ryū, also known as ‘Dragon Gazing in All Directions’ from the painting by Kanō Tan’yu: a veritable artistic feast for the eyes! Find out more at www.tvropt.eu

Design + Inspiration

Summer showcase: VUE DC and the beauty of volumes

June 27th 2023

The latest collection at the French brand, VUE DC offers fantastic sculptural shapes and colours with a bold energy

Original, bold and loud in volumes, French independent eyewear brand VUE DC continue to put to work the intrigue of a 3-dimensional, art informed eyewear style, with metal and acetate styles “carved like sculpture”. The styles play with depth and light to create curves and volumes – high-impact bevels elevating the every day into art. Above: MAN, a new version of an aviator in 6mm Mazzucchelli acetate, and M12, a beautiful oversized metal variation of the DUC frame by the brand

M12 and M13 by VUE DC – the colour palette includes bright primary tones and more classic subtle colours

Models like M12 and M13 are examples of how this sculptural style can be represented in metal, with a stylistic creativity like that of the acetate frames and exciting colours with the brand’s signature handmade raw and matt finish.

PAN by VUE DC – an example of the stylistic feel of the acetate eyewear collection by VUE DC

Oversized, angular and with fine details – the 3 traditional style rivets appear on both sides of the front of the pantos inspired PAN frame – the model combines soft curves and angular surfaces in a design that experiments with volumes and colour, transparency and light.

The VUE DC collection is made exclusively in Oyonnax, France. To see the complete collection visit https://vuedc.fr

Design + Inspiration

Radford x SALT. Optics: limited-edition technical eyewear

June 23rd 2023

Radford and SALT. Optics have come together to produce an high-tech limited edition eyewear collection this year, and the results are exciting

SALT. Optics – the Californian eyewear label – have a brand new collaboration that we can’t wait to see close up: the eyewear company has joined with Radford Motors to produce two limited edition sunglasses (each available in four unique colours). The designs are the result of a careful study into automotive eyewear of the past, carefully evolving that heritage by manufacturing with the highest quality materials available today: Japanese aerospace grade titanium – a material type which provides excellent strength to weight ratio, giving bold frame structures a featherweight feel.

“We wanted to explore the intersections of automotive, pop-culture and eyewear heritage. We looked at key moments in both racing and pop culture…” SALT. Optics

RADFORD x SALT. Optics – the new collaborative sunglasses are highly technical – model RS-600

The titanium is hypoallergenic and is engineered to maintain excellent optics. The SALT. team explain that the proprietary titanium thickness transitions and bevel placement provide stability where it is needed most, securing the lens in the frame. This means that any stress from the frame is not transferred to the lens, greatly enhancing the optics for driving.

Radford x SALT. Optics – stunning details have been developed for this edition of two sunglasses – the automotive-inspired side shields are also produced in titanium

SALT. also brings its proprietary lens offering to this refined and luxurious product, with the aim of offering optimised vision and a balance of colour, contrast and light transmission proposed as an ideal combination for driving.

The two Radford x SALT. Optics models – RS-500 and RS-600 – have been produced exclusively in Japan. Radford Motors Type 62-2 inspired the colour palette, including the Limited Edition John Player Special (JPS) and the gold leaf colours are Pantone matched to the cars. The frames come with a genuine perforated leather case with velvet interior and custom eyewear cloth.

About Radford – Radford Motors (originating from the British Coachbuilders of the same name, created in 1948) has been reignited by former world champion F1 racing driver, Jenson Button, car builder/TV host Ant Anstead, and businessman Roger Behle. In 2021, they launched their first car, the 62-2, inspired by the Lotus Type 62 Racer. Find our more at www.saltoptics.com / https://radford.co/

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