Born in the USA: US eyewear brands at Vision Expo East

When it comes to eyewear tastes, the US is similar to that of the UK – conservative. The bright colours and adventurous silhouettes found in mainland Europe usually reside in specialist high-end fashion practices, but there is still demand for subtle, high quality eyewear and many American brands will tailor new releases for the US market for launch at the Vision Expo East exhibition.

Sama Eyewear used the event to launch its new luxury men’s sunglass collection, deCode LA. The new range, designed by company founder and chief designer Sheila Vance, is inspired by Los Angeles and takes an alternate view of the city. ‘When people think of LA, they mostly think of Hollywood, glamour, surfing, Malibu,’ says Vance. ‘But there is a whole other side to the city, and I used that as my inspiration for the new collection.