For the first time the show was held at the Paris-Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre and in true Ed Miliband-style it was billed as a new generation of show.
It is only fitting that in a country where the yatchswoman Dame Ellen MacArthur appears on the TV, speaking French, to extol Renault's green credentials that 'Bio' should be feature of the show. This was evident in the Espace Nouveautes where new ideas were showcased at the event. Here Killine not only showed off brightly coloured frames in vintage shapes but they were manufactured from 100 per cent biodegradeable parts from biologically based materials. Everything is either recycled or recycleable.
Craftsmanship was also included in Espace Nouveautes in the form of Vibrations from Henry Jullien. The same frame was also centre stage at the Henry Jullien stand down on the exhibition floor where marketing and communications manager Stephanie Barthoulot described the single loop of memory metal that encloses the lens as sculptural aestheticism. Elsewhere the Caseco-distributed brand employed colour, predominantly gold, through Goldies Cockpit. The marque was also showing off its craftmanship through the moveable zirconia slotted into the side pieces of Cassiopée.
As ever TD Tom Davies was majoring on its craftmanship, this year in buffalo horn. The material has long been a favourite in countries such as Holland and Germany and Tom Davies was highlighting individuality further by offering to send the plates of horn used to make each frame to the optical practice. This enables the specific areas of the horn the customer desires to be used. To push individuality further the horn off-cuts are now able to be made into bespoke cuff-links for the customer. Rock Star, a metallic sunglass was also pulling in the crowds.
A mixture of the predominating themes was brought together by French designer Thierry Lasry. The company was combining bold colours with accentuated vintage shapes. Futuristic vintage was the description provided and this was continued in the Harry Lary's sunwear line.
High-tech materials
Pink and grey were the colours de jour at Dunelm with the cues coming from Paul Costelloe's collection at Fashion Week. This was backed up with high technology materials such as carbon fibre making an appearance on the sides of some models. Grillamide and stainless steel were much in use to increase strength and reduce weight. Models such as PC5033 with its stained glass effect demonstrated a more worked feel for the ladies.
Tag Heuer continues to draw on its motoring heritage and its stand was awash with technology (News 01.10.10). It was winning awards for its magnetically operated hinge and point of sale material for the Automatic frame, but high-tech materials were in evidence throughout its ranges.
While the L-Type LW employed carbon fibre to reduce weight it was the all carbon fibre C-Type that really took the limelight. Billed as the first fully carbon fibre frame, the C-Type uses 20 sheets of fibre bonded together to produce a light, strong and good looking minimalist piece. Since its announcement and Silmo d'Or win two years ago 40 die hard fans in the UK have been waiting for the frame to go into production.
Shane Lewis of Tag in the UK says the use of materials, such as tyre polymers for rubber sleeving, create the link with F1 and provide a product that is out on its own. Craftsmanship also goes into touches like the autoflex nose pad to turn innovation into comfort.
Heavily worked pieces, colour and vintage all came together at Face à Face. Influences include neon signs for models such as Bliss or 1950s American cars in Ivory. Michaella Rene, communication manager, says the collectons are still heavily influenced by the 1950s but the colours are distinctly lighter than last year. Many of its models look to gold and detailing including the Silmo d'Or nominated Miami. But technology isn't ignored - Legends uses a browbar around which complete frames are built in a variety of colours.
Taking colour a step further with glow in the dark eyewear was Remdottica, the collabortation between REM Eyewear and Mondottica. It has just launched the Converse brand on the UK market (News 08.10.10) and the Half Stack and Line Up both use a finish which looks like frosted ice in the light but glows with colour in the dark.
Danish style
If any one company is synonymous with colour it has to be Ørgreen. Not only does the Danish designer have a full-time dedicated colour stylist, it strives to constantly create new colour concepts and treatments. Communications manager Catherine Lee says this year Ørgreen is toning down some of its shapes and colours to fit in with the demand from wearers. Models such as Harold, Cornelius and Maxamillian all look towards craftmanship rather than shock value. In models such as Annabel this comes through in the texture of the colour - rubberised paint lends a feel to the hue. Ørgreen was also showcasing its collaboration on Arne Jacobsen Swan chairs with the Republic of Fritz Hansen which show off the Copenhagen skyline logo in a series of specially chosen colours. These, along with the famous skyline are echoed in the eyewear (08.10.10).
LaFont was toning down colour in its attempts to appeal more to men. Matthieu Lafont says the brand is famous for its women's frames but it wants to push male designs too. 'Many of the ideas are the same but more mechanical, more technical.' This takes some of the lacy effects and boudoir colouring down to deep reds, browns and gun colours.
Gold was the colour of Zilli and handcraftsmanship in eyewear and clothing its selling point. It was celebrating 40 years with a gold aviator, a recurring theme at Silmo, replete with 24-carat gold leaf over the lenses, a feature that won its a spot in the Espace Nouveautes.
If you were looking for gold and technology, Mykita was the place to go. Alongside its Mylon technology (News 01.10.10) it had a large collection of gold and brightly metallic coloured panto sunwear. This is the result of a collaboration with Brazilian fashion designer Alexandre Herchcovitch. These take a classic frame worn by the architect Le Corbusier as inspiration. Flattened metals form the shapes and a cutaway look is employed to give it a modern twist. Metallic aviators, again most notably in gold, were also on show.
The fusion of technology, materials and colour could also be found at Pro Design. Its traditional stronghold of metal is joined by an array of acetate. This has been adorned with detailed working and colour. Pernille Dressel, communications manager, says in contrast to many other makers Prodesign has seen its frames increase in size. The arrival of more quality acetate, painstakingly acquired by the designers, has completed a move to the nerdy look.
Caseco works with a range of eyewear firms to bring innovative products to the UK, says managing director Peter Wood, with brands such as JF Rey: 'There's nothing like it, so practices can stand out a little.' But Caseco is bringing technology to these shores too. Julbo won a Silmo d'Or for its innovation in sports eyewear with a no compromise approach to glazing sports frames. Through its Rx Trem collaboration with Shamir it is offering all of its sports products with prescription lenses just as the designer intended. 'One of the frustrations our customers had was that when they wanted a prescription they would have to compromise.' No longer, says Pierre Burgelin, international sales manger at Julbo. By taking a few extra parameters and working with Shamir it can offer all products with tints, coatings and shapes to fit in with the way the frame was designed.
Sporting heritage
Sport with a fashion twist dominated the Marchon stand. It was using the sporting heritage of Lacoste to promote the brand. The styles were more street than sporting with gold, silver and bright colours used in aviator styles, shields and wayfarer shapes. Laminated acetates hark back to the tennis theme to great effect on a range of large butterfly frames in green/white, blue/white and other colour combinations. Elsewhere on a busy Marchon stand were the Michael Kors 22 carat gold aviator and its new house brand Kiss & Kill.
Of course, this was Paris and there was plenty of chic, designer eyewear on show and a stream of new arrivals such as Borsalino and Trussardi. It is interesting that the quality of the workmanship of these brands' existing products was the opening gambit in eyewear for these two entrants. More traditional style drivers such as Robert La Roche are moving more to the individual to differentiate themselves.Its collection uses bespoke acetates, hand made in Italy, and sources some models, such as Titan, from Japan to accentuate quality.
La Roche has also named its models for the first time. Austrian winemakers provide the names with the idea to tie into the quality of their products through models such as the hand-made Gross which uses the Italian acetate.
A perennial favourite in Paris is the UK's Zoobug. This year it was showing off what founder Dr Julie Diem Le described as 'almost indestructible' infant ophthalmic frames in Grillamide and metal. These have to be strong, says Dr Le, but the use of colour also lends an air of sophistication. Sophistication was also the theme for some of the ophthalmic and sunwear for older children at Zoobug. The stand was awash with mini-me frames in classic shapes such as wayfarer and double bridge aviators. Elsewhere areoplanes and flowers formed prints on fun styles while an interchangeable browbar piece tempted the teens.
For those firms outside the village, affordable and wearable were the watchwords. A brand making a play for the UK is the Dutch supplier Eurovisie with its You'S and younger, Youpi, lines. Since setting out in the UK after the last Optrafair it has secured around 100 regular customer but is planning to go direct and build the brands. Gutsy, original and wearable are the kind of words Eurovisie uses to describe its range which includes some flexible and colourful kids models and adult styles with a continental feel.
Another European supplier looking to deal direct with the UK is Yuka. Its carries brands such as Lotto and Creattivi, but its main line is Alek Paul which uses classic styling with colour and shape to bring a modern feel. It is currently in 20 London stores, explains Maurizio Faenzi, but he wants to grow that around the UK. Printed metal and shaped metals to create a 3D effect were the hallmark look.
Yuka will find the Brits in fighting form. A number of other UK suppliers were at Silmo flexing their design muscles. These included Booth & Bruce, Brulimar, Continental, Cutler & Gross, Dunelm, Inspecs, Jai Kudo, Kirk Originals, Mondottica, Oliver Goldsmith, William Morris and TD Tom Davies.
Tom Davies always has something to say at the international shows and Silmo was no exception (news 01.10.10). More surprising was the announcement of his intention to get into rimless eyewear which he expects to be 30 per cent of his business in 2011. He was pleasantly surprised by the change in venue for Silmo and said the French were in buying mood. 'The negative was the strike. My frame highlights were the Rock Star sunglasses, which were the biggest selling product we have ever had at an exhibition, and the new rimless collection. We have found a niche in the market which didn't exist before. The nice part for us is that people ordered our rimless in addition to our usual orders, so it seems that we will be displacing other people's sales.'
Brulimar was cashing in on the higher profile some of its brands command overseas than they do in the UK. Lee Cooper is massive in France, says spokeswoman Alison Doering, adding that the range is very varied, with something for everyone. Another brand, seeing 12 new mid-range styles, was Bench which has a very strong following in Germany and Spain.
A UK firm seeking overseas inspiration is Inspecs. Its collection from the Indian designer Manish Arora was moving towards much more wearable colours and shapes. The collection still takes cues from the clothing ranges with the metal boss widely used, accessories such as bangles created a closer tie in with the clothes.
Animal continued its street-sport feel in a wide range of colours and styles. CAT creates a collection for the more mature male in big eye sizes for a practical, fashionable solution for the larger gent.
Backing Britain
A highlight was a refreshed Austin Reed collection back in Blighty, complete with Union Jacks at the temple. This collection has the feel of the original Conran collection with booky colours and library chic very much the order of the day. The feel is classic with hints to modernity and style such as carbon fibre, leather and animal touches.
UK suppliers and practitioners were well represented at the show and suppliers were not disappointed by the level of activity. There isn't much Continental Eyewear doesn't know about overseas shows and it had a great position between the two halls. Neal Grimason, sales and marketing director, says he was pleased with the level of business and wondered if the new venue next to the airport might have helped. 'I've been pleasantly surprised by the number of people who have made the journey,' he says.
Garry Kousoulou, director of Goodlooking Optics in Enfield, certainly thought the trip worthwhile even if the venue wasn't quite as intimate as before. 'As far as trends, Kirk Originals' hologram frame is very creative. The world's first eco-friendly frame is a good angle, lots of USPs.'
He felt the show was dominated by geek chic, a trend the UK public hasn't yet embraced. 'The trade stands that had a real buzz about them were IC! Berlin and Tom Davies,' he says. 'Paris is a must for any optician who needs to keep up to date on trends.' ?