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The collection, under the banner of 'The most beautiful frames in the world', takes its name from Coco which translates to ancient, and Song, the dynasty that founded Hong Kong in 976 AD. Coco Song frames are a fusion of Italian design and ancient Chinese symbology, with a synergy of images, colours and materials.
The top-end frame line, that retails around the £160 mark, is distributed in the UK by Capitol Optical. Visitors to the Mido show in May could have seen the collection on the Italian parent company Area's pagoda-style stand which was decked in silk and echoed the eye-catching colours of the frames.
Capitol's managing director Bernard Beech, sporting a bright green-sided model himself, is enthusiastic about the line, describing it as very different to anything he has distributed previously. 'There's a lot of interest in China at the moment. The company has built features into the spectacle frames and come up with a concept with the show material in a very nice package,' he says.
The colours, with reds and greens to the fore, are certainly vivid and mixed, sometimes multi-coloured, with the contrasting colours subtly blending together. 'Some of the colours are vibrant and some diffuse when you put them on your face. It is quite surprising as only a few of the frame combinations are really over the top,' says Capitol's product manager Geoff Thomas, who adds that all the patterned acetate is exclusive.
While there is plenty of activity with the frames, the majority of the detailing - the coin motifs and Cantonese writing - is found on the sides and hinges, with simpler fronts, for example the model Ever Green.
The sunglass line, however, goes for more of the same but in a bigger and bolder format, with 'Long Song' and 'Love Promise' being particularly colourful patterned acetates.
'Independents are desperate for change,' says Beech. 'There has definitely been a shift in the optical market to an appreciation for more technical frame product. And that is what is offered here with the inlays and the finishing on these frames. The company is not just shooting stuff through a machine.'
The manufacturing is carried out in Italy, jointly with a factory in China. Beech describes the process, where the silk, feathers and leaves are delicately incorporated in the acetate, as a closely guarded secret. He says craftsmen in China have the traditional skills to accomplish such delicate work. The leaves are in skeletal form, with the veins being the decorative element, while the feathers stand out from the patterned silk in contrasting colours.
The frames in aluminium, monel, quality Japanese titanium and laminated acetates, come with a two-year guarantee. There are 30 models in an average of three to four colours and these are backed up with point-of-sale material including a six-foot window banner, posters in Mandarin and silk presentation pillows. The case, in a pink and purple presentation box, is also inlaid with Mandarin silk.
At the moment, 70 per cent of the collection is aimed at the women's sector, though looking forward, Beech and Thomas say there will be some more classical shapes with more of an emphasis on styles suitable for men, giving the line a broader appeal.
While Coco Song sits very much in the top price segment, Beech adds that Capitol's other lines cover the different price points. These include the trendy Armand Basi line, the recently introduced Revlon collection, a world brand for the older women, and the core Alta Vista range of titanium and monel styles with attention to detail.
Having successfully dipped its toe into China thanks to the exotic eyewear of Coco Song, Capitol promises further frame surprises to come from its Italian partner.
