ositioned early in the calendar, 100% Optical offers UK eyewear aficionados a look at the year ahead without the hassle of international travel. While many of the frame companies on show had already presented their wares in Germany, Optician’s eye was caught by two brands launching into the UK market at 100%.
Coral Eyewear launched its first ever collection at 100% with founder George Bailey also celebrating his 20th birthday over the weekend. The six optical designs, available in four colours, are constructed from recycled materials with sustainability at the heart of the venture.
‘My background is in sustainability and I’m still studying at University of East Anglia. This involves a lot of environmental philosophy and environmental economics. I wanted to put that theory into practice and really allow it to make an impact. The product range that we ended up developing is inspired by my family’s background; both my parents have been in the optical industry for about 30 years. Coral combines my background in sustainability and their experience in the optical industry.’
Bailey explains that Coral works in collaboration with Econyl, a recycled material which can be reused in a variety of products.
‘We use Econyl, which is regenerated nylon made from recovered nylon waste – such as fishing nets from the oceans and aquaculture, fabric scraps from mills and carpets destined for landfill – that has been turned back into virgin nylon. For a number of years, Econyl was working with a nylon fabric, something like yarn, and we approached them and asked if we could pelletise it in order to create an eyewear solution. That’s the product that we’ve got here today. Also the case that accompanies all our frames is made from recycled plastic bottle tops.’
In terms of frame design, Bailey says the brief for this first collection was to keep to classic shapes that would not sit unsold in warehouses. ‘We could have perhaps done a wackier press piece to garner attention but it’s not really in the interest of sustainability to create something that won’t sell. The models do have really nice quirks though, like tapered aspects and keyhole bridges. These first models are optical but we have sunglasses in the works and are looking to expand further later in the year.’
An example of the Coral Eyewear range made from Econyl
In the long-term, Bailey plans for Coral to reclaim its eyewear at the end of lifetime and reuse the same materials again.
‘We’re not just looking at where the frames come from,’ he says. ‘We’re trying to get that solution right through to the end so a patient who wants to change can send the frames back to us and we will recycle the material again. Hopefully a few years down the line, we can create a collection that is made solely from our previous frames.’
Organic eyewear
Vysen is an eyewear brand that has grown considerably across North and South America since its inception in 2015. Now making inroads into the European market, Vysen officially launched into the UK at 100% Optical.
‘The frames are designed in Miami [US] and manufactured in Italy,’ said Jose Navarro, director of Vysen Eyewear. ‘The main material used is stainless steel but we also use organic acetate. So far, most of our designs are for sunglasses but we do have some optical models too.’
Vysen took home two trophies from the inaugural Love Eyewear Awards held on the Saturday night of the 100% Optical weekend. First its Arie sunglass model was awarded Luxury Frame of the Year, followed by Onix scooping the gong for Sunglass of the Year.
The award winning Onix sunglass by Vysen
‘We were pleased to get recognition for the detail that goes into our frames,’ said Navarro. ‘For example, the manufacturing process for Arie involves 45 separate technical steps. We unify our entire collection with a red temple on the left. This is because our logo is inspired by the human heart and that is found on the left side of the body.’
According to Navarro, endorsement has played a key role in Vysen’s growth to date. ‘Loads of celebrities wear the frames just because they like them. The footballer Neymar is a good example of this. We’ve also done some collaborations. Our Fonsi frame is the result of working with singer Luis Fonsi – he’s famous for the global hit song Despacito.’
At 100%, Vysen was looking for suitable practices to present its frames to the UK market.
‘We are looking for boutiques and niche stores that want to have something different, something unique,’ said Navarro. ‘Our eyewear is hip and funky so we want places that are a good fit.’
Museum of Forgotten Eyewear
Among the more intriguing sights at the show was a large display of weird and wonderful frames, ranging from the famous to the obscure, courtesy of the Museum of Forgotten Eyewear. Curator Mark Jensen spoke to Optician about how he started collecting eyewear and his favourite pieces.
‘I’ve been in the industry about 25 years,’ said Jensen. ‘I actually went to school for architecture but, while studying, I started working at an optical store. I ended up getting my optician license and left architecture behind. I started collecting at that point and really got into it a few years later when I moved to Miami.’
To date Jensen has accumulated about 2,000 pieces, 200 of which made it to the Excel.
‘Giant museums now have the super rare pieces that are worth thousands of dollars,’ said Jensen. ‘You can go to the Victoria and Albert Museum and see the famous Oliver Goldsmith or Alain Mikli frames. So I called my museum “Forgotten Eyewear” because I’ve tended to go for pieces that are still rare but are not so well known. My favourites are pieces that are a little risqué or strange in some way.’
The collection includes a famous pair of frames previously worn by Elton John but, true to his word, Jensen highlights a less obvious piece as his very favourite.
‘It’s a one of a kind 1960s art piece designed to invoke a pair of fried eggs,’ he says. ‘It’s amazing. It’s unlike anything else here. It may or may not be very wearable, but it’s definitely the prized piece of the collection.’
Away from the design side, Jensen also takes a lively interest in the history of eyewear.
‘Some of the early designers, like Elsa Schiaparelli and Oleg Cassini, were the first to put their names on frames. I think my earliest piece with a designer name is one of Elsa’s from 1953. In many ways, that is the start of designer eyewear.’