Junk
Among the newer eyewear brands was first-time Silmo exhibitor Junk, which started in 2019 with the ethos of responsible creativity by using waste materials to design high-quality eyewear.
The brand trialled fishing nets and plastic waste before partnering with Econyl and using its regenerated nylon material.
Styles are influenced by the trend for 1990s and 2000s fashion, including sculptural models that are smoothed and softened to create the effect of waves on the frame.
Model Jang, pictured above, is Junk’s riff on the classic clubmaster frame, which is given a futuristic-pop look and features real silver on the J branding.
Modo
Modo sought to create six timeless styles for its Legacy collection, which offers a variety of colour options for personalisation, including
subtle blue and green, and variations on trend-inspired crystal and lavender.
The brand, which was founded in 1990, explores classic shapes including the slender, panto model 8001 and the thin-rimmed, square silhouette 8004.
Using high-density acetate, Modo also designed bolder frames, such as the square shaped 8000 that has a flat top brow, while 8005 is a full square frame with straight lines and thick corners.
Softer styles include the oval cat’s eye 8002 and the edged, round silhouette 8003.
Decorative ribbed metallic plating is visible on each frame’s wire core on the temple through the semi-transparent acetate. (Pictured right from top to bottom are models 8003, 8005 and 8000).
• modo.com
Charmant
Minimalist styles are found in the new range by Charmant that once again focus on the light and flexible feel of Japanese titanium in pursuit of eyewear excellence.
The brand’s Titanium Perfection range for autumn/winter 2023 features classic, elegant shapes with detailing such as hand-painted accents and overlapping, stripped or textured temples.
The rounded, subtle cat’s eye silhouette CH29840 (pictured) has a touch of colour on the front resulting in a fresh, chic look with options including, blue, green or grey on the brow line and hand-blasted effect on the temples.
Gotti
A rounded finish on the highly-polished acetate used in Götti’s Switzerland collection results in a lighter look, which is also given a handcrafted touch with the name of the employee who polished the frame appearing on the inner temple.
The Swiss brand also introduces a tri-colourway created through multi-layering the acetate that playfully changes in the light.
Warm tones include fuchsia red, sea grass green and earthy caramel brown, which repeatedly appears at Silmo as an alternative to traditional tortoiseshell.
Models Hedda (right) and Hulda (left) showcase the material’s light-reflecting qualities and reveal a filigree gold metal inlay on the temple.
• gotti.ch
Vasuma
Swedish eyewear brand Vasuma returned to Silmo with a new booth inspired by Old Town Stockholm in anticipation of its 20th anniversary.
Among its launches was a case designed to fold flat for sustainably minded shipping and the Titanboa (pictured) frame, which continued the brand’s penchant for snake-inspired creations.
A semi-transparent, teal colour pops on the 8mm acetate, which gives the model a chunky yet well-balanced, retro-inspired style.
Snakeskin patterned acetate tips are found on the thin metal Bushmaster model, which is an old-school aviator silhouette that pairs rounded rims with straight-edged bridge and brow lines.
Mykita
Standing out across Mykita’s design-led launches is its collaboration with Berlin-based media and fashion company 032c and its eye-catching Marfa model.
Mykita’s Mylon material is used to create a frame that draws inspiration from the trendy athletic aesthetic with a voluminous wraparound design.
The soft, cylindrical silhouette features lenses cut from a rounded shield at a slightly tilted axis to create a lens reflection that adds to the statement look.
Four colour options are available, including: pitch black with dark grey solid lens; safari green with silver lens; and ebony brown or cashmere grey (pictured below) are both available with a cedar brown lens.
Etnia Barcelona
Spanish producer Etnia Barcelona is known for its eclectic inspiration and willingness to embrace colour, art and culture.
At the heart of the new collection is the concept of Miscelánea, where seemingly disparate cultures such as Japanese and Mediterranean traditions and innovation can co-exist.
These influences are reflected in the designs of the new ophthalmic frame collection, which fuses a combination of natural acetates with textures and details inspired by Japan, and oversized, bold shapes with a Mediterranean character.
Notable details include prints representing koi fish scales, cherry blossom colours and circular motifs on the temple symbolising the rising sun. Pictured are styles Aria (right) and Koi (left).
Lunor
Lunor has ignored the clamour for fads over the years and remained solely focused on its timeless design and craftsmanship by manufacturing its products in Germany’s Black Forest.
The new A14 (pictured first right) ophthalmic frame represents a slight departure from Lunor’s timeless minimalist approach, with more voluminous acetate and a large, D-shaped silhouette.
The angles have been softened along the lower rim and brow bar, which makes the style easy to wear. Bayonet-style temples give the frame a masculine look, which is backed up by strong colour options of black, dark Havana and spotted Havana.
Much more in keeping with Lunor traditions is the M9 (pictured far right) style in its new 08 two-tone colour scheme. The panto silhouette is crafted from titanium at Lunor’s partner factory in Japan and features reinforced temple tips and titanium nose pads.
Theo
The big news from Belgian brand Theo was the release of its first ever children’s ophthalmic frame collection.
As one might expect, the brand has gone the extra mile to add context to the collection, with the creation of a special Kiekeboe! (Peekaboo!) cartoon strip by famous Antwerp cartoonist, Merho.
The cartoon features characters wearing several styles from the new collection with a storyline that makes wearing glasses fun and exciting for children.
The frames are essentially downsized versions of Theo’s adult frames, but there are several production changes to make them more child-friendly.
The sprung-metal temples are tumbled for longer to remove the sharp edges seen on the adult’s frames and pins that would normally extend though the acetate on the frame fronts has been pulled back, so they fit flush.
Opticians are supplied with a ‘first aid kit’ to help parents and patients fix any damage, but the frames have had a thorough quality control process over the past few months involving staff’s children.
• theo.be
l.a. Eyeworks
Gai Gherardi, co-founder of l.a. Eyeworks had a relatively simple brief for the brand’s new rippled titanium collection – the frames had to feel well-built and robust.
The four-strong pure titanium collection takes inspiration from construction, but with such a utilitarian direction, there was a risk that the frames may not have channelled the brand’s rebellious spirt.
Thankfully, the corrugated frames, which are a nod to pre-fab Quonset huts of the early World War Two era, have been treated to a satin colour palette of orange, brick red, eggplant, olive, dark black velvet, light silver and dark gunmetal that ensures that each style is more catwalk than construction site.
The ripples on the frames not only add a tactile feel but are deep enough to introduce playful variations of light and shadow. Pictured are the Hacksaw (top), Lean To (middle) and Bobco (bottom) styles.
Go Eyewear
The Go Eyewear Group presented a slew of new releases across seven brands, including the debut of Milan fashion house, Trussardi.
The new collection comprises 36 ophthalmic styles and 29 sunglass models. Go Eyewear said the new collection (right) had maintained the allure of the Italian clothing and accessories brand through technical details and design that ensured all-day comfort.
Elsewhere, Ana Hickman (bottom right) showcased its winter 2023 collection, which used premium acetate and exotic metals including titanium and beta-titanium.
One of the highlights included the adventurous AH6543 magnetic sunglass clip, which elevates a refined cat’s eye style to a high fashion sunglass thanks to its overlap design.