Patients’ purse strings may be beginning to loosen, with recent data from market research firm Gfk showing that the luxury eyewear segment of the eyewear market is performing better than any other.
Products priced over £200 (€280) now account for nearly 10 per cent of the total eyewear marker and sales value growth has increased by 11 per cent in the first half of 2015. Now could be the perfect time to increase luxury eyewear inventory.
Patients’ purse strings may be beginning to loosen, with recent data from market research firm Gfk showing that the luxury eyewear segment of the eyewear market is performing better than any other. Products priced over £200 (€280) now account for nearly 10 per cent of the total eyewear marker and sales value growth has increased by 11 per cent in the first half
of 2015. Now could be the perfect time to increase luxury
eyewear inventory.
[CaptionComponent="1921"]Sting in the tail
Lucas de Stael — Vivarium Gaulchat
The demonstration of opulence doesn’t get much more extreme than frames utilising Stingray skin, a must-have in the 1930s and more recently, a fashion house favourite. If luxury encompasses the element of exclusivity, then stingray skin, also known as shagreen, delivers in abundance. Its use is heavily governed by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, so it won’t become popular anytime soon. The thin layer of skin, which has a look and feel similar to a table tennis bat, is available in six hues and is bonded with leather around a thin surgical stainless steel core.
[CaptionComponent="1922"]Easy rider
SALT. Optics — Aether
The nature-inspired SALT. brand has teamed up with luxury US apparel producer Aether to create two sunglass models for motorcycle riders. The Japanese-made frames are constructed from titanium and acetate and feature virtually indestructible beta-titanium temples designed to provide ample flexibility when worn under a motorcycle helmet. Ventilated side shields regulate air flow while making sure peripheral vision is not obstructed. Two lens options are available, both featuring a polarised film to reduce glare. The lenses also sport a photochromic coating and a scratch-proof mirror coating.
[CaptionComponent="1923"]A design for life
Theo — Wide Open
Design is very much at the heart of the new Wide Open collection from Belgian eyewear brand Theo. The company has a long-standing history of collaborating with Belgian designers, but Wide Open has seen it work with an international designer for the very first time. French designer Matali Crasset, who has worked for Starck, Alessi and Ikea in the past, has created a 12-strong collection of acetate and acetate/metal combination frames where the design does the talking. The signature style for the range is the wide brow and deep lens shape, but design details, such as the exposed edges of the lens on the Rebelle frame.
[CaptionComponent="1924"]Classic update
Cutler and Gross — Pantoscopia
The Pantoscopia collection from British luxury eyewear brand Cutler and Gross is based around its popular panto shapes from the 1980s, the 0352 style. A stepped Windsor rim construction provides simple glazing as acetate hoods are kept away from lens edges. Models sport a refined aesthetic with simple takes on the classic panto shape, in keeping with trends for whimsical silhouettes. Italian producers provide the acetate and flex hinges and three of the four models in the range offer additional sizing options.
[CaptionComponent="1925"]Best in show
W-eye — Aifir
Italian manufacturer W-eye has always looked to nature for inspiration for its collections and Silmo d’Or Best Sunglass winner, Aifir sunglass, is no exception. The idea for the hexagonal silhouette came from a trip to Ireland and a visit the Giant’s Causeway. Seven layers of wood and two thin layers of aluminium create make the frames structure, this includes a perforated screen in the nose bridge. The outer patterned veneer comes from Italian wood production specialist Alpi, which produces 0.6mm think sheets that are used in various forms of decoration, including cars, boats and furniture.
[CaptionComponent="1926"]Horn of plenty
Hoffman Natural Eyewear — 7435 STW10
Buffalo horn is already one of the of the most luxurious materials available in the world of eyewear, but German manufacturer Hoffman Natural Eyewear has taken it one step further with the 7435 frame with the inclusion of a thin layer of slate on the frame’s exterior. The company’s V-series hinge has been refined this year, with new position on the temples. The design of the hinge allows for easier springing in of lenses, something that many practitioners will be glad of, as the horn cannot be heated and can chip if the lenses are milled too large. Buffalo horn comes from sustainable sources and only becomes available after the natural death of the animal.
[CaptionComponent="1927"]Out of the ordinary
PQ Eyewear by Ron Arad — Two Liner
Launched in 2011, the PQ Eyewear project with Israeli designer Ron Arad captured the attention of the public as well as the eyewear sector. Not coming from an eyewear background gave Arad the freedom to push the boundaries of what was possible in eyewear manufacturing. A new management structure at PQ Eyewear and new production facilities has brought about the 3D printed collection, Two Liner. Two individual pieces are joined together to create the silhouette. The sections connect at the hinge, the vertebrae-like mechanism of which has been inspired by earlier Ron Arad hinges. The company describes itself as ‘antiordinary’ and with the Two Liner collection, it’s easy to see why.
[CaptionComponent="1928"]Transfer request
Mykita + Maison Margiela — Transfer
True to its name, the new Mykita + Maison Margiela collection revolves around transferring familiar patterns and textures to a foreign context. The surface of the sheet-metal glasses gives ample space for the signature Margiela trompe l’oeil theme to show itself. The python texture has been etched and lacquered by hand on to the stainless steel frame, putting a new spin on conventional luxury codes. Zero-base lenses add to the avant-garde aesthetic of this high-fashion frame. Three colour schemes are available – gold/black python, silver/black python, silver/white python.