State Optical
Making its debut on home soil was State Optical, a luxury brand designed and manufactured in the US. A spin-off from long-time American supplier and distributor, Europa Eyewear, State Optical was created from a desire to have a brand that could inspire others to invest in American eyewear production – something that the brand’s marketing director Carolyn Zazra says has sadly become almost extinct.
A new manufacturing facility was built in Chicago and the company has grown from five to 45 employees since it was formed for a ‘soft launch’ in 2015.
The collection has been designed by optometrist and preeminent American eyewear designer, Blake Kuwahara, with fit and comfort at the top of design priorities.
The most basic frame State offers goes through 75 different production steps, with over half of those being completed by hand. The drilled State logo, a pyramid of dots, is drilled into each temple end tip, then injected with resin.
State Optical’s commitment to details and comfort
Randolph Engineering
With its military heritage, Randolph Engineering has tended to find favour with male patients looking for a utilitarian aesthetic and the brand has a fanatical fanbase. But in recent years, the company has had a shift of mindset where it has tried to entice more female frame buyers to broaden its reach beyond the fanatics.
Randolph Engineering’s more inclusive styles
It is easy to see why patients are so fanatical about Randolph Engineering products, though. Frames are made in the US and have been standard issue to the US military since the early 1980s, built to MIL-S-25948 standards with of some of the most rigid manufacturing regulations in the world. In the early 1990s during Desert Storm, the company supplied 200,000 optical inserts for gas masks without a single item failing in use.
To widen its reach and make more of an impact in the ophthalmic frame sector, the company has introduced new ‘softer’ marketing collateral, packaging materials and frame styles, that feature more feminine shapes and mixed media construction.
Spectacle Eyeworks
‘I wanted to bring a fresh approach to the geek chic look and design smaller, sleek shapes while playing with more vibrant colours, creating what I like to call “hip chic”,’ says Spectacle Eyeworks director and chief designer Mehran Baghaie on the company’s Retro collection.
You might not think it, but Retro is perhaps the brand’s most subtle collection. Striated hues mix with bold base colour combinations for acetate designs that pack a punch despite their diminutive size. Retro represents designer Baghaie at his most constrained.
Spectacle Eyeworks colourful Retro collection
Formed in 1996, the company started out with edgy designs that Baghaie says represented his ‘inner freak and says being labelled as conservative would be the ultimate insult you could level against him.
The Homa style is and easy-to-wear rectangular shape that is brought to life by its colouration. The deep marbled emerald green colour option is the standout option in a range that includes crimson red and sepia brown. For a look at the brand’s freakier side, check the Silmo d’Or winning Spectacle Eyeworks collection.
L'Amy America
While Nike and Reebok are the headliners of American sportswear brands, New York label Champion has maintained a position as a cool, more low-key option over the years. Through recent collaborations with fashion hot ticket designers like Off-White, Champion’s streetwear credentials are possibly the highest they have ever been.
The latest collection of ophthalmic frames has taken inspiration from the mesh basketball shorts and jerseys. ‘Champion was the first sport brand to utilise this fabric in creating the now classic, basketball team practice short and eventually the reversible mesh team jersey.
Champion’s Mesh series
The recognisable dotted pattern of the breathable mesh material inspired our unique ophthalmic mesh temple design,’ says Champion worldwide business manager Connie Reiss. The three-strong collection is made up of acetate and stainless-steel models with heavy duty spring hinges. Colours include deep blues and blacks, and a classic American rootbeer brown.
Fetch Eyewear
With an onus on philanthropy in the animal welfare sector, Fetch Eyewear is different from most other frame brands. The company donates 100% of its profits to charities within the sector, with most going to the Pixie Project – an animal shelter and veterinary clinic for those on low-incomes.
Launching at Vision Expo East was the Collection line, a range of ophthalmic frames featuring patented interlocking sections that allow lenses to be swapped between different colour frames. ‘I designed Collection in response to consumer frustration that the cost of lenses often meant wearing the same glasses for years,’ says Ann Sacks, founder and owner of Fetch Eyewear. ‘With this technology, we are able to offer customers more fun and more fashion.’
