Simon Jones: Design democratisation

After another trade show looking at the latest and greatest eyewear releases, I find myself wondering if frame design has finally liberated itself from the idea of following fashion trends.

It’s a gut feeling I’ve had for a while now, primarily driven by independent eyewear designers and companies being brave enough to remain true to their own ideas and brand DNAs. Instead of following a particular trend or even attempting to start them, designers are simply doing what they want. Looking around Silmo last weekend, it was impossible to identify any widespread trends in colours or shapes because eyewear has become such a melting pot of ideas.