L.G.R. Eyewear: three beautiful frames for 2011

Subtle frame-shade sunglass contrasts in Orano in matt green (top) and Emma in honey (middle), and one superb sharp-textured tortoiseshellish acetate eyeglass - Suez in Havana (bottom) - from Italian eyewear experts L.G.R. Got my hands on some of these last month and was very impressed: top-quality build in some amazing materials.

Robert La Roche's tribute to the 1980s: the RLR812 special edition

Robert La Roche is an exceptional Austrian eyewear brand with a rich heritage stretching back to the 1970s.

Even those with little eye for fashion will have noticed the 1980s revival. And as we saw in my post on Thierry Lasry yesterday, the designers are not only using styles from the 1980s as inspiration, they're sourcing acetate from that period to make their glasses look and feel even more retro.

Robert La Roche, with designs now headed by Klaus Huber and Alexandra Giselbrecht, actually found these 1980s acetates "in the basement". 

Twenty or 30 years later, the acetate has become harder, but the colour radiates a new glow.

The RLR812 is available in limited quantities - aptly 80 pairs for each colour.

Thierry Lasry 2011 sunglasses in vintage Mazzucchelli acetate

The clocks go back tomorrow night. It's feeling cold outside. So what better way to brighten up an October evening that a sneak preview of Thierry Lasry's 2011 acetate sunglasses including two made from vintage 1980s Mazzucchelli acetates (the two worn by the models)?...

Have a little mouse hover to find out the style name. Available from decent optical outlets and Colette.

TD Tom Davies limited edition sunglasses on Angelina Jolie in The Tourist

Angelina Jolie was snapped during filming of The Tourist wearing UK designer Tom Davies' limited edition sunglasses (model 13435) - as pictured on this week's UK Grazia.

Davies started out making bespoke eyewear for carefully measured faces about decade ago and has now built up a network of opticians who will develop frames specifically for your face.

I'll feature more of his work here soon...

IC! Berlin goes asymmetric with Jiro Ito glasses collaboration

IC! Berlin has collaborated with Japanese designer Jiro Ito to create this limited edition collection of four subtly asymmetric frames, each available in two colours. The temples are bent in a wave-like
curve for comfort and better fitting. Top to bottom: Jiro, Naomi, Yasuhiko and Yutaro.

Alain Mikli MATT acetates - classy camo eyewear from France

Eyewear fans will see more matt finishes in 2011 but few frames will be as classy as these colourful, camouflage-inspired from Alain Mikli's "MATT" glasses collection.

These four frames not only benefit from outstanding acetate finishes, they come with inspiring, original contours, that you come to expect from Mikli. As well as the classy acetate and the designer's signature gap hinge, these glasses also feature ROK technology, a manufacturing method that ensures the material does not deform over time. Hover over frame for model numbers...

Available from top opticians all over the world.

Dita Eyewear 2010 - new shades for this autumn...

	Dita Eyewear is one of those brands that I really should write about more often. It ticks numerous boxes. Extremely good Japanese, handmade quality; a really broad collection of detailed and intricate sunglasses and glasses in both metals and acetate; and, fundamentally, really original design that sets trends rather than follows them.
			These shades, left, are Dita Sun Condor. Hover over images to reveal other product names...

 

These final three - Sig, Charger and Marseille - are new this autumn. You can purchase Dita sunglasses in top quality locations the world over or at the Dita Legends Online Store.

Graz handmade sunglasses: round, square or cat's eye

Had the pleasure of meeting the brilliant Graz Mulcahy in Paris last month, and had a good look at his eponymous Graz eyewear collection, including new pieces from his 2011 collection. Here I've selected just a few examples of his fine designs, which are available from The Grand Social.

Persol limited edition Steve McQueen PO714 folding sunglasses

Two Persol posts in a week. This time we're looking at special edition Steve McQueen Persol PO 714 sunglasses.

There are three colours, brown with blue lenses, like these (left and below); brown with brown lenses; and black with green lenses. The shades fold at the bridge and midway along the temples and they're available here.

Karen Walker's Deep Freeze tortoiseshell sunglasses as worn by Carolina in New York

Carolina Engman from Fashionsquad is wearing a great pair of tortoiseshell Karen Walker Deep Freeze sunglasses.

It's simple shape but I think the contrast in the tortoiseshell acetate frame is second to none.

...And now wearing a striking pair of Persols in soft sunlight

And here's Alexandra wearing a great pair of Persols, not dissimilar to the PO0649 below...

Thanks to Alexandra for the picture - here's her Lovely Pepa Blog

Alexandra wearing John Richmond sunglasses

This is Alexandra, a Spanish student from Vigo, and this is the first of two great pictures showing her penchant for a good pair of shades. The sunglasses are by John Richmond. I love the simple double bridge. Another pic tomorrow...

Alexandra's blog: Lovely Pepa Blog

Claire Goldsmith Reid glasses in "red lemonade"

These are Reid by Claire Goldsmith - the shape and colour of these frames are superb. "Red lemonade" - isn't that Tizer?

Who makes the rescued Chile miners' sunglasses?

The rescued miners from the San José mine in Chile appeared from the depths of the earth wearing Oakley Radar sunglasses, similar to these above.

While I would have much preferred the Chilean miners to have been resuced wearing a stylish Oliver Goldsmith sunglasses or a pair of Dita shades (you'll see from the rest of Eye Wear Glasses, we don't really do sporty), I guess the requirement to stop any light getting in around the sides of the sunglasses always meant it would be a pair of tight-fitting wraparounds, which might usually be worn for running or cycling.

Oakley Radar cost about $180 and you can buy some here...

 

Parasite - fittingly different eyewear for 2011

Think these are a bit different? Then get your peepers around this lot from what is certainly France's and probably the world's most original glasses designers, Parasite Eyewear.

Note the unusual split temple design that travels not behind the ears, but to just before the ear and then up high on the temple. It looks unusual, but feels unusually comfortable should you ever try a pair. And unlike most ordinary eyewear these glasses don't slip off once you bend down to tie your shoelace.

What's more Parasite has some pretty sharp, some-might-say-1980s (although 2010s is most accurate) innovative designs.

The first of this next bunch, Varana, is brilliantly inspired by Mexican wrestling - can they're be a more modern take on the cat's eye?