Re-released Manhattan sunglasses mark 50th anniversary of Breakfast at Tiffany's

As revealed here in January, Oliver Goldsmith's Manhattan sunglasses were to be re-released to mark the 50th anniversary of Breakfast at Tiffany's.  Audrey Hepburn's Holly Golightly wears the shades in the 1961 film and Oliver Goldsmith has now launched an exact replica of the frame.

What's more OG has made it available in five colourways: the classic dark tortoiseshell with green lens (below), as worn in the film above, as well as black/caramel split (next down), dark wood, grape and ink.

And why not. Or rather Y-Not (bottom) another OG sunglass made available this summer - as worn by Lady Gaga.  Manhattan and Y-Not are available from the OG boutique in London or in the best opticians around the world (see stockists here).

Maek Eyewear makes it original – including collaboration with Jon Burgerman

It's great to see some originality emanating from little ole England. And Nottingham-based Maek Eyewear has a tonne of it, as is demoed herewith. The top frame is a collaboration with renowned street artist Jon Burgerman featuring his doodles on the temples and, a really impressive and bright, raw finish.

Next is a frame designed for Maek Eyewear with urban fashion brand Regenerate. And below that is Letloose and Another Level, another two sunnies from Maek that show that it truly lives up to its slogan: Maek It Original.

Och eye the noo: Face à Face tartan glasses for 2012

Apologies for the inevitable Scotticism. Tartan has far further flung fashion associations than Scotland, not least punk, but any "I" sound in a headline here has to be changed for poor play-on-word and self-serving SEO motivations.

So, we find a tartan frame created not by a clan north of the border, but from across the Channel.

Paris-based Face à Face is a brand close to my heart. So much so, I even got married in a pair of Face à Face. So when I heard about the tartan glasses coming in 2012, I was confident they would be well executed, and above lies the proof.

Tartan arrives in Face à Face’s 2012 collection, with six of its bestsellers available in this material: Sagan 1 and 2, Djinn 1, Macho 1 and 2,  and Woody.

More Face à Face posts here...

Garrett Leight California Optical's Fall 2011 eyewear

Garrett Leight's Fall 2011 collection – loving the big frames!

Morgenthal Frederics turns 25 with limited edition buffalo horn classics

More limited runs, this time from the brilliant Morgenthal Frederics. Celebrating 25 years, MF has created buffalo horn versions of four of its very best. Top to bottom: Mimi (originally released in 1991), Rhapsody (1986), Chet (1996) and Flange (1990).

Each piece is limited edition, numbered 1-25, and only come in one colour. Handmade in Germany, they are available now at select Morgenthal Frederics boutiques.

Chanel AW 2011 eyewear campaign featuring Claudia Schiffer

The Chanel eyewear campaign for autumn-winter 2011 features Claudia Schiffer...

Oliver Goldsmith glasses: additions to the retro collection for 2011

As someone who's worn an Oliver Goldsmith frame for the past year, pictures of new additions to the original collection from the 1960s are pretty exciting.

The new images coincide with a new website for Oliver Goldsmith's international retro glasses collection.

Handmade in Japan with amazingly rich acetate, these new models fit perfectly in the original collection. I love the Pelota (above and right) - it's great to see the angular shapes of the 1950s and 60s being used on men as well as women.

And the new Consul MB, with the metal bridge (top), is expertly executed, combining acetate and a titanium bridge. 1960s style with 2011 quality standards.

Hats off to Oliver Goldsmith!! We look forward to further additions in 2012!

Virginia and Zarthan from Seraphin Neoclassic glasses collection

Classic styles are all very well but if something new is added, something that brings the design into the 21st century, eyewear starts to reach another, more exciting level. We love this cat's eye from Ogi Eyewear's Seraphin Neoclassic collection. It's called Virginia (top). Also pictured is Zarthan.

Beck wears Theo Fool specs

Beck, aka Mrs Eye Wear Glasses, is pictured enjoying a smoothie in her Theo Fool glasses, as purchased from the brilliant Spex in the City in Covent Garden, a great little opticians that packs loads of choice into a pretty small space.

I love the shape of this frame – really unusual design around the bridge where the lenses are free from the frame. I raved about some similar Theo frames last year. The Belgian frame maker's slogan is "Theo Loves You" – we love you too Theo! Take a peep at Theo's site for millions of truly original designs. Available in the best opticians worldwide.

Beck's glasses feature a great glazing job too by the superb Ciliary Blue, a web service with some great prices for reglazing. I recently got Ciliary Blue to put a prescription into my Ray-Ban's and they did it perfectly, matching the tint to a T. We highly recommend! Prices start at £15 for a reglaze.

London Retro launches with exclusive web collection

Invitations to new eyewear brand launches in London are few and far between so I went along to the Zigfrid Von Underbelly bar this week with a skip in my step.

London Retro is quite an accurate description as brand names go: nine classic styles with names like Fitzrovia (top), Shoreditch (second down), Queens (third), and Portobello (above on him, with Shoreditch on her). Finally Sam and Jodie, at the launch party, wear Queens (far left) and Carnaby (left)

What is decidedly modern, however, is that London Retro is exclusively available online. The spectacle collection comes from Glasses Direct, the UK online retailer, and every London Retro frame is £99, including single-vision lenses. The collection looks good: lots of colour choice and it comes with a suitably retro case.

Who needs photochromic lenses? Glasses-cum-sunglasses on Brick Lane

Continuing the East London gig, may I present this friendly chap, who had just purchased these spectacles with hinged sun lenses at the ready when I came along. I've always preferred this traditional clip approach to solving the glasses/sunglasses conundrum than those clever lenses...

Hyde's Spectacles launches online sunglass shop

Hyde's Spectacles launched last year in Sweden with a sunglass collection and it has now got a online shop selling its sunglasses and some jewellery too.

Featured here, top to bottom, are No. 3, No. 1,  No. 9 (right) and No.5

Hyde's "Enjoy the Walk of Shame" commercial is below...

Hyde's online store accepts US dollar, GB pounds, Euros and Swedish krona...

Limited edition Mykita Franz for Japan

Mykita has only 89 (last count) of these amazing limited edition Franz sunglasses, created in collaboration with Bernhard Willhelm, remaining, which it is selling in aid of the Japanese Red Cross earthquake appeal. All proceeds except taxes go to the cause... available now, but not for long, at Mykita...