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LAUNCHES
Face à Face Team Launches Woow Eyewear Collection
Quick Take: Nadine Roth and Pascal Jaulent, cofounders of Face à Face, have launched a brand new eyewear collection called Woow.
Wearer: Imagined to be traditional and casual, chic and off-beat with a “trendy London” feel, the Woow collection’s main target demographic is younger adults, but is designed to speak to women and men of all ages who have a sense of humor.
Specifics: Entirely developed by the Face à Face Design Studio under the direction of Pascal Jaulent and produced and distributed by the Face à Face teams, the Woow collection consists of 14 ophthalmic acetate models and six metals, each available in six colors.
Selling Points: The frames are characterized by a unicolor front and “sleeved” two-toned temples. Each end tip bears a little “poking” message, soft, rounded metallic insert, covered by a thin layer of resin, inserted into the temple meant to encourage the wearer and make them smile first thing in the morning.
Price Guide: $$$
www.wooweyewear.com
Seiko Uses 3D Virtual Reality System for Free-Form PAL
Quick Take: Seiko Optical Products of America is introducing Supernal, its first free-form lens designed using an advanced 3D Virtual Reality System for improved lens design capabilities.
Wearer: Advanced Aspheric Compensation and Multi-Polar Astigmatic Correction combine to improve visual comfort, panoramic vision, and image stability, especially difficult for Rx’s with very high astigmatic correction.
Specifics: Seiko Supernal offers seven automatic semi-variable insets based on the prescription that range from 1.75mm to 3.25mm, in 0.25mm increments and also utilizes patented “Internal progressive and Internal Aspheric design” to reduce blurriness and distortions.
Selling Points: “This new 3D Virtual Reality System is an evaluation method utilizing computer graphics technology which enables optical engineers to understand how patients view objects in numerous settings and improve PAL lens design performance by simulating vision through the wearer’s eyes,” explained Mike Rybacki, Seiko’s senior vice president of sales and marketing. The width of clear vision around the fitting point has been increased by approximately 50 percent by utilizing Non-Linear Progressive Power Change. This technology maintains a broad near field of vision while expanding clarity around the fitting point and distance area.
Price Guide: $$$$
www.seikoeyewear.com
SECOND LOOKS
Viva Adds Petite Sizes to Catherine Deneuve Lunettes
Quick Take: The new Spring 2013 Catherine Deneuve Lunettes collection from Viva features a new selection of petite styles which reveal an elegant display of subtle logo detailing and embellishments.
Specifics: Three ophthalmic and six prescription ready sunglass styles for petites. With a focus on muted colors, including burgundy, gold and pink, in a mix of modern and classic shapes, the new styles are the ideal accessory for today’s mature woman.
Selling Points: “In response to a strong callout from the industry for smaller sized frames for the 55 and above woman, these styles are perfect for today’s mature, yet petite-sized woman, who desires elegant eyewear designed to complement her smaller silhouette,” said Jennifer Orentas, vice president of merchandising for global brands. A stone-enhanced metal trim adorns the handmade acetate temples of models CD-317, CD-318 and CD-319. Model CD-317’s cat-eye inspired modified oval shaped front in acetate. Model CD-318 features a semi-rimless metal, while model CD-319 features a full metal front, both in soft rectangle profiles. Shiny on satin metal trims and stone enhancements decorate the temples of the new sunglasses from the collection with Model CD-610, a key sunglass style, featuring a modified oval shaped acetate front. All nine styles include a hard case and a cleaning cloth. Merchandising materials include a one-piece highlighter, four-piece counter display, logo plaques and countercards featuring the current campaign image.
Price Guide: $$
www.vivagroup.com
ImageWear Extends Callaway Collection for Everyday Wear
Quick Take: ImageWear, a division of Walman Optical, has introduced new optical styles from the Callaway Eyewear collection.
Specifics: The four new styles named after golf courses, come in semi-rimless and tortoise shell designs.
Selling Points: ImageWear has continued Callaway’s tradition of excellence through their ophthalmic eyewear collection for men 30 years and up, for professional and casual wear, on the golf course and off. “The new styling in the Callaway ophthalmic collection features high-tech materials such as graphite in both the metal and plastic zyl designs for comfort, style and durability,” said Belinda Bellows, director of product design for ImageWear. The Riverview is a full metal frame with sleek graphite temple details and larger eye size (56) to better accommodate a progressive lens designs, while the Elmwood is a semi-rimless with the same graphite temple elements available in a deep blue or classic black. The Eastlake is a full zyl frame with graphite temple design elements and the Kinloch is a semi-rimless style with graphite temple design details and a 54 eye size. The Callaway ophthalmic collection is supported by a three-piece frame display tower and Callaway name plaque.
Price Guide: $$-$$$
www.imagewear.com
Mykita Mylon Debuts Optical Styles
Quick Take: After the successful launch of the first eyewear collection in the world made of the patented material Mylon won Mykita the iF Material Awards in 2011, further work with the material spurred the development of the first Mykita Mylon optical line.
Specifics: Five new optical styles available in British racing green, imperial purple and ocean blue.
Selling Points: The characteristics of Mylon are made for everyday wear – it is extremely light, it can be individually adapted and is extremely comfortable. The aim of the optical line’s design process was to make all of the models as lightweight as possible. The resulting ophthalmic frames are characterized by a minimal rim thickness, while staying true to the sporty character of the first Mykita Mylon collection. The Pelot and Basky interpret the traditional round and oval-round panto shape. The Pantara continues the sporty and futuristic look of the Mykita Mylon collection and translates the previous Mylon aesthetic into the new correction collection. The Phoenix and Pluto are available as both sun and optical frames, both modern and classic at the same time, both glasses combine the advantages of a lightweight, flexibly adaptable correction frame for every day with all the necessary features of sports glasses.
Price Guide: $$$$$
www.mykita.com
ALSO NEW
Morel Lunettes Unveils the Koali Lotus II
Sacred in Egypt and respected by Buddhists for thousands of years, the delicate Lotus flower has become an inspiration for the Lotus II by Koali from Morel. Following in the footsteps of the original Lotus frame concept which came before, the Lotus II expands the family to include three slightly different frame front shapes and temples, all in acetate. The soft shape and fluid lines of the lotus flower add visual interest to temples while the base of the flower is produced in openwork to emphasize lightness. The Lotus II is progressive friendly and offered in a palette of four colors per model, while friction-controlled screws prevent opening and swinging of the temple and the temple tips are widened to improve comfort.
www.morel-france.com
Liberty Sport Top Selling Chopper Now Available in 6-Base
Liberty Sport has announced the Chopper is now available as a 6-base, utilizing patent pending MagTraxion technology. The frame, which comes with removable magnetic MagTraxion eyecups, essentially gives the consumer two frames for the price of one. As with all Liberty Sport Sun Performance frames, the Chopper 6B is Rx-able and features a pierced temple design, allowing for airflow while screening out debris. The raised eye-rim back lip provides additional lens retention and protection. The Chopper 6B is a style extension of Liberty Sport’s top selling Chopper and Chopper 2 sunglasses. The Chopper 6B is currently available in the same color range as the Chopper.
www.libertysport.com
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