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LAUNCHES
Adlens Intros John Lennon Variable Focus, Instant Rx Eyewear
Quick Take: Inspired by John Lennon’s work, his life and his style, Adlens has launched The John Lennon Collection of variable focus, instant prescription eyewear.
Wearer: The glasses are designed for the correction of far sightedness, short sightedness and presbyopia and cover spherical powers from -4.5 to +3.5 diopters.
Specifics: The distinctive, round eyewear uses Adlens’ fluid-injection lens technology which allows the power of each lens to be adjusted by turning a dial on the side of the frame. Once set, the system can be sealed by rotating a lever and removing the dials.
Selling Points: For every pair of glasses purchased from the collection, Adlens donates a pair to someone in the developing world, through Vision for a Nation Foundation. “This relationship is ideal for us because it embodies the physical and philosophical essence of John Lennon,” said Michael C. Ferrara, CEO and executive chairman of Adlens. Adlens, with offices in Oxford, England and Boston, Mass., has a worldwide sub-license for its John Lennon Variable Focus eyewear from Eagle Eyewear, the master eyewear licensee of the John Lennon eyewear collection which is licensed exclusively by Bag One Arts and Yoko Ono Lennon.
Price Guide: $$
www.adlens.com
Altair Launches Tommy Bahama Polarized Sun
Quick Take: Altair has introduced the Tommy Bahama Polarized Sunwear collection based on the brand’s “make life one long weekend” motto.
Wearer: Fans of the brand that defines elegant tropical living and is targeted at men and women 45 to 64 years of age.
Specifics: The brand is offering six styles for men and five for women in the Polarized Sun Collection for Spring 2013. The styles feature classic shapes, island-inspired details, subtle hints of sparkle and rich colorations.
Selling Points: Standouts for men include the Take a Breather, the TB6028, a full-rim handmade acetate in a classic wayfarer shape accented by metal detailing and laser-etched architectural design elements, and the Rockin’ the Boat, the TB6033, a full-rim stainless steel aviator shape with a leather-wrapped top bar and temple. Both styles are Rx-friendly. For women, the Polarized Collection offers The Glow Must Go On, the TB7032, in a full-rim TR90 construction with a textured animal print detail, and the Shade Time, Shade Place, the TB6029, a full-rim handmade combination frame with a woven-inspired pressed metal detail that offers understated island-inspired texture and is Rx-friendly. To support the collection, Altair has made available P.O.P. displays, counter cards and posters.
Price Guide: $$-$$$
www.altaireyewear.com
Bushnell Bows Bollé B-Thin Active Design Rx Program
Quick Take: Bushnell has announced the launch of Bollé’s B-Thin Active Design Rx program. Thanks to the program nearly all of the brand’s sunglass models can now be fitted with lenses for one of the broadest ranges of prescriptions available from any manufacturer.
Wearer: “For too long, outdoor enthusiasts who require prescription eyewear have been faced with limited choices,” said Dani LaGace, Bollé’s global eyewear director for Bushnell. “B-Thin Active Design Rx lenses use the latest and best technologies to effectively remove one of the most common barriers to finding the right performance sport sunglasses for many people.”
Specifics: B-Thin Active Design lenses are made possible by advanced calculations that allow for prescriptions from +6.00 to -8.00D, surpassing the typical +4.00 to -4.00D range available for sport sunglasses.
Selling Points: In addition to being suitable for 99 percent of all prescriptions, B-Thin Active Design Rx lenses from Bollé are designed from prescriptions that are calculated with frame dimensions and the wearer’s facial measurements. They are up to 45 percent lighter and 72 percent thinner than standard lenses, are optimized for fit and comfort and are impact resistant, Bollé said. The B-Thin Active Design Rx program is result of a partnership between Bollé and Solidar Express Coatings in Largo, Fla.
Price Guide: $$$$
www.bolle.com
SECOND LOOKS
L’Amy America Unveils Nina Ricci Optical Styles for Spring
Quick Take: L’Amy America has introduced the Nina Ricci Spring 2013 ophthalmic styles featuring feminine details with elegant, sophisticated styling.
Specifics: Four new Made in France ophthalmic styles for women.
Selling Points: The new La Ravissante ophthalmic style (NR2717), a milled two-tone acetate front with metal temples, takes its cue from the fashion house’s beaux art ring, incorporating special laser engraving to create the same textured effect found on the ring. The Nina Ricci NR2731 La Sensuelle acetate style incorporates a strong eyeshape with temples that are decorated with metal pins on both sides of a buckle which is inspired by the leather work of the Nina Ricci clutch bag as seen on the Spring 2013 runway. The Nina Ricci NR2725 L’Ensorcelante temple design was inspired by the ribbon of the Nina Ricci perfume bottle with a metal bow decoration that passes through the acetate temple paired with a cateye front. Lastly, the La Seduisante, NR2726, features a similar bow-inspired temple with a bold rectangular eyeshape is deep enough for progressive lenses.
Price Guide: $$$
www.lamyamerica.com
GP Specialists Rebrands Soft Contact Lens Line to iSight
Quick Take: GP Specialists, Inc., the custom soft and gas permeable contact lens lab, has announced the re-branding of their entire custom made-to-order (MTO) soft contact lens product line to iSight. In addition to soft custom contact lenses, GP Specialists is a leader in the field of orthokeratology contact lenses, offering its FDA approved Fargo series, Gobal-OK Vision’s GOV series, Paragon’s CRT contact lenses and its new iSee advanced ortho-k contact lens.
Specifics: The new iSight brand of soft contact lenses will offer one of the largest portfolios of MTO products. The iSight family includes: iSight DW sphere and toric contact lenses; iSight Gold sphere and toric contact lenses; iSight SiHy silicone hydrogel sphere and toric contact lenses; iSight MCL multifocal sphere and toric contact lenses; iSight Aphakic contact lenses and iSight Pediatric contact lenses.
Selling Points: Two years ago, GP Specialists, Inc. acquired American BioCurve, Inc. along with all assets and product lines including BioCurve MTO toric and sphere soft contact lenses. “For years BioCurve MTO soft contact lenses defined custom soft lens manufacturing, offering over one million parameter combinations and the industries longest warranty,” said Matthew Pogue, director of sales for GP Specialists. “Since the acquisition, we have been enhancing our manufacturing processes and have recently launched several new products, including our new silicone hydrogel iSight SiHy custom contact lens, so it made sense to re-introduce our enhanced contact lens designs and new products under a single unified brand name – iSight custom contact lenses.”
Price Guide: $$
www.gpspecialists.com
ALSO NEW
McGee Adds Styles to Vera Bradley Girlfriends Line
The latest Vera Bradley Girlfriends styles from the McGee Group feature bright colors and bold fashions for every teen. The Darby and Mindy offer two distinct looks for spring in the latest Vera Bradley patterns. The Darby is a handmade acetate frame with a modified rectangle eyeshape featuring a solid front and wrapped endpieces in the Go Wild or Plum Crazy patterns on the exterior temples. The Mindy is a full rim metal frame with a modified rectangle eyeshape and flat metal temples that feature an embossed and enamel filled floral pattern inspired by the Jazzy Blooms or Tutti Frutti patterns, both which that are also featured on the corresponding interior temple tips.
www.mcgeegroup.com
ProDesign Extends Fourth Dimension Collection
ProDesign has extended the Fourth Dimension Collection with three new feminine shapes in three to five colors each. The new feminine, retro shapes come in colorful combinations and all accommodate progressive lenses. Inspired by the ample spaces lines in architecture, the ProDesign designers started with prototypes made from paper to explore the cut-outs and the lines of the temples. The designers then worked with the metal frame material to achieve just the right level of lightness. With this retro-inspired collection the shapes are more slender and curvy, with a lowered bridge to give a much more feminine feel. The intensity of the colors and the graphic pattern of the temples ensure that the collection is a bold and individual choice for the woman who wants to emphasize her strong, feminine disposition.
www.prodesigndenmark.com
Morel Introduces the ÖGA Falk
Falk, the latest from ÖGA from Morel, is an injected frame that plays with the concepts of volume and contrast with an architectural design. The folded stainless steel cover encloses the temple and endpiece to add a graphic touch and while the primary role of this trim piece is mechanical, it also adds aesthetic value. The Falk concept is produced in both matte and shiny tones to further play on the idea of contrasts. The glossy metal clip stands out against matte frosted front available in grey, black, wine red and bluish grey. Falk is offered in three models which are available in four colors each. All are progressive friendly.
www.morel-france.com
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