 DEFINING MEN'S FASHION June 2, 2008 |
|
L.A. Eyeworks’ fall 2008 eyewear collection, designed by Gherardi and cofounder Barbara McReynolds, expertly references not only the thick Buddy Holly styles of the 1950s, but also offers fresh takes on the slim frames and oval styles of the 1930s and 1940s. At the brand’s original Melrose Avenue boutique, circular frames like the Director share space with 1950s-inspired glasses like the Back Beat, an update on the brand’s square-shaped Beat frame that once offered Angelenos an alternative to Christian Dior’s oversize spectacles in the early 1980s. A testament to all things quirky and cool, the boutique houses the duo’s frames alongside such oddball collectibles as a hardcover spoof of A.A. Milne’s classic Winnie the Pooh with cheeky, sexually suggestive illustrations.
Gherardi and McReynolds aren’t the only retrophiles to this business. From the fall 2008 runways at Michael Kors and Adam Kimmel to spring ad campaigns for Saks Fifth Avenue and Banana Republic, vintage-inspired frames have emerged to become one of the strongest trends to hit the U.S. eyewear market in recent years, and designers from Portland to L.A. are taking notice.
“We are in a transition period regarding men’s eyewear,” says Dr. Andrew Armstrong, co-owner of Blink, an eyewear boutique in Portland, OR. Founded in 2006, Blink offers a wide selection of independent eyewear designers such as Martin & Martin, Funk Royal Optics and Portland’s own Amy Sacks. “Men are willing to take risks with the style of their glasses,” adds Armstrong. “They come in looking for specific styles instead of just coming in to renew their prescription.”
Gherardi agrees, and cites the geometrical shapes in slick acetate and chunky plastic that first appeared in 2002 and 2003 on the heels of shrunken silhouettes from Thom Browne and Hedi Slimane. “The suit is being worn higher and thinner.” She says. “When you have that slim profile on the suit, it’s a really nice time to go back and look at dense and meaty glasses. It’s always about that juxtaposition.”
Vintage-inspired eyewear’s surge in popularity can also be found at Oliver Peoples, the L.A.-based company that was acquired by Oakley Inc. for $55.7 million in 2006 (Oakley was acquired a year later by Italian sunglass giant Luxottica for $2.1 billion). Oliver Peoples first opened shop on Sunset Boulevard in 1986, where it exclusively sold antique eyewear. A year later, cofounder Larry Leight introduced a collection of original designs based upon retro silhouettes that the brand has maintained since. Leight’s current collection perpetuates a mid-century modern look, with a Roy-Orbison-meets-Buddy-Holly feel. The Riley, a rounded acetate frame in a dark mahogany finish, features chrome-colored rivets on the temples and arms, while the Noland pairs a hexagonal shape with a thicker silhouette (both retail for $315).
Allyn Scura, the founder of her eponymous eyewear brand now based in Sebastopol, CA, boasts a similar story. Like Oliver Peoples, Scura specializes in frames inspired by the antique glasses that she simultaneously sells. Her spring/summer 2008 Mid-Century Collection includes the 1960s-inspired Parker, rectangular in shape with subtle curves and a dense frame, and the Legend, a rounded 1940s style that pops in honey tortoiseshell. “We don’t just do a direct copy,” Scura notes of transposing vintage styles onto modern materials. “The [vintage glasses] have a good start. We have to just massage them a little so they are updated for today’s clients.”
The retro trend shows no sign of slowing, though Scura predicts that the next trend may reference later eras, such as the 1970s, that mirror present cultural angst. “You have to consider the political implications,” Scura muses. “We had just emerged from the Vietnam War and there was bad government. The age of innocence was gone. We are in such a parallel right now.”
|
|
|
|