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LAUNCHES
Kenmark Bows Original Penguin by Munsingwear Eyewear
Quick Take: The Kenmark Group will officially launch their new eyewear and sunwear collection for men, Original Penguin by Munsingwear, at Vision Expo West this week.
Wearer: Men aged 18 to 35.
Specifics: Eighteen vintage-inspired ophthalmic models and five sun styles in both plastic and metal constructions.
Selling Points: First launched in 1955, Original Penguin has grown into a complete lifestyle brand creating classic sportswear apparel and accessory collections. “Original Penguin adds a fresh layer to Kenmark’s portfolio of men’s brands,” said Jason Wehlage, Kenmark product designer. “The collection is specifically for the guy whose confidence allows him to set his own standard for what’s cool.” The eyewear is characterized by a retro feel with a variety of mid-century shapes invigorated with modern design elements. Colors include retro takes on black, gunmetal and tortoise and the frames features distinctive design elements such as keyhole bridges, metal plaque accents and vintage shapes reminiscent of the Rat Pack era.
Price Guide: $$
www.kenmarkoptical.com
Safilo USA Releases BOSS Orange Optical Collection
Quick Take: Safilo USA debuts the BOSS Orange optical collection stateside this fall following the successful launches of the BOSS Black optical and sunglass collections.
Wearer: Men and women who appreciate the young and fashionable spirit of the brand.
Specifics: A total of 17 styles, comprised of nine plastic and eight metal styles of which seven styles are unisex, six are geared towards men and four towards women.
Selling Points: With a contemporary attitude and a carefree “urban inspiration,” the collection is appealing with its young and metropolitan look and crossover of styles, distinguished by color and distinctive design details. Such details include the stylized and perforated logo, which recall other accessories by the brand, the shaped earpieces and the original wavy shaped temples. With a mix of retro style and modern spirit, the optical frames have a winning appeal with their large and rounded shapes. Marketing and merchandising will include trade advertising, a 3-piece display and a 10-piece display.
Price Guide: $$
www.safilo.com
Orange 21 Introduces the Spy Rx Ophthalmic Collection
Quick Take: Orange 21 has launched their first Spy Optics ophthalmic frame collection, Spy Rx.
Wearer: Twenty to 50-year-old action sports and multi-sport enthusiasts.
Specifics: An 18 piece optical launch collection.
Selling Points: "Whether you need vision correction or just want to put clear lenses in your Spy frames to look cool, we share your passion for product and a unique point of view,” said Jim Sepanek, Spy optical vice president. Since 1994, Spy has been the shrewd innovator in the action sport lifestyle category. Each style in the initial launch collection is available in three colors, each featuring clean, modern fronts combined with temples that evoke an attitude that is distinctly Spy; fun and irreverent. Finished metals in stainless steal and nickel silver shine along side rich acetates which have been fashioned into very wearable shapes with a neo-retro feel.
Price Guide: $$-$$$
www.spyoptic.com
Zeiss Launches Self-Tinting Lens Line
Quick Take: Carl Zeiss Vision has launched a line of proprietary self-tinting lenses, PhotoFusion by Zeiss. On average, the lens clears up to twice as fast and darkens up to 20 percent faster than previous self-tinting lenses offered by Zeiss. The technology is based on patented photoactive molecules that unfold when exposed to UV light, thus darkening the lens and providing UV protection.
Wearer: Everyone, but especially patients with active lifestyles
Specifics: Zeiss reports that PhotoFusion lenses are very clear indoors and very dark in sunlight. The lenses provide 100 percent protection against UV rays up to 400nm, excellent color consistency and they retain their self-tinting ability for the life of the prescription.
Selling Points: The performance of PhotoFusion lives up to a key expectation reported by more than 5,800 glasses users from the U.S., Brazil, Germany, Italy, Great Britain, Australia and China in a study commissioned by Zeiss. “The global consumer survey showed that glasses wearers are in favor of self-tinting lenses in principle, but want faster tinting,” said Dr. Markus H. Haidl, vice president of corporate R&D, Carl Zeiss Vision. “In PhotoFusion, we have developed a product that completely meets these demands.” PhotoFusion is currently available on all Zeiss, SOLA, AO and VSP Reveal customized lenses, including progressives and single vision, as well as GT2 by Zeiss and GT2 Short by Zeiss, with broader availability coming soon.
www.photofusion.zeiss.com
SECOND LOOKS
Silhouette Adds Terrex Fast Outdoor Eyewear from Adidas
Quick Take: Adidas Eyewear from Silhouette has announced the release of Terrex Fast. Terrex Fast is distinguished by its light weight, modern design, simple handling and superior functionality.
Specifics: Currently one Terrex Fast model, Swift, for mountain sports enthusiasts in four color options.
Selling Points: Terrex Fast features lightweight, temperature-resistant SPX material which makes the frame flexible and durable, as well as Tri-Fit temples which have three settings and the Double-Snap Nose Bride which has two settings. The screwless temples are designed to clip in and out at the hinge, preventing breakage under applied stress. Terrex Fast is also equipped with a Quick Shift Foampad that clicks into place behind the front part and hugs the face, effectively protecting the eyes from damp or cold air, as well as snow and ice crystals. The Adidas Eyewear’s Light Stabilizing Technology (LST) lenses diminish eye fatigue by harmonizing light fluctuations. In addition to enhancing contrast and color, all Adidas Eyewear lenses protect eyes from UVA, B and C rays for full spectrum protection. The Terrex Fast model is equipped with a spare set of LST Bright lenses for low light conditions, as well as ClimaCool ventilation technology and special anti-fog coating to ensure condensation-free vision. Additionally, temples can be replaced with an included head strap so the eyewear stays in place. For those requiring visual correction, the eyewear can be fitted with the Adidas Eyewear optical Performance Insert or with direct in-frame glazing by an eyecare professional.
Price Guide: $$$$
www.Adidas.com/eyewear/outdoor
Charmant Expands Trussardi Optical for Fall/Winter 2011
Quick Take: Channeling the unique and coveted Tru Trussardi style, Charmant has created an exclusive collection of fall optical eyewear with inspiration from forthcoming fall trends.
Specifics: Several new styles for men and women.
Selling Points: For women, the looks veer from bold and beautiful to soft and feminine with structured retro and softly oval shaped frames. Metal plays an essential role with soft golds and silvers appearing on acetate frame fronts, metallic rimming or a stylishly molded luxe Trussardi metal logo. Modern vintage steers the men's collection with an emphasis on the rounded frames and antique, patina-effect gold and silver suggestive of this elegant antique style.
Price Guide: $$$
www.Charmant-USA.com, (800) 645-2121
ALSO NEW
Luxottica Unveils Persol Clip On
The Autumn-Winter 2011-2012 Persol collection is characterized by new themes that bridge the gap between past and future; noteworthy is the Clip-on Shades Collection. The collection includes a dark polarized lens clip (PO3007C) that can be attached to the front of the PO3007V optical frame to transform them into sunglasses.
www.luxottica.com
Alain Mikli Reveals 3D Style
As part of their partnership with LG Electronics, Alain Mikli has released the first style of 3D eyewear for home and personal use. Featuring styling that is distinctly Mikli, fans of the brand can now watch their favorite 3D movie in style. Available now for a retail price of $195 at Alain Mikli boutiques.
www.mikli.com
Best Image Optical Releases New Dolabany Styles
Best Image Optical Inc.’s is cat-eye inspired with its new additions to the Dolabany collection. These new cat-eye thick-rimmed glasses modernize the vintage design found during the 1950’s and 1960’s. The new cat-eye frame releases include: Smooth, Lucille and Amour, which they used in their 2011 advertising campaign.
www.bestimageoptical.com
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