Optical Prism September 2014 | Page 18

as Adrienne Vittadini, AV Studioand Danny Gokey,” said Tontodonati. She says the uniqueness of these individual brands allows them to stay on trend and stay true to the craftsmanship consumers expect. “Every single brand has its own nuances, so it is easy for us to keep things relevant and timeless,” Tontodonati said. “For instance, the signature Adrienne Vittadini chevron pattern can be found on the temples of new AV Studio 80, and adds a subtle bit of flair to a classic style. The Adrienne Vittadini AV 1148 features a floral de-bossed temple pattern with stone embellishment. We find that when adding embellishments such as stones, keeping it to a minimum gives it longevity.” The Danny Gokey DG30 features a flat, full rim with an acetate inlay on the temple. Beverly Suliteanu, Vice-President of Product Development for WestGroupe says metal is a prominent element of her eyewear design. “It is such a versatile material and I feel you can include many more design elements with metal than with plastic including more textural nuances, colour combinations and design detail,” she explains. “I incorporate metal models in all of the WestGroupe collections including Kliik, Fysh, Evatik, Superflex, Bertelli and Izumi.” Suliteanu takes her inspiration from the world of fashion, staying current with evolving trends in clothes, be it colours, patterns or 18 Optical Prism | September 2014 textures and transferring them to eyewear. “For the fall season, we are using different techniques to add some texture and depth to our metal designs,” she said. The Kliik K520 is a sexy, cateye retro inspired model with a digital animal print overlay on the front and temple that is available in both neutral tones of brown and grey as well as trendy tones of turquoise and purple. Bringing in the small checked patterns found on the fashion runways, Fysk F3523 uses 3D digital printing on the brow bar and temple to create a three dimensional pattern effect. The patterned brow bar is offset by a warm tone front finish giving this frame a dramatic, but extremely wearable look. Using strong colour combinations and intricate design, the Izumi OS9190 makes a statement in women’s eyewear, combining the key trend of a strong brow bar and laser cutouts in one frame. The laser cut circular cutouts gives lightness to the framewhile the solid colour brow bar anchors the frame. Tried and true, metal frames are a classic option in comfort and style, but rest assured, these aren’t your professor’s old spectacles. With the elements of design, colour and embellishments to be had, metal frames are here to stay, and they’ve never looked better.