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We love clothes. And accessories. And makeup. That might seem like an obvious statement coming from a fashion magazine. But it explains so much of what goes on here at FASHION headquarters. Like the debate that arose from “Math Test”. Fashion editor-at-large Zeina Esmail was determined to pull together the season’s top looks with pieces that were $100 or less. With so many great brands available—from Jacob to Joe Fresh—that turned out to be easy. The trouble came when she fell in love with a $106 pair of earrings from BCBG. “They look like something Carole Tanenbaum would sell for $2,000,” she lamented. (Esmail even bought a pair for herself and I might do the same.) But that $6 put the ornate crystal shoulder-dusters over her self-imposed price ceiling. Assistant fashion editor Eliza Grossman called BCBG to ask whether the price could be amended. No. “But they look so good!” Esmail moaned, holding them up alongside the outfit Edmonton’s Jenna Earle would be modelling the next day. spite of smoking and drinking and rheumatoid arthritis.” At least she is honest!
i W E A R
Eyewear: Moschino, Nailart: Essie, Lipcolour: MAC, Dress: Moschino Cuff: Moschino
Eyewear from: Prada, Nailpaint: ESSIE, Lipstick: Elizabeth Arden, Head Scarf: Dior, Check Dress: Dior
Eyewear: Moschino, Nailart: Essie, Lipcolour: MAC, Dress: Moschino Cuff: Moschino
Eyewear: Diesel Earrings: Aldo Lip colour: Mac Dress: Fendi
Judging from the plethora of eye-catching eyewear that’s been getting face time over the last few years — be it on the European ready-to-wear runways or in the adjoining office cubicle — it’s clear that glasses have gone from nerd necessity to chic accessory. It’s a shift reflected in the current look-at-me trends — retro, vintage-inspired frames, chunky tortoise shells and geometric shapes that attract rather than deflect attention — and reinforced by the laundry list of fashion-focused brands with a presence in the eyewear arena. These include high-end European luxury labels like Prada, Giorgio Armani and Dolce & Gabbana as well as American contemporary brands Brooks Brothers, Tory Burch, Tiffany & Co. and Sperry Top-Sider, which aims to translate the brand’s footwear DNA into a line of licensed sunglass and ophthalmic frames due to hit the market next year. While it might seem logical to blame the deteriorating eyesight of the aging baby boomer population or the ever-increasing computerand smartphone-induced strain on our collective eyeballs, consumer be-
She said there have also been other factors at work over the last half decade, including fashion designers’ approach to eyewear both in the frames that bear their names and in the styled looks that hit the runways during fashion week. “The [optical] collections themselves are becoming more elaborate,” she said. “There are some [styles] that are like jewelry pieces, that make a big fashion statement — like Prada’s Baroque frame, for example. The collections are being treated in a more fashion-forward way.” Fashion designers have realized just how powerful a brand extension eyewear can be, especially in comparison to some other offshoots. “It’s difficult for a brand to be visible with a fragrance because you’re the only one who knows what you’re wearing,” she explained. “But when you wear a pair of sunglasses or optical frames, the brand itself gets exposure in the most prominent way because this is something you wear on your face.
EYEWEAR Essentials Dorothy Parker famously observed, “Men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses.” How did we go from that image to bespectacled bombshells? How did eyewear go from the disguise that turns Superman into his milquetoast alter-ego to an individual expression of signature style? Some in the eyewear industry point to the traditional pop-culture petri dishes of Hollywood celebrity and fashion runways. “Maybe they’re seeing more celebrities” wearing glasses, said Larry Leight, co-founder and creative director of boutique brand Oliver Peoples. “And there are more … fashion magazines and runway shows where designers are accessorizing their shows with ophthalmic glasses — the kind that aren’t sunglasses — with either clear lenses or only slightly tinted colored lenses.” Milena Cavicchioli, vice president of marketing for Luxottica Group — the Milan-based eyewear company that owns Ray-Ban, t,” Cavicchioli said. “She was
She said there have also been other factors at work over the last half decade, including fashion designers’ approach to eyewear both in the frames that bear their names and in the styled looks that hit the runways during fashion week. “The [optical] collections themselves are becoming more elaborate,” she said. “There are some [styles] that are like jewelry pieces, that make a big fashion statement — like Prada’s Baroque frame, for example. The collections are being treated in a more fashion-forward way.” Fashion designers have realized just how powerful a brand extension eyewear can be, especially in comparison to
Prada
JEAN PAUL GAULTIER