Trendletter 2012
VTG Shades TRENDLETTER January 2012
Colors.
The time has come and flashy colors will disappear. Currently it is a time of uncertainty and people will put their personal orientation to inner values and cultural traditions. I think that people will tend to earth-like colors like dark green, brown, light brown, pastell colors. Black always rules the Game.
Materials.
I still tend to transparent and lackluster kind of frames. Skin and leather-like applications will show up. If you like to be avantgarde, go and get you own hand-made wood frames and put your own lens into them (see gallery under Forms).
Beside acetate-like materials we will also see the thin metal frames back in the game (see video).
Forms.
As discussed in the former Trendletter 2011 the Panto Form is still one of the leading forms. The 90s are influencing the format. I think flat tops (see Video) with metal applications as in the 90s will show up (see pictures below). The playing with straight and round forms and mixing of metal with acetate should continue. The sizes will differ from thin bars to medium bars in front of your eyes.
Gallery: wood and leather Materials and 90s Forms.
Top Down: : 1. Model walking for Diane v. Fürstenberg (source: Magazine “Vogue” Germany; Dec. 2011) 2. Brendel 3. CR39 (Taiwan) 4. IDC 5. Silhouette 6. Cazal (source: www.kingsofpast.com) 7. Silhouette 8. Chris Lowe from Pet Shop Boys (custom shades, I guess..) (copyright Eric Watson) 9. Wood Material (Google Search) 10. Leather, Skin Material (source: Magazine “Vogue” Germany; Dec. 2011)
Here is an example of a flat top 90s Alain Mikli:
In addidtion my favoured glacier sunglasses will give a comeback as a streetwear accessoire in the fashion game as seen already at the Thom Browne Collection (with DITA) on http://www.esquire.co.uk/2011/10/the-launch-thomas-brown-eyewear/. Leather or metal-like side applications on temples will be seen on snow and at the beach. Check the vids of the Reinhold Messner and Nikon Glacier Sunglasses:
Technology. Outlook.
After 50 years in the history of fashion design in frames and sunglasses it is hard to find new forms that you have never seen before. This one of the main reason that contemporary Designs are retro-oriented. Designers let themselves be inspired by already existing frames or even reproduce already existing frames.
I guess a new way and new possibilities for designing frames will show up with new materials being invented (as Oakley did in the 1990s). New technology and new materials would help to bring Sunglasses and Frame Designing to a new level. I guess we are entering now a century of hi-technology – and design will follow technology. New Designs will show up with new materials – let us hope that new materials get invented soon and find their way into Eyewear Design.
Copyright by VTGShades.com 2012
VTG Shades Videos you find on our youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/vtgshades
All very accurate predictions!
There is still a big focus on retro shapes and concepts, tried and tested styles which companies are returning to in these difficult economic times, rather than taking a risk on something truly new.
A lot of these shapes have taken their inspiration from the 1950s and 1960s, but I expect the 1980s and 1990s to be next.
I think we will see more variations on the retro theme, for example using thinner material for a less chunky, more lightweight look, while still preserving the retro shape. Plus more use of metal. The market is now saturated with acetate models, largely due to the popularity of the Wayfarer over recent years, and I think we will see more metal rimwire frames this year, and combinations of metal and acetate, similar in style to the Clubmaster.
Plenty of companies have been introducing wood into their collections, either as full frames or as details in acetate and metal frames. I expect this trend to continue in 2012.
thanx andy 🙂 metal rulez..