By Jody Johnson Pettit

The definition of luxury varies from dictionary to dictionary. Some say the adjective describes an object that is elegant or a delicacy, while others peg the meaning as something that is of great comfort and a high-end product.

Each of those descriptions can be used to characterize the luxurious eyewear that is available in the Canadian marketplace today.

“Luxury eyewear brings about an elevated essence of mindset, perspective and living. It sets a standard of drive and perseverance while looking and feeling your absolute best,” says Ogi Eyewear design Chelsey Wright.

She says the eyewear company has many new frames coming out this fall season in the luxury category.

“We cannot wait to share each and every piece!” Wright says.

“One we’re currently loving is the Hartley in the Seraphin collection – it’s a fresh and gorgeous material. Another is the Emeril in the Bon Vivant line. The darker tones bring luxury to its peak and the available colour options are so unique.”

Emeril

The Emeril features finished matte and glossy acetate. The frame’s rounded square shape is a fresh take on a masculine look.

The Hartley, meanwhile, is an upswept shape with a lighter, more petite feel. Available in several mosaic colour ways, the frame is made of handcrafted acetate and features a slimmer profile, a saddle bridge and signature gold hinge accent.

Hartley

“Black will forever be the timeless colour in looks and styles. The use of tortoise in eyewear is also a classic choice for staying trendy yet achieving luxury status,” says Wright.

Safilo also has many exciting offerings from their luxury brands, like Boss, Fendi, Elie Saab, Moschino and Oxydo.

“Luxury eyewear functions as the gateway to a luxury brand,” says Safilo’s Alessandro Marcer, vice-president, creative director and head of the New York Design Studio.

“At this level, consumers are very interested in high-quality craftsmanship and innovative and novel design, coupled with unique materials, colours, shapes and treatments which keep the luxury eyewear customer coming back for more.”

Safilo is seeing a lot of gold colourations for the frames and lenses with black and gold combinations being particularly prevalent.

These colour options are visible in the vintage-inspired full acetate sunglasses and optical frames from Boss.

The BOSS 1001 optical frame with a double bridge is available in black, Havana, black grey and brown honey.

BOSS 1001

The Elie Saab eyewear collection for fall/winter embodies “refined and timeless elegance, through authentic pieces of jewellery, handmade creations with lightweight contours in gold-finished metal inspired by nature.”

Sunglass model ES 025/G/S is a modern round shape and the rim is embellished with 40 hand-applied resin pearls.

The new eyewear styles from Moschino convey glamour and cutting-edge luxury.

Fendi’s fall/winter sunglass collection boasts bold shapes and outstanding colours.

Part of the Fendi Fabulous men’s collection, style FF M0039/G/S sunglasses feature a contemporary design that is enhanced by the all-over mirrored FF coating on the lenses. The iconic triangular temple design is re-interpreted in a bolder way with contrasting colour end-tip, adding a playful twist to the design.

Following the collaboration with artist Eva Berendes, the Oxydo fall/winter collection is enriched with new “wearable sculptures,” featuring perforated metal plates, ground-breaking constructions and bold colour combinations.

The O.NO 2.8 cat-eye sunglasses feature perforated golden metal layers that create a floating effect around the frame, adding a unique 3-D feeling and emphasizing the cat-eye silhouette.

The Interface collection, available in Canada by Alternative/Plan “B” Eyewear, features nine high-end styles all constructed from exceptional, high-grade stainless steel. The styling is light and sleek, emphasizing clean lines and modern design.

“This innovative technology is close to luxury due to its features and functionality,” says Cassandra Slepian, marketing at Alternative/Plan “B”.

Each frame features a transformative element that takes a stunning ophthalmic frame and transforms it into a complete sunglass in a matter of seconds. The sunglass experience is immersive and light, offering a tight fit with no reflection and no ghosting.

New Vera Wang sun styles by Kenmark Eyewear exudes luxury.

The collection includes Farah, a glamourous full-zyl uplifting square style with a luxurious linear setting for Swarovski crystals on the front end pieces. The luxurious Gavi model, meanwhile, also boasts Swarovski crystals on the temples.

WestGroupe says its new Evatik fall 2018 collection features high-end materials and architectural design elements that “strike the perfect balance between comfort and luxury, appealing to today’s modern man.”

The new styles for men draw inspiration from European eyewear trends.

E-9177

Style E-9177 features handmade acetate wrapped along the browbar, which provides a modern update to this sporty rectangular frame. Style E-9175 is a stainless steel frame with an on-trend look. Featuring a square eye shape, drop bridge and mono-block front, this frame is lightweight and has a minimalist design.