2022 Vision – Eyewear Trends To Look Out For

2022 Vision - Eyewear Trends To Look Out For

I am Sophie… Sophie Tallier. And I love eyewear.. everything about them. How they look, how they work, how they are made, how they are sold..everything! And here's whatI think we should be looking for in eyewear in 2022

New Year's Eve parties are not something I particularly love. However, one thing I look forward to, year after year, is to see how the numbers we’re all waiting for fit into a pair of glasses. You know the festive, glittery glasses that are a must-have at every New Year’s Eve party? They come in an array of colors, with sparkles and even led lights (if you’re willing to pay more). Sometimes, they are easy to wear and you can actually see through them, like in 2020 when the zeros conveniently acted as lenses. This year, the abundance of twos in 2022 made the glasses impractical and I presume most people only wore them to take photos. Regardless if they’re functional, festive or even stylish, we all wear them and they are our first peak into eyewear trends of the year.

Fashion trends are dynamic and they change quickly - what’s in at the moment will definitely be out by next year. In the 80s, we went for bulky, sharp shapes, in the 90s, we loved tiny, dark frames and in the 2000s we were already back to colorful and oversized styles. Therefore, current trends are not something optical brands can rely on to design their collections. They need to think ahead and be innovative.

They need to anticipate which direction the market is heading in. And then they need to fully stir us in the direction they’ve prepared for. Each year we are influenced by magazines, celebrities and social media and 2022 is no different. However, an interesting phenomenon has occurred - this year’s trends acknowledge minimalistic frames as well as statement pieces, time-honored hues as well as daring colors and futuristic frames as well as retro ones. So how is it possible that all these diverse frames will be popular this year? Not all consumers are satisfied with a mold: just because we all wear the same pair of festive glasses to ring in the New Year does not mean we are willing to be stuck with the same frame as everyone else for the remainder of that year. In 2022, consumers want quality, comfort and diversity.


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Mass trends limit personal expression and I, for one, am very excited about the contrasting looks that we’ll be seeing this year. Having the same pair of 90’s-inspired, tiny, tinted-lens glasses as everyone else is something we are leaving behind. This year, personal preference trumps all trends that the world of fashion is trying to impose on us. Starting with shapes, we see a wide range of choices.

From the unbeatable rectangles and squares to cateye, round, oval and even gentle diamond silhouettes, consumers are given a lot of room to make their pick. Classic tortoise combinations and neutral tones are just as important as adventurous colors and old retro frames are back alongside new contemporary styles. As consumers, we should be thrilled that such divergent trends are served to us all at once. We have room to express ourselves and acquire frames tailored to our personal choice. In 2022, it’s actually trendy to not follow any trends.

Apart from breaking free from the strict fashion industry mold, the eyewear industry is serving more progressive views. They understand that only sustainable and transparent brands, who care about the environment and their customers, will prevail. Thus, another 2022 trend we’ll be seeing in the optical world is corporate social responsibility.

Customers care about who these brands are and if they like what they see, their loyalty and support will go far. I am tired of being sold frames under false pretenses; from brands that claim to be ethical and sustainable but don’t have a single non-traditional idea to brands who think we still believe everything is made in Italy, we are ready to leave you in the past.

The pandemic has made consumers more aware and more curious about the values and company culture of eyewear brands. Undoubtedly, we want style and we want quality. But we also want to know how your materials were sourced, where your frames were made, whether you respect your employees and whether your brand promotes equality and inclusion.

In 2022, there is only an uptrend in consciousness. Optical brands will have to be honest about their endeavours in order to secure authentic relationships with consumers.

But should we be worried about the lack of guidance we are being given? Isn’t it better to wear the same glasses as my mom, my neighbour and someone from another continent? Absolutely not.

We are free to choose our own trends, explore our style limits and experiment with new looks. We are also able to support dependable companies whose core values align with our vision for the world. As consumers, we are taking over and stirring the eyewear industry into a new direction.

Instead of being told what is trendy and what we should be wearing, we are telling optical brands what we want and what we need. And believe it or not, they are listening closely.

Instead of creating a false sense of community by having the same frames as everyone around us, let’s create a real community where a conversation starter can be the new show-stopping eyeglasses you just bought.

They might not be what your mom likes but they will definitely represent you. To all the people who know you, and all the people that just see you in passing, those frames will be a magnifying glass to your individual taste and personality. And if you truly strike up a conversation about the eyewear you love, you can tell them about all the valuable and meaningful things that your chosen company is doing.

Let’s support responsible businesses and let’s stand together for individuality - we control the direction of eyewear trends for 2022.  You only have to look out for the trends you want to see.

Sophie Tallier,
Design and Operations of Denon Eyewear, Founder member of Denon Eyewear with her father Joseph Tallier.  Bachelor of Science from Northeastern University of Boston Massachusetts in Business Marketing and Global Fashion Studies 2020

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