Denim is the new sugar daddy of the eyewear industry. For the last few seasons, it has been imprinting its presence in all designer eyewear. The current denim collections of the leading eyewear brands prove that it’s here to stay
The magic of denim remains unbeatable even decades after it was first discovered. From the traditional blue jeans, denim has taken several quantum leaps into the future carrying with it innovative textures, finishes and colours. Vibrant, smoky or moody, denim has always aligned itself with the rebellious. Every time it makes a fashion statement, it does so unapologetically, and sometimes a little cheekily too. Of late, denim has slipped into the eyewear business with major fashion and design houses adapting this remarkable fabric and integrating it with frames of both eyeglasses and sunglasses. What’s more, an effort is also being made to research various methods through which denim can be integrated into eyewear to make it not just attractive, but also more durable. Here, we present some of the key players in the eyewear business and showcase a few of their latest designs featuring either denim or a denim-like pattern.
Diesel
Diesel’s #DENIMEYE collection has become popular for its ingenious way of incorporating original denim into its easy-to-wear frames. While denim and acetate are two very diverse materials, when original Diesel denim is treated and melded into the acetate through a cold welding process, they unify to create dynamism. The design reflects the strong personality of the brand.
Like the tiger, model DL0111 also likes its stripes. It’s regal and classy. There are various colours that one could opt for. But the hot favourite is dark denim with light grey stripes that’s paired with transparent brown acetate, while black acetate becomes the obvious choice for light striped denim. In the square shaped DL0140, denim becomes the perfect canvas for accidental drops of coloured paint that make each piece absolutely unique and different from the others.
Diesel’s #DENIMEYE optical collection is also hugely popular, comprising models DL5116 and DL5117. The new his and hers eyeglasses collection with its rectangular or rounded shapes looks really smart, available as it is in shades of black, Havana, blue and purple. Of course, the highlight in the eyeglass section is once again the denim that has been melded into the acetate. Here, light denim has been matched with black acetate, navy denim with Havana, black denim with vintage Havana, while the striking green camouflage has been paired with black again. In true Diesel form, it brings upfront the modern and unconventional spirit of the brand.
Tommy Hilfiger
A brand that has come to embody the all-American spirit. Needless to add, this extends itself to not just fashion, but every product that it associates itself with. Eyeglasses and sunglasses too. Tommy Hilfiger eyewear is known for its unmatched style and ability to keep abreast with the latest fashion trends. Denim is the newest bunny in the eyewear industry. And Tommy Hilfiger has some of the best designs showcasing its prowess.
For instance, model TH 1287/S G15LL from the Fall/Winter 2014 collection. With its retro-inspired rounded shape, it is a classic throwback to an earlier time. The bold, statement making frame is offset by the softer colours in which it is made. Grey/black, crystal/Havana blue and transparent mud/military green are some of the colours in which it is available. This ‘soft’ approach is also visible in the front of the frame where a soft key-bridge and a brushed denim effect nicely complements the loud retro look. Typically Hilfiger. Stylish, energised, youthful and irreverent.
Swing Eyewear
Swing Eyewear takes eye concern a step forward. The eyeglasses made by Swing Eyewear use the same ingredient that is used for the production of baby bottles and nozzles. Called TR 90 Natural, doctors and researchers worldwide are recommending this material for its usage in glasses. Model SS101JNS-05 from Swing epitomises its belief in combining style with a classic form. A shaded denim effect in an azure blue forms the mainstay of this frame that is complemented by the grey-blue lenses. Pure magic.
Calvin Klein Jeans
Calvin Klein Jeans, a brand rooted in denim that is famous for its unique details and innovative treatments, has introduced new sunglass designs that showcase the latest in denim and youthful fashion street styling. The brand’s eyewear featuring a denim pattern takes into account the style and pizzazz for which Klein design is world-acclaimed. But it also integrates a certain minimalism to its design structure, adding sleekness to the already sleek designs. Bold proportions and trendy colours enhance the look of the designs. Model CKJ758S is an aviator style, but has an integration of denim that has been done really smartly. At the front and at the temples, it combines with the flashy blue lenses and its own metallic logo and elevates its design quotient to another level altogether. On the other hand, model CKJ759S has a rectangular shape with the denim pattern prominent on the front and at the temples. Both incidentally are unisex styles.
Ray-Ban
One of the most popular brands worldwide, Ray-Ban understands the impact it has made on eyeglass wearers across the globe and to pander to this huge market, it has one of the most enviable collections in eyewear. What’s more, the brand adds to it every year with a special range that manages to tweak the design element a bit further. Currently, Ray-Ban is using some new materials like printed velvet and denim and the results are pretty awesome. The Wayfarer range has always been iconic. But this time, and it’s for the first time in its history that, Wayfarers are being offered in an original denim version produced through a high-tech process that has been developed by Ray-Ban. A 100 per cent ultra-strong denim along with a coating of polypropylene layers is being used for the frames of model RB 2140. The two materials are combined through an accurate layering process carried out at temperatures reaching 200°C to achieve perfect adhesion. The eyewear, therefore, carries the rebellious look of hand-finished jeans. Available in classic denim blue, of course, but the real happy aspect of this range is that it is also available in a variety of new colours – black, light blue, rust, green and purple. Awesome? You bet.
X-IDE
While eyewear brands are trying to bridge the gender divide and often offering unisex designs, here is a company that is deliberately attempting to create its own niche by creating all-male denim eyewear. Eyewear that has been created exclusively for men. And mind you, not just any man, but one with a strong, macho personality. Cocco has a metal frame with denim at the front and at the temples. An attention grabber, it reeks of a craftsmanship that has always been an inherent part of this range. Showcased at MIDO 2015, there were many takers for this smart design.
Levi’s
With its Core Fall/Winter 2014 optical collection, Levi’s proves that denim remains in style, always. The temples of the frames have real denim details. The angular eye frame of model LS06326 has contoured rubber temples with a denim front stamped with the iconic Levi’s® Housemark logo in metal. The denim inspiration stands out clearest in the stitch-inspired temples of models LS06330 and LS06331. The metal temple of LS06330 has a row of cut-out ‘stitches’ running alongside it. These stitches draw inspiration from the brand’s famous blue jean seams, each following a lasered Levi’s® Housemark logo and ending in vividly patterned acetate end-tips. LS06331 has an elongated eye shape, highlighted by a palette of solid colours.
With the variety of textures, finishes and colours on offer, this sure looks like a trend that will never go out of fashion!
