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 as well as 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. The efforts clearly indicate that the denim style is gradually gaining importance when it comes to eyewear fashion.
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.
Tommy Hilfiger
A brand that has come to embody the all-American spirit, Tommy Hilfiger eyewear is known for its unmatched style and ability to keep abreast with the latest fashion trends. Needless to add, this belief in the American spirit has been extended to not just fashion, but every other product that it associates itself with. Eyeglasses and sunglasses too. Denim is the newest bunny in the eyewear industry and Tommy Hilfiger has some of the best designs showcasing its prowess in this domain.
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 coupled with a brushed denim effect nicely complements the loud retro look. Typically Hilfiger. Stylish, energised, youthful and irreverent.
Diesel
Diesel’s #DENIMEYE collection has become popular for its ingenious way of incorporating original denim into its easy-to-wear acetate frames. Every design is unique and reflects the strong personality of the brand.
Like the tiger, model DL0111 that comes with stripes and looks regal as well as 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.
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 used with 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.
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. It is absolutely safe for the eye as 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.
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. Combined with the flashy blue lenses and the traditional metallic logo, at the front and at the temples respectively, it elevates its design quotient to another level. 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 particularly for this product range. A 100 per cent ultra-strong denim is being used for the frames of model RB 2140. 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.
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 ever since its inception.
With the variety of textures, finishes and colours on offer, this sure looks like a trend that will never go out of fashion!
