OPTICAL PRISM | COVER STORY
RETRO RULES Beverly Sulltineau , WestGroupe ’ s vice-president of product development and creative director , says retro shapes inspired by the ‘ 70s will continue to trend in sunwear this spring / summer .
“ Oversized square shapes in both thin metal and acetate as well as hexagon shapes are featured heavily in both Fysh and OTP Sun collections , while flat top rounds work great for OTP unisex models .”
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“ Additionally , sunglass brands with a sustainability offer have become increasingly important . Our Levi ’ s and Polaroid collections , for example , offer sunglasses made from either bio-based , eco-friendly or recycled materials .”
Sustainable shades , along with oversized sunglasses and those featuring coloured lenses and ‘ 70s-inspired stylings are also expected to be on-trend this spring / summer .
“ Our newer men ’ s brand , Eyewear by David Beckham , and Levi ’ s , an iconic brand favoured by today ’ s millennials and Gen Z consumers , also continue to rank high on our excitement scale since these collections launched during the pandemic and continue to offer that ‘ new ’ factor ,” says Blanchette .
The Levi ’ s LV 1015 / S butterfly sunglasses are expected to be popular for women , while the Eyewear by David Beckham DB 7048 / S sunglasses , designed for a perfect fit under motorcycle helmets , are a hot new look for men .
Trendy shades by FYSH include the F-2064 , while OTP Sun ’ s OTPS-2008 will be a must-have unisex option .
Rene Gerber , Bolle Brands ’ senior marketing manager , also says ‘ 70s-inspired thin metal frames in large geometric shapes are expected to be popular among women .
“ Nylons are still strong in the uplifting cat eye shapes like the new Rolla from Serengeti Sport ,” she says .
“ Colour trends for ladies include blush and crystal-based resin in a number of hues .”
Rolla has a chunky rectangular shape with an angular profile and wide temple , while Wakota is feminine and casual with an angular design on the top .
Crystal Geoghegan , lead buyer at Canadian Optical Supply , says oversized sunglasses will continue to dominate trends for the 2021 season .
“ We also see a mix of bold / saturated colours with classic neutrals ,” she says .
The newest sunglasses collection from Nifties , available in Canada by COS , is a great mix of form and
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24 OPTICAL PRISM | May 2021