SILMO: Our Favourite Eyewear

Day one of SILMO and I’m told that sensible shoes are a must if I’m going to make it to the end. Fortunately, I have my Birkenstocks on, so I’m off to a flying start. I make my way into what feels like a theme park for glasses – DisnEYEland, if you will. The day has barely begun and I already don’t know where to begin. I can’t believe how many stands and brands there are, or how many people have turned out for the event. They’ve come from around the world to attend what is essentially like Fashion Week for glasses. The eyewear brands have gone all out, decorating their stands, showcasing their latest creations and even dressing up in costumes. Although the stands follow one after another, no two are alike and you do start to wonder how each stand can possibly live up to the next, as they’re all so interesting! If you weren’t able to attend this year, here’s your chance to sneak a peek at the glasses that caught my eye at SILMO. I think we can safely say that by the end of this three-day marathon, I certainly knew a lot more about glasses than I did on day one.

1. The Phoenix Haze by Komono

A subtle blend of shape and colour, this design belongs to the Stardust collection by Komono and was inspired by a starry night sky. I think it looks quite arty, given the paint splatter effect on the mauve frames. Their feminine cat-eye shape probably helped win me over as well.

2. DILEM 3C from Oxibis

The brand wanted to focus on design, functionality and originality in its choice of materials for this collection. Designers were given free rein, which resulted in some highly original frames. There are three levels of creativity to choose from, this one being the Show option (Studio and Live versions also available).

3. Caroline Abram’s Divine sunglasses

Caroline Abram’s Divine design won her the SILMO d’Or award for “Eyewear Designer” in the sunglasses category. Geometry and futurism are both hallmarks of these curvaceous mask style glasses, which look wonderfully sophisticated and stylish on and come in several different colours.

4. The CatStyleDior1S

Anyone would look dazzling in these glasses – the frames are adorned with over 1,000 hand-applied Swarovski crystals. These statement accessories from the Dior Autumn-Winter 2019 show have made quite an impact… on myself included. The most beautiful butterfly you could hope to spot this winter.

5. Rosie heart-shaped sunglasses from Chloé

Heart shapes are in at the moment, especially if the success of the Saint Laurent version is any indication. Now these charming rose-tinted Rosie glasses from Chloé with their thick bevelled lenses are giving me heart eyes!

6. The Walter & Wassily collection

A collection inspired by the work of Walter Gropius, German architect, designer and founder of the Bauhaus movement (involving architecture, design and modernism) and Wassily Kandinsky, the Russian painter known as the founder of abstract art, among other things. Owing to their shape and the use of materials like titanium, Walter & Wassily frames are practically design objects in their own right.