Brand Showcase: Fabris Lane returns to retro – 23/02/05 : Moodie Davitt Report

UK. Aviators and the dark 1950s retro style are the highlights of Fabris Lane’s latest collections of sunglasses for Spring/Summer 2005.

The Anglo-Italian sunglasses company designs and manufactures its own brands as well as a strong portfolio of licensed brands. The full range includes M :UK; M :UK for Hamish Morrow; Monkey Monkey, Ben Sherman, FCUK, Animal, Freerange Sports Optic and prescriptive glasses brand 2WO Optics.

The aviator, described by the Hamish Morrow brand as “the five-pocket jeans of sunglasses”, is favoured for its versatility as a fashion accessory and a professional-looking piece that complements office attire.

“˜Character’ glasses go well with the springtime macintosh, and for this, several of the aviator models are updated with gold frames, temple inserts and colourful lenses for style. The retro theme is also extended to the oversized Italian-style sunglasses which complement the mac look.

Dark visors, a perennial favourite, are reserved for the latest sportswear models.

The 2005 collection from 2WO Optics updates traditional optical shapes such as small and shaped ovals with the modern frameless and half frame styles. Comfort is provided by lightweight stainless steel frames and soft nose pads. The compressed lenses are available in tinted or sunglass options. The range features matching finishes and details. The contemporary styling caters to consumers that are “younger at heart”.

Below are the highlights of the 2005 collections:

	Fabris Lane The Fabris Lane Spring/Summer 2005 collection focuses on the company’s Italian heritage, reflected strongly in the key men’s pieces which feature pewter hinge details and dark tortoiseshell frames. For the lenses, deeper tones of red, grey and bitter chocolate are layered onto rose crystal and amber to create a polished look. Frame colours vary from graduated soft browns and olive greens to smoky blues. Two other styles dominate, namely the oversized vintage Jackie O look and the aviator. The large vintage look combines dark tortoiseshell and black crystal frames with cylindrical lenses. The aviator is available in soft gold frame with rose lenses, and in a frameless range.
	Freerange The Freerange Sports Optic collection for 2005 combines contemporary sports styling with sports functionality. Branding is discreet, with the emphasis on the wearer’s attitude rather than the brand statement. Freerange uses moulded silicon nose pads and flexible side arms for comfort and ballistic-proof frames for robust protection. The specialist lens feature multi-layered coatings, with the inside lined with anti-reflective coating for complete protection from the sun’s harmful rays.
	Monkey Monkey The Spring/Summer 2005 collection from children’s range Monkey Monkey provides young eyes with maximum protection from harmful UV rays. Each style is tested to comply with the European Safety standards and benefits from Fabris Lane’s genuine expertise in eyewear protection. The latest offerings feature diamanté detailing and lenses with cut-outs.
	FCUK Aviators are the centrepiece of the FCUK Sun 2005 collection. The “retro edge” is manifested in details such as the vintage-looking rivet in green and gold, frames with butterfly details, cut-outs and coloured enamels in raspberry cream and papaya punch. The handmade acetate frames are available in black, white and pink. The collection also incorporates sports practicality that makes it both fashionable and hi-tech. The more sporty styles include brushed metal half-frames with reflective revo lenses and wrapped plastics in crystal grey.
	Animal The Freeform series from the Animal Eyewear collection are a plastic collection featuring sports styles and retro Street range. For 2005, the sports range includes the chunky statement style called Flatline and a graffiti-inspired style called Throttle. The Wire series feature performance metals for the Aggressor, Splitter and Raid models. The aviator appears in the Women’s series, featuring details such as diamanté and flower prints on graduated oyster and cherry fade titanite lenses.
	Ben Sherman Aviators and modern visors front the Spring/Summer 2005 collection from Ben Sherman. Metals are used for the frameless and half frame styles while plastic is used for the retro styles for a more vintage look. This season, Ben Sherman offers more unisex elements and greater variations of styles and colours. All of the models are Optical Class 1, and conform to European Safety Standards.
	M :UK M :UK presents a Spring/Summer 2005 collection that pays tribute to the 1950s and 1970s through its “˜Diva’ plastic pieces and its modern take on the aviators. These, and the sporty “˜wraparounds’, are decorated with floral motifs, diamante and split temples. Frame colours vary from pearl, pink, black to dark tortoiseshell. Key looks include aviators with pink gold frames, butterfly cross frames, “˜futuristic’ wraparounds with overlaid lenses, oversized Hepburn frames in pearly bubble gum pink and retro visors with narrow arms.
	M :UK for Hamish Morrow UK designer Hamish Morrow has teamed up with M :UK to produce a collection of seven styles for 2005 highlighting retro styling and sports design. The aviator frames feature plastic temple inserts and cut-out details. Fold-away styles are available in pink and gold, and in gold and green for a vintage feel. X-frame styles are available in antique gold and brushed lilac. The visors are available in hues such as smoke grey and electric blue tint. Another piece combines the aviator frame with a sports tech wrapped visor in shimmering gold.