To create a memorable eyewear collection, one must possess an aptitude for design, detail and distinction. All three of these characteristics can be conceived from various genres and experiences that step outside the realm of eyewear. Soho, N.Y.-based Modo found new design inspiration from Italian designer Valerio Sommella, who specializes in industrial design.
Born in Italy in 1980, Sommella graduated from the Politecnico of Milan, which offers courses in engineering, design and architecture. In 2009, he founded the Valerio Sommella Studio, which focuses on industrial design across lighting sectors and consumer goods. Sommella has worked with Italian and international clients including Panasonic, Honda, Toyota, Kundalini and Alessi. Known for his industrial design work with these companies, Sommella has also worked on a range of projects and limited edition pieces, similar to his upcoming exclusive collaboration with Modo. Combining the eyewear and industrial design industries, Sommella put a personal spin on Modo’s Paper-Thin Titanium collection that showcases his roots in industrial design. The Valerio Sommella VS1 capsule collection consists of three optical and three sun shapes that are all architecturally inspired. Constructed with Modo’s 0.6 mm-thick beta titanium 153, frames feature lively colors and definitive proportions.
“It has been a process of subtraction; I wanted to emphasize the relation between the frame and the lenses’ rims, make it clear and visible, so that the contrast and the proportions between these two elements became fundamental for the definition of the VS1 concept,” says Sommella. “The final result is a very simple collection in which discreet functional elements play an important aesthetic role.”
Sommella reinterprets the combination of titanium and the TR-90 polyamide rim while managing to maintain the collection’s V-groove lens application. He reduced the size of the polyamide rim to better perceive the unique architecture and innovative design of each frame. The unisex collection features colorful titanium and polyamide styles in red, gold, yellow, turquoise, tortoise and burgundy, in various shapes such as pantos, pilot, square and round. With a new and thrilling addition to Modo’s Paper-Thin Titanium collection, the VS1 capsule artistically fuses two different design worlds to create a colorful and stunning collaboration.
—Victoria Garcia
