Photographed by STEPHEN MARK SULLIVAN
Still Photography NED MATURA

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FRAME OF THE MONTH

You read that right. This marks the first time for 20/20 that the incredible cover frame is ALSO our Frame-of-the-Month. Want to know the details? It all “hinges” on ProDesign.

ZENSE 7634 from Prodesign Denmark

Just a simple twist of the front plaque of the temple delivers a virtual eyewear wardrobe all in one frame. Clever? Beyond!

RAMPAGE TWIST TEMPLE 187T from Viva

Rimless is virtually limitless in its ever (and seemingly) so simple minimalist solution to discrete-yet-powerfully personal eyewear.

From left: INVINCILITES Sigma E from Zyloware; TOTALLY RIMLESS 205 from The McGee Group; LINE ART XL2050 from Charmant Group

Think about luxury and high-tech luggage that impresses by virtue of hardware, stress reinforcement, power of its moving parts and flat plains of its identified surface. All design in such an object demands respected and inspected approval. This hatched and heroically hinged Tumi eyewear frame works exactly within its branded heritage. This is eyewear taking flight with supreme success.

TUMI 105 from Base Curve/A Luxury Division of Rem Eyewear

Increasingly hot for their tactile AND visual appeal, textile inserts take positioning skill when it comes to eyewear. Accenting the clearly feminine front sweep with a rich and royal crimson slash of silk gives this Cinzia frame ideal reflective and feel appeal that is modern and massively sexy in take and touch

CINZIA 5025 from Europa International

The lens is secure yet switchable. One simple motion pops it out for another high-tech coloration variation based on purpose. And an equally simple one-step motion pops a new one back in. NO other frame does this better and faster and more securely than a Switch.

AXO from Switch Vision

Tortoise as tech? That’s right for this one factor: No frame coloration so skillfully and universally adapts to virtually EVERY skin coloration.

From top: XXL Buckeye from A&A Optical; HELIUM PARIS 4244 from Match Eyewear

Titanium: Eyewear in its perfect element. Note the variations in color, structure, style and setting.

From top: TEKA 433 from Teka Eyewear; IZOD PERFORM X 527 from ClearVision Optical; PAPER THIN TITANIUM COLLECTION 4046 from Modo; LINE 8664 from Bevel Specs; TITANFLEX 820641 from Tura

A veritable mother lode of shapes, materials, lens tech breakthroughs, tones, shades and situation-specific elucidations make sunwear optical’s most high-profile star.

From left: bebe BLACK Indeed 7110 from Altair Eyewear; VERA WANG Josifa from Kenmark; JIMMY CHOO Sybil from Sàfilo Group; PENNY LANE 10012 from Zeal Optics

Peel away the layers of complexity for any frame hinge design, and the basics of wear, wear-ability, function and FIT-ability become paramount. With a minimalist “bushing” layered on to a combo materials solution, this Menizzi delivers a veneration of optical’s past with a flair of its future.

MENIZZI 3051 from Menizzi Eyewear

Offering the ultimate when it comes to eyewear technology, sport eyewear makes a sweep of fantastic frontiers: lens tech, aerodynamics, base-curve optics and protection, venting systems, lens-to-frame interlocks, face-grip and eyewear’s most distinct signature colorations and identifications. Be it NEVER so humble there’s nothing quite like the sport eyewear arena for full popularity approval.

From left: COLUMBIA Peak from L’Amy America; KNIFE from Wiley X Eyewear; JAGUAR 37713 from Eastern States Eyewear

This sunglass floats. Simple. Right? Think about THAT the next time someone approaches to replace a sun spec lost to the deep, blue… SEE.

DRAGON The Jam from Marchon Eyewear

No one suspends a lens from its frame-brow structure more masterfully than Morel. Complementing that chassis with a unique torsion hinge system adds to the design’s unity of technology.

LIGHTEC 7328L from Morel

The modern Aviator is decidedly NOT your father’s aviator. Check out these three for a look at the future flight of aviators. At top, Tag Heuer with a radical sweep befitting its Senna race-inspired heritage, Oakley with an ingenious (hair) snag-resistant nosepad design, and Silhouette employing the ever so traditional brow bar as a supplemental structure of strength and support to its rimless flight.

From left: EXPLORER SUN COLLECTION 8665 from Silhouette; FEEDBACK from Oakley; TAG HEUER 0253 from Logo of the Americas

The degree of innovation and craftsmanship in a high-tech approach to frames reaches a zenith as the plastic steps up in degree to surgical quality. It takes on an inherent lightness and balances with a counterpoint, uncompromised strength. All such factors affect the frame fit, wearability and endurance. Matte texturing this finished Innotec frame plays toward its modern-yet-organic presence.

INNOTEC 4818 from Ogi Eyewear

Texture is a tactile gift with eyewear since it affects both the fit and feel of the frame. And texture offers a variety of options as the surface plays with the actual light illuminating the frame. This Armani looks amazing (Illuminating!), feels terrific (Tactile!) and holds so comfortably and securely on a face (Fit!). Missives accomplished.

EMPORIO ARMANI 3019 from Luxottica

Prep school can teach one so many different interpretations based just on materials, the combination of materials AND the surface texture of those materials.

From left: WILLIAM MORRIS Black Label 026 from Classique Eyewear; VINCE CAMUTO VG110 from Colors in Optics; JEAN RENO BY CENDRINE O. 1401 from Zig Eyewear

In just a matter of seasonal seconds, semi-rimless nearly dropped off the eyewear radar and semi-rimless crafted from zyl rather than metal virtually disappeared. Say hello to its return in a big, bold and bountiful way. Lafont takes the step, and it is a fitting one since semi-rimless offers that added insight, so-to-speak, of a pair of glasses with absolutely no lower frame boundary of obstruction.

MERMOZ from Lafont

Considering the actual proportionate “size” of eyewear as an object of incredible design, it is nearly shocking that the variations in detail, structure, material, solution and identity can be SO ripe with innovation.

From left: EASYCLIP TURBOFLEX 317 from Aspex Eyewear; ROBERT GRAHAM Robert from Revolution Eyewear; MATSUDA 1012 from Matsuda Eyewear