BAUMVISION INTROS LEISURE SOCIETY » Shane Baum, designer and president of Baumvision, launches Leisure Society, an ultra-luxe eyewear line. The inaugural collection of four sunglasses and five ophthalmic frames, all handmade in Japan, is a limited run of 75 frames per style. Frames are made of 100 percent pure titanium, plated in 12-, 18- and 24-karat gold and are accented with diamonds and precious metals. Lenses are CR-39 with hydrophobic and proprietary 12-layer AR coatings. Pictured: Cambridge.
OAKLEY’S 3D EXPERIENCE » Oakley has designed a collection of innovative 3D eyewear that both complements and optimizes the technology used in the majority of 3D movie theaters around the world. The company’s proprietary frame innovations have been combined with lens technologies that will maximize the 3D experience by taking advantage of Oakley’s new HDO-3D technology, which uses the popular system known as “passive polarized” to let the lenses function without a battery. Oakley 3D eyewear will be available prior to the 2010 holiday season and will initially be sold through premium optical distribution channels in the U.S., followed by a global launch in 2011. Oakley will provide a range of 3D eyewear designs to address the various needs and desires of movie enthusiasts, aficionados and those who will utilize Oakley 3D eyewear for home systems.
LBI’S GEEK HAS GAME » Al-Farouq Aminu, one of the top players of the 2010 NBA draft, and LBI have entered an agreement under which the basketball player is the official spokesperson for LBI’s Geek Eyewear.
MARCOLIN RENEWS WITH TIMEBERLAND » The Marcolin Group has renewed its licensing agreement for design, production and worldwide distribution of Timberland ophthalmic frames and sunglasses (pictured) through 2013.
SCANDINAVIAN EYEWEAR RELAUNCHES BIRKA IN U.S. » Scandinavian Eyewear presents its Birka collection to the U.S. market. Included are 25 new styles, all featuring a clean, Scandinavian design and offered in two colors and one size. Pictured: Birka 5413.
EYEWEAR BY ROI AND BULOVA EXTEND LICENSE »
Bulova Corporation announces a renewal of its worldwide eyewear licensing contract with Eyewear by ROI, extending an agreement originally signed in 1995. Under the new agreement, Eyewear by ROI will continue designing, manufacturing and distributing the eyewear and sunwear collections marketed under the names Bulova, Bulova Twist Titanium, Caravelle by Bulova and Wittnauer.
METZLER REINTRODUCES SEE YOU » Nigura Metzler Optics relaunches SEE YOU, a polarized collection consisting of 30 styles designed for men and women looking for good quality sunglasses at favorable price points.
DE RIGO VISION AND MARR INTERNATIONAL SIGN A JOINT VENTURE AGREEMENT » De Rigo Vision Spa, a leading, worldwide optical company, announces its direct expansion into the U.S. and Canadian markets through a joint venture with Marr International, beginning in January 2011 with the distribution of the Celine, Chopard, Givenchy and Furla brands, to be followed by Police, Escada, Ermenegildo Zegna and Blumarine. Under the joint venture Marr will initially distribute the sunglass collections of Police, a key house brand of De Rigo Vision; the ophthalmic collections will continue to be distributed by Eastern States Eyewear.
ZOOBUG RELEASES OPHTHALMIC COLLECTION FOR INFANTS » Children’s eyewear specialist Zoobug launches an ophthalmic collection for newborns to toddlers up to 24 months. The frames are made of stainless steel and feature a built-up nose piece and cable temples made of soft, non-toxic silicone. Hinges are flexible and sizes are 34mm, 38mm and 40mm. Pictured: Teddy.
OPO DESIGN SWEDEN TO BE DISTRIBUTED BY PRECISION OPTICS » Omaha, Neb.-based Precision Optics is now the U.S. distributor for the KunoQvist collection (pictured) of Swedish eyewear by Opo design.
—Gloria Nicola
