Lines and Launches
By Marcy Bruch
Photography by Peter Baker

J901 (top) and J403

Tailored Polish
Rem launches Jones New York

Jones New York has long been known for offering tailored suits and business apparel of which professional women, ages 30 to 54, can't get enough. Now, celebrated eyewear designer Blake Kuwahara has created an ophthalmic and sunwear collection to give those women polished-looking eyewear as well. The 16-style ophthalmic collection includes four plastic and 12 metal frames. The sunwear line features four styles. To lend a tailored quality to the collection that nods to Jones New York suits, Kuwahara employed skiving, sculpting, and beveling to every piece. The metal frames are made of monel or stainless steel and the plastics are made of Italian-made zyl. German-made spring hinges and nosepads, as well as titanium temples, ensure superior comfort and fit. The brand logo is featured at temple tips, nosepads, and embossed on the hard case and micro-fiber cleaning cloth. Plastic ophthalmic frames wholesale for $47.95 and metal frames wholesale from $49.95 to $59.95. Jones New York sunwear wholesales for $69.95. Rem is supporting the brand at retail by using actress Brooke Shields in the Jones New York national advertising campaign, which is expected to reach 157 million women. For more information, call 800-423-3023. 

JA113 (top) and JA102

For Men Only
Altair offers Joseph Abboud

The classically sophisticated design elements that distinguish Joseph Abboud apparel have been expanded into the brand's new eyewear, thanks to Altair Eyewear. The 14-style ophthalmic collection offers varied frame shapes, such as rectangles, ovals, and soft geometric outlines, that are coupled with titanium rimless options, magnetic clips, and semi-rimless frames in stainless steel. The collection comes in an array of colors, including black/caramel and tortoise, as well as matte and shiny tones of bronze, brown, and gunmetal. Point-of purchase materials include frosted, acrylic logo plates--available in large and small sizes--two countercards, brown micro-suede frame case, and a pinstriped lens cleaning cloth. The Joseph Abboud frame collection targets upscale 30- to 50-year old men. The ophthalmic line wholesales from $45 to $80. A follow-up sunwear collection is scheduled to be released next fall during International Vision Expo West. For more information, call 800-505-5557.

JR5074 (top) and JR001041

Street Chic
Allison Eyewear debuts John Richmond

British designer John Richmond's irreverent runway creations that combine precise tailoring with street graffiti prints has led him to dress such stars as Madonna, George Michael, and Annie Lennox. Now Richmond offers an eyewear collection through Allison Eyewear. The ophthalmic and sunwear line is extensive, with 30 styles for both men and women. In the ophthalmic line, a gothic-inspired frame, with the word RICH emblazoned on the left temple, is a signature piece. As part of the collection's advertising launch, rock star Bryan Adams photographs Elisabeth Canalis and himself with a graffiti slogan. Wholesale pricepoints for the ophthalmic line are $79 to $105, and the sun collection wholesales from $99 to $119. For more information, call 877-255-5757.

TB 2009 (top) and TB 1001

Get Out There
Marcolin launches Timberland

Timberland has long been known as a brand embraced by rough and ready guys ages 25 to 40-plus who explore the great outdoors by engaging in hiking, mountain climbing, and other sports. Now Marcolin is introducing eyewear that includes eight sun styles and 10 ophthalmic frames. Sunlenses are made of polycarbonate and CR 39 lenses with polarized and mirror coatings. In keeping with the Timberland product creed of high functionality, the ophthalmic frames are made of lightweight stainless steel, with comfortable monoblock hinges and adjustable temple tips. Natural tones of brown, blue, black, and gray, accented by the signature Timberland orange lining, abound. The wholesale pricepoints for the ophthalmic collection range from $44.99 to $54.99 and sunwear wholesale prices run from $44.99 to $49.99. Collection P.O.P. includes a four-piece display wood with leather back insert, a mirror, a nameplate, a table mat, countercards, a banner, and logo stickers. For more information, call 888-627-2654.

M212E (top) and  M210E

Affordable Quality and Style
Match Eyewear rolls out Match

In an effort to provide high-quality eyewear product to today's mainstream market at lower prices, Match Eyewear has introduced the Match collection. The initial introduction features 18 styles designed for both men and women in their 40s and beyond. There are both full-rim and semi-rimless metals for women and double-bridge as well as single-bridge metals for men. The collection is comprised of stainless steel and monel metal as well as metal and zyl combos. The zyl frames feature jeweled accents. Every style can hold progressive lenses and is available in a minimum of three colors and two sizes. Eye sizes start at 47 and go as high as 56. Match frames wholesale from $34.95 to $39.95 and come inside a hard, clamshell case. The collection comes with a four-piece stand and an arch counter display. ID plaques and countercards are also available. For more information, call 877-886-2824.

Nitrogen (top) and Clarity 3/U

Edgy and Hip
Sàfilo adds Diesel Ophthalmic

Building upon the success of its Diesel sunwear, Sàfilo has expanded the line to include ophthalmic eyewear. Diesel is geared toward urban men and women ages 16 to 35 who want distinctive eyewear that reflects their individual style. The seven-piece collection includes one plastic style, three metals, and three plastic-metal combination frames. The metal styles are made of lightweight and hypoallergenic nickel-free surgical stainless steel. All styles are rectangular and many have the D logo on temples and metal end pieces. The plastic, double-laminated style Nitrogen comes in blue/yellow, wine/horn, red/violet, and azure/lilac. Metal styles are available in pastels such as wisteria and gray green. Wholesale prices range from $55 to $65. For more information, call 800-631-1188

5401 (top) and 5403

Ready for Action
Optiq introduces Spider-Man 2

Knowing boys want anything that nods to their favorite action hero, Optiq Ltd. is rolling out Spider-Man 2 Eyewear just in time for the Spider-Man 2 movie premiere in July. The four-style collection targets boys ages five to 11 years old. All four styles are made of monel metal and come in matte colors such as black, chocolate, brown, blue, or gray. Each frame comes in a choice of two colors and sizes 38-14 to 42-18. The frames come with spiderweb temple tips and in shapes from sharp to modified rectangles and ovals. For extra durability, the metal frames have a one-piece front construction design. Frames wholesale for $47. P.O.P. includes a display kit with eight-place display, eight frames, eight cases, a countercard, and four lens patterns (available upon request). For more information, call 800-268-1265 or visit www.optiqframes.com.