OSCAR styles Pieris and VAAL

Time for OSCAR

Lantis premieres new collection from de la Renta

Acclaimed designer Oscar de la Renta joins many of his peers with the debut of OSCAR--a bridge line of ophthalmic (launched in January) and sun styles (initial release was last August) from Lantis Eyewear. According to Lantis, the collection is for the young modern woman who has a fast-paced lifestyle and requires a flexible wardrobe.

There are 31 ophthalmic styles; 23 are metal and eight are plastic. Colors range from black/blue and taupe/cream for the plastics, to slate blue, green gun, and bordeaux in the metals. Special features include handmade acetate frames, stainless steel screws, and spring hinges on some styles. Ophthalmics wholesale between $36 and $60.

There are 33 sun styles--12 are metal, 14 are plastic, and seven are a combination of the two. Shades available include green/blue, henna/cola, seafoam gun, shiny pewter, and plum satin. Designs boast adjustable soft nosepads, and polarized lenses, and wholesale between $30 and $50.

Merchandising materials available include a 24-piece countertop fixture, a one-piece hi-lighter, a mirror, and countercards. For more information, call Lantis Eyewear at 800-552-6847.

Serengeti styles Betty and Grace

La Femme Fatale

Serengeti introduces new women's collection

Serengeti Eyewear Inc., reknown for its driving sunglasses, is going Hollywood. New this year is the Celebrity Collection--a ladies line of shades named for legendary screen sirens. 

There are six styles in the line, which wholesale between $55 and $65. All frames come with Serengeti's Driver Sienna photochromic copper lens and are composed of cellulose acetate. "Betty" has a rectangular shape, and is available in burgundy/grey, black, and tortoise. "Rita" offers a wide oval and comes in tortoise, black, and chameleon. "Carole" is a squared oval featured in such hues as tortoise/blue and black. "Greta" is a cat-eye shape available in shades like saffron and black. "Grace" is a chic oval featured in olive, black, or tortoise. And "Marilyn" comes in a larger oval in butterscotch, tortoise, and black.

Merchandising kits available include countercards, logo plaques, and A-frame stands.

For more information, call Serengeti Eyewear Inc. at 800-426-7849.

Luxottica styles Daddy-O and W3159

Banning Those Rays

Luxottica unveils its new Ray-Ban collection

It's time to crank up those Bob Seger tunes again--Ray-Ban is back. Those cool shades that Tom Cruise donned while dancing in his underwear in the movie "Risky Business" are among the frames making a comeback, courtesy of Luxottica. Having acquired Ray-Ban Sun Optics last year from Bausch & Lomb, Luxottica launched the line--which includes 26 new styles--last month at Vision Expo East.

In addition to the new designs, 10 of the existing styles have new frame and lens colors. According to Luxottica, all frames are manufactured in Italy and are metal, plastic, or a metal/plastic combination. Color options for frames include gunmetal, silver, cobalt blue, brown, and black. All lenses are glass and are offered in hues such as blue, rose, or yellow. Shapes include updated aviators, rectangles, and ovals. The collection wholesales between $39.50 and $59.50.

Merchandising materials available include four-, five-, or 12-place displays, a five-place tray, mirror, and logo plaque.

For more information call Luxottica at 800-422-2020. 

Clayton Franklin styles 705 (top) and 504

Back to the Future

OSA International makes old, new again with Clayton Franklin

Vintage design coupled with innovation is key in the new Clayton Franklin line, according to the Optical Shop Of Aspen (OSA), the line's distributor. The luxury collection is the latest addition to OSA's stable of high-end eyewear, which already includes Matsuda and Hiero.

The collection is comprised of 14 styles--all of which are available in either ophthalmic or sun, and wholesale between $245 and $360. Special features include an adjustable temple and mechanically attached nosepads.

A throwback to the industrial look of the early 1900s, the line boasts sterling silver hinges and a lush color selection that includes brown, tortoise, and crystal. Sunglass lenses are available in four tints including grey and green with polarized UVA/UVH protection.

Merchandising materials available include a backdrop, a frame display, and an oval logo.

For more information, call OSA at 800-647-2345.

Ichiro Tsuruta styles Cherry and Queen

Portrait of A Lady

Ultra Palm Optical premieres ophthalmic styles from acclaimed artist

Japanese artist Ichiro Tsuruta, known for his paintings of beautiful women, now has a high-end ophthalmic line within the Caviar Collection from Ultra Palm Optical.

Tsuruta now has his elegant mark on four distinctly different frames. Each wholesales for $175.

Special features include colorful designs on the endpieces and temples. While all four styles have monel fronts, two styles have metal temples and the others a combination metal/plastic temple. All fronts are gold-plated, and handpainted detailing on the metal is available in a variety of vibrant hue combinations. Merchandising kits available includes a six-piece kit, a name plaque, a one-piece display, and a poster.

For more information, call Ultra Palm Optical at 800-327-5185.

Maurice Malone styles Tee Cee and Twister

Urban Legend

Maurice Malone comes to eyewear courtesy of Moja Designs

Maurice Malone brings his hip-hop, cool style to the optical industry with an ophthalmic and sunglass collection from Moja Designs.

There are 12 ophthalmic designs within Malone's line. Eight are metal, and four are plastic. The metals are unisex and feature silicone nosepads, flex hinges, and a triple coloration process on some models. The zyls offer some styles in double and triple laminations and have color matching log plates. Color options include satins and mattes in gold and silver, as well as black, antique gold/navy, and gunmetal.

The six metal sun styles are available for Rx and are UV protected. Special features include logo temple tips and flex hinges. Hues available include indigo, brown metallic, pewter, silver, and khaki matte.

The collection wholesales between $55 and $85, and all frames come with a denim case.

Merchandising kits available include a Lucite counter block and posters.

For more information, call Moja Designs at 888-576-MOJA.

Enjoy styles 2702 and 5544

Sit Back and Enjoy

Rodenstock brings European line to America

RLife is short, so you may as well be happy.

That could very well be the motto behind Rodenstock USA's new ophthalmic line called Enjoy. Rodenstock premiered the modern and fun collection in the United States last month--previously, it was only distributed abroad.

Targeted toward men and women 20-35 years of age and older who have an urban-inspired lifestyle, the look of Enjoy is not for the cautious. Sporting trendy eyeshapes and intriguing colors, Enjoy is funky.

The initial collection is comprised of 10 metal styles--three plastic designs are slated to launch at a later date. The frames wholesale between $35.95 and $49.95. Shades include such edgy colors as palladium and bronze antique.

Merchandising materials available include posters, showcards, and a three-piece display.

Call Rodenstock USA at 800-243-1020 for more information. EB