LINES AND LAUNCHES
What's New for Buyers
By Marcy Bruch
Photography by Peter Baker

HB509 (top) and HB505 (bottom)

Tailored Style: Zimco offers Harv� Benard
Harv� Benard has long had a reputation for producing ladies' suits and coats that are impeccably tailored for a well-bred look. Knowing the brand is synonymous with value and quality among baby boomer women, Zimco has collaborated with the apparel manufacturer to launch a 17-piece ophthalmic collection consisting of 16 metals and one plastic style. Frames come in shapes such as ovals, rectangles, cateyes, and hexagons, and the color range includes gold, silver, gunmetal, aqua, blue, brown, rose, gray, violet, and wine. The frames' antique and matte finishes are in keeping with the brand's well-crafted, yet understated, image.

Each frame comes with a black leather case and wholesales for $66.50. Merchandising materials include a six-piece wood display and Lucite logo plaque. For more information, call 800-221-0886.

	K58 (top) and Z45 (bottom)

Walk on the Wild Side: Colors in Optics introduces Claude Montana
Born in Paris in 1949, Claude Montana moved to London at the dawn of his design career believing it was the best environment for up-and-coming designers during the '60s. There began his fascination with leather apparel, which has become his hallmark. He moved back to France and launched his own line in 1979. Today, Montana is known for his edgy leather ensembles that nod to the racy side of a woman's fashion sensibility.

Colors in Optics offers Claude Montana Eyewear, a 21-style ophthalmic collection that includes plastics and metals. Scalloped temple tips, extended endpieces, and unexpected angles are some of the new line's distinctive characteristics. Frame colors, such as copper brown, burgundy, and black, mirror Montana's rich leather hues.

Wholesale prices range from $85 to $90, and each frame comes in a silver-textured case. Merchandise materials for the line include a one- or three-piece display and countercards. For more information, call 866-465-COLORS

8522 (top) and 8032 (bottom)

IC Optics launches Gai Mattiolo
Long fascinated by the underworld culture of the mafia, Milan-born Gai Mattiolo launched his ladies' apparel line in 1994 and now has boutiques in Rome, Florence, Paris, Sao Paulo, Beirut, and Zurich. Some of his signature looks include chalk-striped suits, sumptuous silk blouses, fedora hats, and ultra-high heels that blend masculine looks with feminine details.

IC Optics has partnered with Mattiolo to produce a 17-piece optical collection comprised of eight ophthalmic styles and nine sunglass frames. Many frames feature simulated ruby, diamond, and emerald gemstones to reflect the glamour of a mafia queen.

The optical collection wholesales from $75 to $85, and the sunwear line wholesales from $75 to $120. P-O-P materials include countercards and a three-piece display. For more information, call 866-426-7842.