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Oliver Peoples Trunk Show!

We at Eye Elegance are so excited to bring you our first-ever trunk show with Oliver Peoples eyewear!  Since 1987, Oliver Peoples and its creative director Larry Leight have been creating iconic, “must-have” eyewear.  Considered one of the pioneers of luxury eyewear, Oliver Peoples continues to evolve and create beautiful handcrafted pieces of art for the face.The story of how Oliver Peoples came to be is best told by Larry himself in this video: Oliver Peoples History from Oliver Peoples on Vimeo.Larry’s designs and unique philosophy have changed the course of eyewear and influenced designers around the world. His styles have been seen on some of the most recognizable faces in the fashion and entertainment industries and have been featured in several of the most respected fashion magazines globally. He independently consulted on the launch of Prada, Miu Miu, Jil Sander, Helmut Lang and Vera Wang’s eyewear brands. He is also one of the first eyewear designers to be elected as a member of the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America).Please join us on Saturday, May 18, 2013 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. to view the collection in its entirety, including the new releases for Spring/Summer 2013.  We would love to see you here!

Trunk Show To Feature New Robert Marc Collections -

We at Eye Elegance are so excited to bring you an eyewear event featuring Robert Marc’s first Resort Eyewear collection “Parrot Cay” and his Fall/Winter collection “India” on February 9, 2013 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.The Fall/Winter 2012 collection looks east to India, a treasury of art, architecture and culture.  India is exalted as the country of color; every marketplace is an aesthetic dive into pools of color, pattern, texture and shape.  The collection features batik-inspired temple designs in a rich mélange of copper, crimson and indigo patterns, paired with bold solid fronts in Indo-Black, oxblood and Jodhpur blue.  In the men’s collection, signature styles are featured in Amber/Havana, Oxblood and Blue Smoke imbue intelligence and drama.In his first (and I believe first of its kind) Resort collection, Robert has collaborated with the Caribbean oasis of Parrot Cay to create a new limited edition collection inspired by the private island retreat in the Turks & Caicos.  The “Parrot Cay” resort collection combines the luxury materials of the renowned brand with sophisticated color combinations, mirroring the breathtaking visuals of the remote archipelago.  It features three sun models in four colors and two optical models in five colors.  With colors like “Iguana” and “Tamarind”, it’s easy to get into a Caribbean frame of mind; “Caribe”, “Parrot” and “Tortoise” complete the color palette.  This collection is limited to one production run, so supplies will be very limited (and it’s so new that we don’t even have a picture yet, but I have seen them in person and they are BEAUTIFUL!).Robert Marc eyewear reflects a classic, modern and effortless style.  Over the past 30 years, the brand has developed an international following of some of the world’s most discerning clientele through offering highly-tailored handcrafted pieces.  We look forward to seeing you on Saturday, February 9!

New Arrival—Tpox by Entourage of 7!

The people at Entourage of 7 are showing off their design and material innovation once again with the Tpox series of frames, and they are available now at Eye Elegance!  Tpox is a play on the fact that the frames are all titanium with an epoxy inset field on the frame front.  The coloring and finishing process is a multi-step endeavor, resulting in multi-colored frames.   On one group the entire frame is finished twice, first in one color, for instance gold, and then completely finished in a second color, say, brown.  Then the decorative field is laser-etched in a grooved pattern to expose the color underneath.  Finally the entire section is filled in clear epoxy, resulting in a smooth feel with visible color contrast and texture. On another group the frame is finished in one solid color, say green, laser-etched in a grooved pattern and filled with a colored epoxy.  The result is the green frame above—you can see that the blue epoxy has filled the decorative field, allowing the green ridges in the pattern to show through.  The result is everything we have come to expect from Entourage of 7—simultaneously clean, modern, beautiful and innovative!  Come in soon to see the entire Entourage of 7 collection!Blast from the Past!This issue’s featured classic frame is the 56-4174 from John-Paul Gaultier.  This piece from 20 years ago features built-in side shields and exposed springs in shiny palladium for a look that has never gone out-of style.  A little steam-punk and a little classic, this should be a part of any serious eyewear junkie’s collection!

Buyer's Blog: Judith Leiber Trunk Show!

Eye Elegance is excited to bring you a trunk show featuring frames by Judith Leiber.  A premiere American luxury brand, Judith Leiber has redefined accessories with designs that are as timeless as they are elegant.  Aligned with the brand’s world-renowned handbags, this collection is handcrafted luxury drown of the finest materials and design inspiration.  Each product is executed with meticulous attention to detail and flawless finishing.Judith Leiber creations are peerless in their artistry and craftsmanship.  Nearly every First Lady dating back to 1953 has carried custom-made Judith Leiber bags to the US Presidential inauguration ceremonies, and Judith Leiber minaudieres are part of the permanent design collections at leading museums, including The Smithsonian and The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, as well as our own Houston Museum of Fine Arts.  Also a red carpet favorite, Judith Leiber is truly an iconic American brand.Please join us on Saturday, June 9 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. to view the entire Judith Leiber eyewear collection, including all of the new releases for 2012!Blast from the Past!This week’s classic frame is the S80 Sunglass from Robert LaRoche!  Strong geometric shapes and unusual details were the hallmark of the Robert LaRoche collection, and this sunglass really delivers.  Lustrous acetate in a combination of matte and shiny finishes, stainless steel details and genuine hand-finished rivets make this a hand-made work of art—I think I could see this on Lady Gaga, don’t you?  Contact the store for pricing on this hard-to-find hand-made work of art!

***Part 2—choosing the correct glasses for the job***

Everyone knows that sunglasses are essential for protecting your eyes from the damaging effects of UV light, but there are also very different aspects to the performance of sun lenses for different activities. I’m going to discuss two very different types of performance eyewear:  driving glasses and golf glasses.  Traditionally, many drivers wear grey lenses, which provide the lowest light transmission and are a good choice in the brightest sunlight.  However, brown or amber lenses increase contrast, enabling drivers to better read road contours.  These advantages also allow drivers to wear brown/amber lenses earlier in the day and later in the evening.Polarized lenses are also very advantageous when driving.  The polarizing filter blocks reflected glare from the road and blinding glare bouncing off of other car windshields and bumpers.  They may also add to your safety and security by allowing you to see the drivers and passengers in nearby cars instead of seeing the reflection of the sky on the windshield.  We have several ways of demonstrating the advantages of polarized lenses here in the shop.Polarized lenses may, however, be less advantageous on the golf course.  The purpose of golf glasses is to improve the eye’s ability to see and track a golf ball against varying backgrounds and light levels.  Grey is usually not used because it is a neutral filter.  To conquer the haze created by evaporation on a typical course, one must suppress blue light and increase green contrast.  That is best performed by colors which suppress the blue end of the spectrum, such as brown, amber and green.  When a golfer “reads” a green, they’re trying to subconsciously process how the following factors combine to influence ball speed and trajectory during putting:• Slope• Grass length• Moisture level (in and on the grass)• Base (firmness of the green)• WindGrain (direction the blades of grass are facing)Visual evaluation of these factors is accomplished through discrimination of differences in the amount of light reflected by individual blades of grass.  This is why most performance golf glasses do not use polarization.  Your perception of light reflection changes as you move, and reflections are greatly decreased through polarization, making it more difficult to read a green.Here at Eye Elegance we have the answers to all of your sunwear needs, from driving to golf to just great fashion!  Stop in and let us find the right sunglasses of ALL of your activities.Tim(Thanks to Barry Santini from 20/20 magazine for much of this info!)

***Don’t forget the Etnia Barcelona Trunk Show***

Tomorrow, April 30, 2011 we will be hosting a trunk show from Etnia Barcelona.  If you are a fan of beautiful eyeglass frames with outstanding color and pattern choices, don’t miss this show!  We will have food and wine, and the representative from Etnia Barcelona will be here with every frame in the current collection, in every color!  Need sunglasses?  Etnia has classic sun shapes in the vivid colors they are known for.  We will be offering special pricing for in-stock AND SPECIAL ORDERS for one day only!  We would love to see you there. Don’t forget, our End-of-Season sale is still happening, too.  There are great values still to be had from many of our frame lines, so come in soon.‘til next week,Tim

New Year, New Look, New Line!

Happy New Year from Eye Elegance! We have completed the remodel of our interior and, as I promised in December, I am proud to announce the arrival of a new frame line, the Robert Marc Collection.Robert Marc is recognized as a visionary in the world of eyewear.  After designing and consulting on many of the world’s most successful premier eyewear collections, Robert launched his own collection of luxury eyewear in 1999—for which Vogue magazine announced “Robert makes his Marc.”By combining classic and modern elements, he creates timeless eyewear designs.  He has revived the art of the handcrafted frame and subtly brands his eyewear with the trademarked Robert Marc hinge that is inspired by historical design and construction.  This signature hinge adds distinction and luxury to each frame and unifies the collection.  Fans of Robert Marc’s designs include celebrities such as Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Julianne Moore, Uma Thurman and Matt Damon.  Recently, Robert’s designs have shown up in films such as Salt (Angelina Jolie), Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps (Shia LaBeouf, Michael Douglas) and When In Rome (Kristen Bell, Anjelica Huston) as well as TV’s Entourage, Grey’s Anatomy, How I Met Your Mother and CSI.***Save the Date***To celebrate the arrival of the Robert Marc Collection, and to give everyone a look at our new interior, we are having a ROBERT MARC TRUNK SHOW on Saturday, February 5, 2011!  Please join us from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. to view the entire collection, and have some food and drink to celebrate the New Year.  We believe that 2011 is going to be a great year!  We hope to see you soon!Tim