Getting in the eyewear zone

The largest optical event in the UK attracted 9115 UK and international visitors and more than 200 exhibitors in 2019, and in 2020 will enable eye care practitioners to source the latest eyewear, technology and solutions.

Patients and practitioners are invited to celebrate excellence in optics by casting their vote in the AOP Awards 2020 when voting opens on 1 October. The awards, which are headline sponsored by CooperVision, celebrate individuals, teams and organisations across the profession. The ceremony will take place at 100% Optical, with finalists, sponsors and guests enjoying a night of entertainment as the winners are announced.

Following shortlisting by a panel of industry experts, two categories, Frame of the Year and Product of the Year, will be chosen exclusively by the Association’s members. To view the finalists for the AOP Awards 2020, visit the AOP website.

William Morris Eyewear launch

William Morris Eyewear will launch a new range of spectacles at 100% Optical 2020. Founder and creator of the British eyewear brand, Robert Morris, told OT that the company always likes to showcase its autumn/winter collection at 100% Optical.

Speaking to OT about the collection, Mr Morris said: “We are delighted to announce our new and exciting exclusive collaboration with a world-renowned art organisation, the William Morris Gallery (pictured below).”

“For the first time, his gorgeous patterns and textiles are being incorporated into a range of 12 optical designer frames. We are very excited and proud to be showcasing this collection at 100% Optical for the first time,” he added.

The colour and the shape

Optometrist and lifestyle blogger, Lizzy Yeowart, tells OT how practitioners can get the most out of the eyewear zone at 100% Optical

If you’re going to choose eyewear for your practice, it’s useful to know what trends to keep an eye out for, while keeping your patient demographic in mind of course. 

Colours

After London and New York Fashion Weeks, the Pantone Color Institute named 29 shades to whet our appetites for autumn/winter 2019–2020. Chilli pepper, crème de pȇche, rocky road, summer fig, merlot and chicory coffee are just some of the hues that comprise a mouth-watering palette of warm deep reds, pinky-peaches and browns alongside rich blues and earthy greens. These colours are mellower and easier to wear than last year’s spicy shades. Pantone will select additional colours for spring/summer 2020, so it’s worth some additional research ahead of your visit.

The trend for clear and white frames will continue and we will see semi-transparent pearlescent finishes too. The non-shrinking violets will also have plenty of highlighter-neons to choose from. Yellow lenses will still be popular in 2020 as will mirrors. Gradient and ombre finishes will become increasingly fashionable and brown sunglass lenses will enjoy a resurgence in 2020.

The trend for clear and white frames will continue and we will see semi-transparent pearlescent finishes too

Shapes and styles

Styles will go from minimalist thin metal to statement thick acetate. Pronounced geometric shapes such as hexagons and slim triangles will prevail as will large squares. Designs that combine two shapes, for example, sunglasses with a rounded outer shape and a square inner shape were showcased on the designer runways, so we can expect to see similar in the eyewear zone. We will see even more incarnations of the ever-popular, universally flattering cat’s eye shape, a selection of which every practice should carry. And in an interesting take on rimless eyewear, a lot of new designs have lenses applied on top of the rims, often embellished with studs or crystals.