So beau!

From geometric to macro-boxy, statement shapes are proving themselves to be forward in style this year. The fall 2018/19 catwalks have so far seen an intense reimagining of winter goggles for both sunglasses and optical lens wearers. Bold, bright, moulded plastic shapes that take over the wearer’s whole face are majorly in. Gucci in particular have offered up some particularly wild designs that bring the words ‘oversized’ and ‘sculpted’ firmly to mind. Embellishments also fall into this category, with high fashion houses like Dolce and Gabbana, Dior and Armani using prints and diamante to draw even more attention to their massive specs. Thin metal geometric shapes are also a thing. On the high street we are seeing offerings in these categories from Kylie Minogue, Balmain, Cath Kidston, Fleye Copenhagen and Blackfin.

Tiny glancer

When it comes to sunglasses, tiny, matrixesque frames have been all the rage on the runway since Balenciaga models stepped out in their 2017 show. Futuristic, unisex and street, the internet lit up when Rihanna wore this style by Ojala at Cannes 2017. Kim Kardashian quickly followed suit on advice from husband Kanye – known for his outlandish eyewear – with Louis Vuitton and Miu Miu both including small sunglasses in their 2018 catwalk shows. Australian designer Poppy Lissiman has an amazing range of ready-to-wear tiny sunnies, and Ray-Ban has incorporated the metal frame trend into their small styles. This is one trend that hasn’t really tipped over into optical frames, although those Elton Johnesque tiny circular frames still hold cult value in the men’s market, with Thom Browne Eyewear offering a particularly cutting-edge interpretation available in black, grey and tortoiseshell.

Extreme cat-eye

With a flat top and shorter lens, this new, modern take on the ultra-feminine cat-eye styles of the 1960’s and 70’s is gaining a lot of ground with the under-30 crowd. Louis Vuitton previewed their own extreme cat-eye shades on the catwalk in their spring/summer 2018 show at The Louvre, and dynamic millennial trend-setter Zoë Kravitz was spotted wearing cult NYC designer Adam Selman’s Le Specs The Last Lolita frames. Versace, Dolce and Gabbana and Ray-Ban all offer an optical frame in this extreme style, with Miu Miu previewing a sunglasses frame in their recent fall 2018/19 show. This style lends itself particularly well to older women, offering a touch of glamour without having to embrace ‘vintage’. Meryl Streep was spotted wearing a slightly gentler metal cat eye frame at this years’ Golden Globes.