As in the recent evolution of men’s swim trunks, the eyewear market has experienced a renaissance of its own this season. With an array of fresh styles and innovative frames, the latest shades will not only shield the sun, they will distinguish your look. Here are a few of our favorite new releases. – Christina Garofalo
This season, Gucci launched a special collection of men’s Bamboo glasses in gold, $620, and black, $465. Both have a bamboo detail on the bridge and temples, a nod to the company’s heritage. When Gucci’s Florentine craftsmen began using bamboo in 1947, it was because traditional materials had become scarce during wartime. The look quickly became key to the house’s iconic handbags and jewelry—and now men’s glasses. (877.482.2430, www.gucci.com)
Designed in Venice Beach, Calif., Garrett Leight California Optical’s bold round frames assert an air of vintage Hollywood. The handmade brown-streaked frames, $375, come with prescription-optional clear lenses and detachable shades at Mr Porter. (877.535.3677, www.mrporter.com)
Götti’s new Pit and Patch sunglasses, $310, crafted from featherweight titanium, are sophisticated aesthetically and technologically. The brand’s signature spin-and-stow feature allows the earpieces to rotate completely and fold flat, to allow the wearer to slip the glasses into his pocket safely. (407.415.0778, www.gotti.ch)
The eyewear designer Alexander Daas opened his newest showroom this summer in San Diego, where he sells handmade frames like this acetate aviator-shaped pair, $399. A percentage of every pair of glasses Daas sells supports a handful of charities, including the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and Penfield Children’s Center in Milwaukee. (619.795.8947, www.alexanderdaas.com)
The new hand-finished blue-and-khaki glasses by Bevel, $335, feature a patented one-piece hinge that runs through the core of the temple to create greater flexibility. The frames are sold at 10/10 Optics on New York’s Madison Avenue, where each pair is custom-fitted to the wearer. (www.bevelspecs.com, www.1010optics.com, 212.366.1010)
