2. Trends….
WHEN
CONSIDERING
2012
SUNGLASSES
TRENDS,
WE
CAN
BEGIN
BY
LOOKING
TO
2011
SUNGLASSES
TRENDS
FOR
INSPIRATION.
MANY
OF
THE
TRENDS
WHICH
STARTED
LAST
YEAR
WILL
CONTINUE
INTO
THIS
YEAR;
GENERALLY
SUNGLASSES
TRENDS
RUN
THE
SPAN
OF
A
DECADE
OR
MORE
-‐
SO
WHAT’S
IN
STYLE
LAST
YEAR
CAN
GIVE
US
A
HINT
OF
THINGS
TO
COME
THIS
YEAR.
WE’LL
LOOK
AT
POSSIBLE
SEASON
SUNGLASSES
TRENDS
FOR
SPRING
2012
AND
SUMMER
2012
FOR
MEN
AND
WOMEN’S
SHADES
BASED
ON
WHAT
WAS
COMING
IN
STYLE
AT
THE
END
OF
2011.
WE’LL
ALSO
CONSIDER
WHAT
CELEBRITIES
HAVE
BEEN
WEARING
RECENTLY
AND
THROUGHOUT
THE
PAST
HALF
CENTURY
AND
HOW
TRENDS
HAVE
COME
AND
GONE
OVER
THE
PAST
COUPLE
OF
DECADES.
Oversized
Sunglasses
One
of
the
biggest
trends
we
saw
for
2011
sunglasses
trends
was
oversized
sunglasses.
Oversized
sunglasses
are
a
style
of
retro
sunglasses
which
originally
became
popular
in
the
1970s,
overtaking
the
cat-‐eye
sunglasses
which
were
popular
in
the
1960s.
Vintage
designer
sunglasses
with
oversized
frames
and
bug-‐eye
lenses
remained
popular
in
the
1980s
and
1990s,
parcularly
with
celebries.
Celebries
who
get
swarmed
by
the
media
paparazzi
typically
don
these
oversized
sunglasses
so
that
they
can
slip
by
in
crowds
unnoced.
The
lenses
cover
a
very
wide
poron
of
the
face
and
can
help
to
conceal
a
celebrity’s
identy.
Even
though
that
praccal
value
isn’t
really
applicable
to
most
of
us,
wearing
large
oversized
sunglasses
can
provide
the
rest
of
us
with
an
added
benefit—the
“star
look.”
Pete
Sunglasses
At
the
other
end
of
the
spectrum
we
have
pete
sunglasses.
Not
only
are
pete
sunglasses
a
growing
trend,
but
they
also
flaber
some
facial
structures
far
more
than
oversized
sunglasses.
One
reason
pete
sunglasses
came
into
fashion
in
2011
is
that
oversized
sunglasses
are
so
popular.
This
might
seem
counterintuive,
but
just
as
many
people
flock
to
oversized
styles
for
their
celebrity
flair,
many
other
people
also
find
them
overwhelming.
It’s
all
about
opons—some
people
express
themselves
differently,
and
that’s
why
pete
sunglasses
are
such
a
big
counter-‐trend.
Not
everyone
wants
to
hide
their
faces,
afer
all!
3.
Vintage
Sunglasses
These
days,
it
isn’t
just
the
new
and
modern
which
is
fashionable,
but
also
the
retro
fashions
of
yesteryear!
Trendy
people
are
shopping
for
rare
vintage
sunglasses
and
vintage
inspired
sunglasses.
You
don’t
have
to
look
for
a
vintage
sunglasses
shop
just
to
buy
vintage
sunglasses,
though,
since
this
style
is
so
popular
that
many
mainstream
sunglasses
stores
also
sell
vintage
inspired
sunglasses.
Aviator
sunglasses,
Ray-‐Ban
wayfarer
sunglasses,
oversized
bug-‐eye
sunglasses
and
horn
rim
cat
eye
sunglasses
are
all
examples
of
vintage
styles
which
have
made
a
comeback
during
the
Aughts.
These
styles
were
fashionable
in
2011
and
will
be
even
more
so
in
2012.
We’ve
been
seeing
a
lot
of
celebries
wearing
cat
eye
sunglasses
recently
including
Zoe
Saldana,
Ke$ha,
and
January
Jones.
In
parcular,
oversized
sunglasses
have
become
a
top-‐selling
sunglasses
trend.
Any
of
these
looks
for
men
or
women
can
really
give
you
a
unique,
old-‐school
style
which
will
set
you
apart
from
the
crowd.
Since
vintage
fashion
trends
made
a
comeback
in
the
Aughts
as
well,
vintage
style
sunglasses
inspired
by
sunglasses
from
the
60s,
70s
and
80s
can
really
stand
out
as
accessories
paired
with
vintage
clothing.
Polarized
Sunglasses
Polarizaon
is
an
amazing
technology
which
has
made
glare-‐resistant
sunglasses
possible.
These
days
(and
probably
forevermore),
it
is
very
trendy
to
wear
polarized
sports
sunglasses.
Polarized
sunglasses
can
eliminate
glare
from
non
metallic
surfaces
like
water,
which
makes
them
excellent
for
water
sports,
and
in
parcular
for
fishing.
If
you
enjoy
sports
fishing
(or
you
fish
for
a
living),
polarized
sports
sunglasses
are
a
must;
they
will
remove
the
glare
from
the
surface
of
the
water
and
allow
you
to
perceive
depth
and
see
what’s
underneath
the
surface.
Other
people
who
wear
polarized
sunglasses
for
occupaonal
reasons
include
truck
drivers
and
others
who
spend
a
lot
of
me
on
the
road.
The
polarizaon
can
help
to
eliminate
some
of
the
glare
of
the
road
and
the
landscape.
Bicyclists
and
others
who
do
outdoor
sports
on
the
road
and
elsewhere
can
also
benefit
from
polarized
sunglasses.
Note
though
that
polarizaon
won’t
help
reduce
glare
when
it
comes
to
snow.
Which
Color
is
the
New
Black
for
2012?
Going
into
2012,
what
color
is
the
new
black—stylish
and
sophiscated
and
perfect
for
all
occasions?
Looking
back
at
fall
and
winter
of
2011
we
saw
a
lot
of
subdued
beiges,
burgundies,
purples,
tans,
and
neutral
tones.
This
is
only
natural,
considering
that
many
people
think
of
autumn
and
winter
as
subdued
mes
of
year—mes
when
we
rest
up
for
next
spring
and
summer.
The
colors
which
we
saw
last
autumn
and
winter
were
resoul
shades
that
made
sense
for
the
season.
We
also
saw
some
bright,
bold
yellows
and
pinks
thrown
into
the
mix
to
liven
things
up
a
bit.
There’s
nothing
like
bright
yellow
to
remind
us
of
the
light
of
the
sun
on
those
grey
winter
days
when
everything
seems
so
bleary
and
cold.
4. TRANSWORLD
BUSINESS
Sharp
Curves
Ahead
For
Spring
2011
Sunglasses
Shades
brands
refresh
curves
and
colors
of
past
successes,
emphasize
polarized
for
Spring/Summer
2011.
By
Rhea
Cortado
At
Hansen’s
surf
shop
in
Encinitas,
California,
enlightened
crystal-‐clear
cases
housing
polished
sunglasses
are
lined
up
all
in
a
row
like
freezers
in
an
ice
cream
shop.
Josh
Hansen
describes
that
the
retail
equaon
of
the
eyewear
category
can
be
as
simple
as
selling
soda
or
sweets.
“They’re
like
vending
machines,”
says
Hansen,
adding
that
the
crucial
point
of
the
puzzle
is
to
maintain
healthily
stocked
dispensaries.
“For
the
most
part
as
we’re
asked
to
open
cases
and
what
not,
people
are
definitely
in
the
market
to
spend
money.”
As
retailers
connue
to
shy
away
from
risky
new
silhoueSes,
designers
play
it
safe
by
reinterpreng
past
successes
with
subtle,
unexpected
curves
and
colors.
On
tap
are
evolving
modificaons
to
the
Ray-‐Ban
Wayfarer,
aviator,
sporty
wrap,
shield,
and
feminine
oversized
outlines.
Spy
gave
its
square
wrap-‐style
frames
signature
beveling,
contours,
and
mabe
black
finishes.
VonZipper
will
brighten
its
display
with
its
Smokeout
collecon
of
psychedelic-‐hued
frames.
Vestal
will
incorporate
Zeiss
lenses
with
nt
and
coang
flourishes
and
refine
its
frames
with
“harder
angles”
and
“flaber
base
curves.”
For
the
ladies,
Juliebe
Koh
of
Spy
says
“buSerfly”
shapes
with
preSy
swooping
outlines
“are
gaining
steam
because
of
its
versality
on
a
variety
of
different
face
shapes.”
Hoven
is
emphasizing
fashion
in
its
women’s
Melrose
collecon,
also
offered
with
polarized
lenses.
Sabre’s
bold
glasses
are
billed
as
unisex,
but
the
brand
has
developed
more
graceful,
female-‐focused
styles
for
the
upcoming
season.
“Androgynous
fashion
is
more
prevalent
than
ever
before,”
says
Ryan
Nix
of
Sabre.
“Nowadays
we’re
seeing
lots
of
women
wearing
styles
that
were
once
only
worn
by
men
and
vice
versa.”
The
most
direconal
styles
riff
on
the
vintage-‐inspired,
horn-‐rimmed
plasc
and
wire
eye
frame
profile.
Designers
vamp
on
the
muse
with
angular
edges,
flaber
bases,
and
thickly
sliced
acetate
on
brows
and
bridges.
Dragon’s
version
features
mulple
layers
in
the
mold
that
give
the
frame
depth.
Electric
Visual’s
signature
model
with
Dave
Rastovich
has
a
decidedly
masculine
edge
with
rectangular
eyewires.
Smith’s
version
is
futuriscally
modern
with
a
slim
brow,
Techlight
polarized
glass
lenses,
and
spring
hinges.
Joel
Bernbaum
of
Smith
stresses
the
athlec
praccality
is
as
important
as
the
look.
“A
fashion
piece
does
not
stand
alone
for
our
customer;
they
are
demanding
a
heightened
measure
of
performance,”
says
Bernbaum.
Polarized
lenses
connue
to
build
momentum
as
a
must-‐have
component
repeated
by
nearly
every
shady
spokesperson.
Vestal,
Electric
Visual,
and
Hoven
all
offer
styles
with
the
higher-‐priced
choice
of
polarized
lenses
and
others
will
unveil
new
lens
advancements.
(For
a
break
down
of
the
tech
and
sales
ps
go
to
page
??)”There
is
a
lot
of
buzz
with
polarized
lenses,
and
that
segment
has
always
been
a
very
important
part
of
our
business,”
says
Kip
Arnebe
of
Electric
Visual.
“The
consumer/retailer
is
becoming
more
savvy
and
is
willing
to
pay
more
for
more
performance.”
