Kirk & Kirk are announcing their Contour Collection in Europe. Karen Kirk told Eyestylist how the new combination concept came to life
Inspired by the path of a river, its natural lines and unique facets, the UK independent brand Kirk & Kirk are bringing their zingy combination frames in the Contour collection to eyewear aficionados around the world. Previewed at Loft in NYC, the colourful styles, which combine Italian acrylic with alpaca silver temples, were fantastically well received across the States in the last months, according to Karen Kirk, co-founder, and take the signature acrylic material used by the UK brand into a whole new realm. Above: the colours are bold and bright in the Contour Collection; model wears flattering green tone from the Contour Collection
“It’s about amplifying the very best in our unique materials. Throughout the design process we take a sculptural approach; sizing and re-shaping our very own grade of Italian acrylic in the same way a sculptor shears a rock….” Karen Kirk
“The use of metal and a combination of textures feels very natural,” Karen Kirk told Eyestylist. “Contour is about the permanent marks left in nature. Sculpture is an ongoing theme in our collections because of the tactile inspiration I get from working with this special material. The contrast between the static etching created by nature with the transient flow of the elements creating it, was the inspiration. The concept was to interpret this with sheared angles in harmony with the milled valley in the temples, leading your eye from front to side, never static.”
Karen adds: “As with all frames by Kirk & Kirk, movement, whether it be the play of light or the angles, plays a key role in the design.”
Asked if a particular river had inspired or influenced the original concept and the special lines and facets, Karen told us that she was thinking of a place close to home: “We are fortunate enough to live by the coast in Brighton and often follow the beach to Shoreham where you arrive at the mouth of the River Adur. From the glass bridge in Shoreham you can see everything from the South Downs to the boat-lined towpath that is called Riverbank.”
The five-piece Contour collection with models named after members of the Kirk family – Emma, Zara, Layla, William and Van – will be on show at SILMO Paris at the end of September. The designs are available in eight bright sand-blasted colours which include jet, glacier, candy and indigo. Expect to see them in selected independent optical stores very soon! www.kirkandkirk.com.
Read more about the Contour collection by Kirk & Kirk on Eyestylist : https://www.eyestylist.com/2023/03/the-loft-2023-nyc/