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It really never went away. But with the resurgence in influences from the 1980s, 90s + 00s, a return of punk, grunge and gothic nuances, and the reemergence of specific iconic items from those decades including the classic black Dr Martens first created in the 1960s, consistently returning as a style piece, black eyewear is on cue to do particularly well in the next weeks and months, in many forms and with the quirkier of statements.

Part and parcel of the genre are the 1990s inspired narrow retro mask sunglasses, much hyped but always evolving thanks to some of the most creative designers in the eyewear business. Above: 90s style reimagined by Factory 900, Japan: model FA-380. Made in Fukui. For details: www.factory900.jp

At Italian artisan label Essedue the inspiration is on the 80s with a nod to David Bowie and a chic “on point” style. Model Saturn, from the PRIMA line, has a strong round lens shape with pointed outer line in black, underscored with a white lower rim. Find out more at https://www.esseduesunglasses.com/product/saturn/

Made of unpolished acetate, model MMRAW016 – in the Mykita x Maison Margiela collection comes in a Raw Black Havana with Black – illustrating that all types of finish and coloration based on black make up part of the season’s new looks. The panto-shaped optical frame with a raised bar highlights visible traces of the milling process, making each model slightly different from another. For more information: www.mykita.com

We have selected a few examples of the black styles now available for A/W 19/00. For more inspiration visit our Instagram page @eyestylistmagazine.

Introducing TVR®, an eyewear collection by skilled craftsmen from Sabae City, Fukui Prefecture, Japan

Japanese precision, tradition and artisanal craft: at the centre of the frame manufacturing region of Fukui, where artisans have worked for over 60 years in old family-owned workshops, today there are just a few traditional factories existing in Sabae who still produce handmade eyewear, and a handful of craftsmen and women of this age who continue to produce eyeglasses by hand. Some of them work exclusively with True Vintage Revival – TVR®, a small label dedicated to their extraordinary expertise through the revival of the historic “classic” shapes. Above: Artisan Yamada Mitsukazu, in his 70s, works with his wife in their traditional workshop. He has been making frames since he was 16 years old. Between them, they make around 100 frames a month.

TVR® uses time-tested methods to create these high-quality “revival” designs as well as original tools and moulds which date from the 1920s to the 80s. They also use the  “Datum Expression Size” technique, a masterful method for measurement used during the 50s in Japan to obtain a subtle balance in the design for comfort, durability and lightness.

In the making of the TVR® classics, vintage design features including the keyhole-bridge, functional ‘spear’ rivets, 7-barrel hinges, and other traditional spectacle details are boldly executed with skill, passed down through these generations of craftsmen whose families were responsible for starting the production of Zylonite/celluloid spectacles in the early 1950s.

Today, TVR® produces a selection of collections in Japanese zyl and SPM Sun Platinum Metal – a metal material first used in Japan in the 1930s and a favourite of the former Emperor of Japan, Hirohito. The shapes are inspired by 50 rare and collectible frames the TVR® team found discarded in an old Sabae factory. The collections include the mainline TVR Collection and “YM” – the Yamada Mitsukazu collection. For details about frames in the collections launched for 2019, visit www.tvropt.com CN