Leave your aviators in the closet this summer — retro sunglasses have no place in the holiday suitcases of 2016. No, this season is all about the future.
When Rihanna and Dior announced the news of their imminent collection of shades this week, the die was cast. Ri-Ri’s design eschews the recent trend for festival-friendly round and curved shapes, instead featuring a long, narrow, geometric singular lens that sits wide on the face and wings out at the sides for extra reach.
The glasses, named simply “Rihanna,” focus on clean, bold lines and futuristic accents. The design will come in a range of five metallic color combinations with mirrored lenses, with pairings including red and pink, gold and gunmetal grey, emerald green, sapphire blue and dusty rose. Images from the brand show the singer working them with a minimalistic silver jumpsuit and chunky earrings that throw more than a passing reference to La Forge from “Star Trek,” who was the main inspiration for the eyewear, according to WWD.
Of course, as Dior says, Ri-Ri is “a star who plays as much with fashion as she does music, composing a new vision of woman with each new album,” so we shouldn’t be too surprised by her latest fashion reinvention. But she isn’t the only one peddling the new trend for futuristic eyewear.
Chanel’s summer collection ‘Plein Soleil 2016’ channels a similar ultra-modern look, featuring flat, mirrored eye masks engraved with laser padding. The house’s signature bicolor motif uses colors subtly based on acetate that gradually slip from black to blue or from black to white for a bold and contemporary vibe.
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Urban brands such as Prism are also opting for geometric frames with mirrored lenses, with the label’s new Bilbao model featuring clear frames with a sharp arch and reflective green shades. Even Fendi is getting in on the act, modernizing the traditional cat eye shape in its latest collection with two sharp, triangular Swarovski crystal panels either side of iridescent lenses. The message is clear: if you want to keep up this summer, then it’s time to look to the future.
