Kartell Eyewear collection unveiled

Frames from the ‘Lamina’ (left) and ‘Borderino’ series, from Kartell’s Main Collection

(Image credit: press)

last updated 6 October 2022

Kartell is expanding its eclectic design portfolio with the launch of an expansive new eyewear collection. The Kartell Eyewear collection, which contains 100 pieces, encompasses the brand’s distinctive design codes, with elegant and sustainable materials epitomising its industrial design aesthetic.

The Main Collection focuses on classic aestheticism, while four designers invited by Kartell – Rodolfo Dordoni, Ferruccio Laviani, Piero Lissoni and Fabio Novembre – interpret traditional silhouettes in the Design Collection. The results across both collections embrace a wealth of materials, from metal to the sustainability-focused KartellBio, which is created from cotton and fibres of precious wood.

Kartell Eyewear sunglasses — ‘Borderino’, from the Main Collection

‘Kartell has always looked to the future and has always followed developments in materials and production processes in all sectors, not just furnishings,’ says Kartell marketing and retail manager Lorenza Luti. ‘This commitment to innovation is behind the Kartell Eyewear range, our first-ever collection of sun and vision glasses. This completely new project embodies our capacity for creativity in all areas of design. This latest collection, developed by our own creative workshop, will allow us to explore new horizons while continuing to respect our established look and identity.’

The Main collection comprises 68 styles across several series that play with shapes and materials for contemporary frames. ‘Lamina’ nods with simple geometrical codes, blending two shapes to make a third for forms inspired by classic Kartell products. The cube is the focus in the Exube collection, which softens its rigid lines into a softer sphere. In ‘Borderino’, a juxtaposition between transparency and opacity make a playful foil for the cleanly-drawn form. Minimalist metal lines take the lead in ‘Spiedo’, incorporating materials favoured by Kartell in their other products.

For the Design Collection, the four invited designers have interpreted these themes in their own series, drawing on Kartell’s habit of intertwining premium products with a technically accomplished artistry. For ‘Segmenti’, Ferruccio Laviani's series of light frames riffs off of simple shapes. In Piero Lissoni’s ‘Eyeliner’ series, simplicity is imbued with flashes of colour. Fabio Novembre, too, is drawn to colour in the ‘Shield’ and ‘Line K’ pieces, while the glasses in Rodolfo Dordoni’s ‘Loo-k’ series brilliantly play on contrasts.

Kartell glasses with transparent brown frame — ‘Lamina’, from the Main Collection

Very thin brown frame of Kartell glasses — ‘Spiedo’, from the Main Collection

INFORMATION

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Hannah Silver is the Art, Culture, Watches & Jewellery Editor of Wallpaper*. Since joining in 2019, she has overseen offbeat art trends and conducted in-depth profiles, as well as writing and commissioning extensively across the worlds of culture and luxury. She enjoys travelling, visiting artists' studios and viewing exhibitions around the world, and has interviewed artists and designers including Maggi Hambling, William Kentridge, Jonathan Anderson, Chantal Joffe, Lubaina Himid, Tilda Swinton and Mickalene Thomas.