Bausch + Lomb, a leading global eye health company, announced its first-quarter 2023 financial results. The company reported a first quarter loss of $90 million, after reporting a profit in the same period in 2022. Total reported revenues were $931 million for the first quarter of 2023, as compared to $889 million in the first quarter of 2022, an increase of $42 million, or 5 percent, according to an announcement from the company. “Bausch + Lomb delivered a strong first quarter with continued high-quality growth across all three reporting segments and in most of our significant markets around the world. Revenues grew 5 percent on a reported basis and 8 percent on a constant currency basis, driven by solid growth from several key franchises within our vision care segment, strong execution in our ophthalmic pharmaceuticals segment and increased demand for consumables, intraocular lenses and systems in our surgical segment,” said Brent Saunders, chairman and Ceo, Bausch + Lomb. Vision care segment revenues were $587 million for the first quarter of 2023, as compared to $560 million for the first quarter of 2022, an increase of $27 million, or 5 percent.

July 2023

Luxury eyewear brand Peoples from Barbados presents its bestsellers in new summer colors. Reflecting the summer vibe of Bajan life and style, the refreshing special color palette for summer 2023 combines sunset gradient shades with turtle, midnight blue or light sand-toned crystalline solids. Following the Bajan eyewear brand’s 2023 collaboration with luxury eyewear brand Linda Farrow, the bestsellers embrace summer with new colors for men and women, a true expression of the Bajan lifestyle with the warmth and beauty of the Caribbean sea and sky. Available in three best-selling colorways, the timeless unisex silhouette features sunset gradient shades on thick acetate temples with tonal combinations inspired by three different phases during the spectacular setting of the sun. “Our customers have been particularly drawn to this model with its enticing custom colors and versatile bold square shape,” said Alicia Hartman, Founder of Peoples from Barbados and Owner of eyewear store EYE Q Stylist Opticians in Barbados.

July 2023

The British brand Cutler and Gross launches its new metal collection which is inspired by the models from the 90s. The collection uses luxurious materials such as 18K gold, 18K white gold rhodium and 18K rose gold. Taking key shapes from the extensive design archive from the early 90s and reinventing them with precious detailing, the collection comprises six optical and sunglass models, each piece is considered and minimal in its nature, with lightness and functionality at its core. Referencing the Latin word for gold, Aurum, the collection is handcrafted in Italy and made in collaboration with the finest jewellers, using the highest quality of materials. Refined and luxurious in style, the collection includes either 18K Gold, 18K White Gold Rhodium, 18K Rose Gold, or a combination of both precious metals – Yellow Gold 24K + Rhodium 18K, or Rose Gold 18K + Rhodium 18K. Rhodium, due to its extreme shine, reflectiveness, and strength, is fast becoming the most sought-after material in the accessories market.

July 2023

Kuboraum transforms the concept of Crossover into a new limited edition capsule collection. Crossover is defined as a new genre-less genre where different musical styles meet and intersect to produce irresistibly extreme tracks that reach a new musical dimension. Crossover offers a wide-ranging exploration across the spectrum of musical styles, from classical to jazz, electronic to hip-hop/rap or experimental. With the motto of bridging our differences and melting the superficial boundaries of the mind, Kuboraum finds the ultimate innovative expression in the new capsule collection Crossover, with different and extreme details for each mask-like eyewear. Each mask in the collection is finished with one-of-a-kind handcrafted surface treatment and meticulously applied decorations by hand.

July 2023

Californian eyewear brand Salt has teamed up with Radford Motors to launch an exclusive, limited sunglasses collection inspired by the intersection of automotive, pop-culture and eyewear heritage. The collection features two different styles of sunglasses, each available in four exclusive colorways. In the new collection, Salt aimed to build on successful automotive eyewear elements from the past, while utilizing the best materials available today. Using Japanese aerospace-grade titanium, the partners have managed to strike an impressive balance between strength and weight. This ensures that even the most daring frames are extremely lightweight yet high quality. In terms of design, Salt blended the essence of both Radford and its racing heritage into the frames. While paying homage to the heritage of racing goggles by using titanium side shields and a grille, they also added an automotive influence to the designs. These elements not only add a stylish touch, but also allow for optimal airflow. The cloisonne plating is meticulously customized to perfectly match the gold leaf and color schemes. The Salt x Radford collection not only showcases a sophisticated look but also delivers exceptional performance on the road, ultimately providing a bespoke driving experience like no other.

July 2023

French eyewear brand J.F. Rey launches Whisper. A form of minimalist style that emphasizes essential elements and reduces them to the utmost discretion. The new designs feature a more visible aesthetic that blends shapes and lines to create subtle, delicate vibrations. J.F. Rey’s new frames for women primarily feature a round shape that is timeless, universal and always contemporary. The models are crafted with refined metal and an extreme precision that highlights the lines as closely as possible. Additionally, the frames are available in a range of unexpected colors, such as lavender blue, fuchsia pink, spring lilac, poppy red, and apricot orange. These color palettes are inspired by popular make-up trends and are designed to create beautiful and creative contrasts in an unstructured manner on the front of the frames. This color scheme, which mimics make-up, sculpts the eyes and opens up the gaze, giving a stylish makeover that whispers elegance.

July 2023

Raen has launched its latest optical sun collection, which they highlight as being made with M49 acetate from Mazzucchelli and Zeiss Sustainable Polyamide Lenses. Raen Co-founder and Design Director Jordan Percy said: “We are proud to partner with Mazzucchelli, a leader in sustainable materials, for our latest collection. By incorporating M49 Bio Acetate into our designs, we are taking a significant step towards an eco-friendlier future. This partnership allows us to combine our passion for timeless designs with Mazzucchelli’s innovative bio-based material, creating a premium feel and look that Raen has become known for.” Elena Orsi Mazzucchelli, Product Development Manager said: “Raen is a brand that we’ve admired for quite some time. Their values and their approach to design align closely with ours—we both put quality and craftsmanship at the forefront of everything we do. It’s been a pleasure to collaborate with them on this collection, which showcases products capable of combining beauty, refinement and sustainability”. Raen has partnered with lens manufacturer Zeiss and incorporating the new Zeiss Sustainable Polymaide lenses into the collection, which are made partially of bio-based materials and produce 50% less CO2 emissions in production.

July 2023

Lifestyle luxury brand Etro and Safilo Group have announced a 10-year global and exclusive licensing agreement for the design, manufacturing and distribution of Etro branded eyewear collections. The first Etro collection made with Safilo Group will include both sun and optical styles and will be presented for the Spring/Summer 2024 season. Angelo Trocchia, Ceo of Safilo Group, said, “We are very proud to start this new collaboration with a company that represents fashion and textile excellence. Our creative team is in harmony with Etro’ Creative Director Marco De Vincenzo, with whom we are working to create a distinctive collection, able to enhance the brand potential in the eyewear category to the fullest. Etro is a luxury brand that boasts a rich history in reinterpreting beauty standards and it is recognized for its iconic patterns.” Etro Ceo Fabrizio Cardinali said, “The partnership with a leading company like Safilo represents a further step in the expansion of Etro’s offer to the market, making it increasingly complete and broad. The Eyewear segment will join the Ready-to-Wear, Home, Fragrance and Etro Kids collection that has been recently announced. I have always considered Etro a 360° lifestyle brand and I’m very pleased to achieve this new milestone to complete a global and integrated vision dedicated to different product categories and consumer types.”

July 2023

Founded in 2006 by Andreas Pirkheim and Wolfgang Scheucher in Hartberg, Austria, Andy Wolf, a high-quality eyewear brand that combines local and traditional craftsmanship with contemporary and innovative designs, presents a brand new collection for the Spring/Summer 2023 season. The striking designs in Andy Wolf’s new collection are inspired by vintage inspiration. The Austrian brand’s new vintage-inspired, cool eyewear promises elegance and comfort to its wearers, especially in summer, with bold color palettes that offer a variety of vibrancy. Andy Wolf equips the designs in its new collection with contemporary features, while creating uniqueness with traditional craftsmanship. The vintage-inspired eyewear in the Austrian brand’s new collection is the perfect combination of a modern approach to sustainability.

July 2023

While our eye health is deteriorating rapidly and there is no chance that our digital usage rates will decrease for a while, Seiko SmartZoom, with single-focus lens technology developed by Seiko Optik, helps support the eye muscles during intensive digital device use. Today, thanks to the internet, all kinds of information is always at our fingertips; social media, movies and series are on smartphones and tablets that we can access at any time through digital platforms. The process at home due to the pandemic has also increased awareness of eye disorders and experts believe that there will be an increase in eye disorders due to intensive digital use. SmartZoom supports the user in the challenges of digital device use by providing a comfortable view and smooth transitions between focal lengths when looking closely at screens. Extremely thin and lightweight with a 360° inner-aspherical surface structure, Seiko SmartZoom offers a wide field of view and exceptional image quality. In particular, SmartZoom allows for closer and easier viewing of screens without straining the eyes.

July 2023