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This year our eyewear experts have been keeping up to date with the biggest trends at the Spring/Summer 2021 Fashion Weeks, from Copenhagen in August to New York, London, Milan and Paris in September and October. Due to covid-19, brands have had to come up with creative ways of displaying their new collections, such as through pre-recorded films, live streams and outdoor shows. This has made many fashion shows much more accessible than before as people all over the world can simply tune in online and watch. With a special eye for brands that we offer in our own shop, we have been looking out for the main eyewear trends popping up in SS21.
Strange Realities, Uncertain Futures
As is often the case in fashion weeks, the SS21 shows also served as platform for sharing social and political messages. Indeed, many brands took the current covid situation as a chance to reset and re-imagine how society can be better, fairer and more sustainable. This could be seen in, for example, Art School’s diverse cast at London Fashion Week, Louis Vuitton’s “Vote” jumper at Paris Fashion Week, or Designers Remix’s entire collection made from upcycled pieces at Copenhagen Fashion Week.
And many shows made reference to the confusing reality that we are currently living through as well as the uncertain future on the horizon, with coronavirus and global warming, among other things, encroaching on life as we know it. Some designers like Marine Serre at Paris Fashion Week went so far as to portray masks and plastic visors as part of their collection. As the designer aptly put it in an interview with Vogue, “garments are tools to feel protected”.
Designer Kenzo’s outfits even featured beekeeper style nets, which almost fully covered the wearer. The protective nature of these accessories was transferred to the main eyewear trends of the season, which we explore further on in this post: oversized, wrap-around frames, which at first sight appear simply sporty, can also be seen as way of protectively covering the face.
Some brands sent us into the future as a form of escapism from the current reality. For example, Thom Browne’s fashion show came in the form of a narrative film taking us to the “lunar Olympics” in the year 2132. With this backdrop, all white outfits allowed the aviator style sunglasses with gold mirror lenses, termed “reflective solar grade eyewear” by the reporters in the film, to really stand out.
Sportswear Becomes Everyday Wear
Just as Thom Browne staged his collection in an Olympic arena, many other brands took strong elements from sportswear into their everyday wear collections. For Miu Miu, opposites were key. 90s inspired sporty outfits including heeled trainers and shell jackets were combined with diamante-encrusted sunglasses while small rectangle sunglasses were slightly curved around the face, adding a sporty feel.
Burberry’s nature inspired show, which designer Riccardo Tisci himself described as “a love affair between a mermaid and a shark”, was staged in an English woodland. The outfits were glamorous and elegant, including suave tailoring and flashes of diamante and silver sparkles. Men-in-black-style bodyguards escorted the models through the forest, again adding an idea of the need for protection. Worn with wrap-around sunglasses in pale blue or clear lenses, their outfits were immediately transformed into images from the future.
Back to the 60s/70s
For their newest collection, Dior took inspiration from 60s era feminist artist Lucia Marcucci. Tie die fabrics, floral prints and floaty fabrics in natural colours were accompanied by elegant and subtle gold-rimmed glasses in aviator style or hexagon shape, adding an intellectual vibe to the otherwise “free spirit” looks.
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The all-white look, which has been trending for a few seasons now, also made many reappearances, this time combined with 60s inspired eyewear. For example, at Fendi, elegance was the name of the game where small rectangular white frames complimented all-white outfits. Aviator style glasses with a flat upper rim also added a flawless, chic look to other outfits.
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Fendi was not the only designer to go for all-white: Burberry and Tom Ford also showed this look and especially Thom Browne, whose entire collection was in shades of ivory, white and pale yellow.
Another trend influenced by the 60s era, if not by our current times and its need for self-protection, is oversized eyewear. And this season oversize sunglasses went really over-the-top, covering a large portion of the face. Just take a look at the Tom Ford’s SS21 sunglasses: with a thick plastic rim and lenses in playful colours of lilac or yellow, they are a clear break from Tom Ford’s usual subtle black frames to something more fun and striking.
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Gucci also went for huge oversized sunglasses in a variety of shapes and played even more with colours such as pink and aqua blue. Combined with flower print dresses, headscarves and flared trousers, this collection really gives off a flower-power 60s/70s vibe.
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On the other hand, Dolce & Gabbana’s Sicilian patchwork inspired collection, which was already full of a rainbow of bright colours, was balanced out with dark-coloured oversized sunglasses with black/brown gradient lenses.
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