Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/714702
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 14 AUGUST 2016 16 MARTINA BORG THROUGHOUT my childhood, eye glasses were largely seen as markers for eccentricity or bookishness… Being a product of the early nineties, I dis- tinctly remember being assigned corrective eyewear due to a lazy eye and longing des- perately for the moment I could start wear- ing contact lenses instead. So you can imagine my feelings when all of a sudden celebrities and models started dis- playing spec-tacular (I had to) looks proudly featuring the accessory on the red carpet, culminating in Kate Winslet's outing at the 2016 Academy Awards, arguably one of the most glamorous settings imaginable. Perhaps it was the fact that one of the most loved literary and movie heroes of our teens, Harry Potter, constantly wore round glasses, or maybe it's the sudden revival of the idea that "smart is the new sexy", but somewhere along the way, four eyes became just as cool, or – dare I say it – cooler than two… MaltaToday spoke to eyewear specialists and to fashion connoisseurs to see whether the trend has trickled into the local sphere and to what extent the attitude towards eye- wear has changed. Owner of Kir Royal men's clothing store Ludwig Saliba told the newsroom that al- though he didn't think wearing eyewear gratuitously was a trend locally, the look seemed to have come back in fashion at the beginning of the decade, at around 2011. "I would say the rise of the twenty-some- thing tech millionaire made nerdy and preppy a desirable look," he said, adding that glasses were a very essential part of the look. "Intelligence more than looks and fashion became associated with success and wealth, so it became fashionable to look intelligent," Saliba added. Perhaps one of the clearest depictions of the change in trends is captured in the 2012 movie 21 Jump Street, where two under- cover policemen in their twenties go back to high-school undercover as students, only to discover a complete upheaval of social hierarchies. The so-called nerds now rule the corridors of the school and slackers are generally looked down on… "The distinction between stylish and oth- erwise, is not so much between those who wear glasses and those who don't anymore, but in the style of frame chosen," Saliba ex- plained. "A person wearing a modern design e.g. with a fuller frame is likely to look more stylish than one wearing a pair with a very thin, metallic frame – or no frame at all, which have come to be seen as rather old- fashioned," he said. The point was also emphasized by Optika Opticians General Manager Chris Sansone, who said that the more obvious plastic frames had become exceedingly popular in the past five years. "Although we have no official statistics I would say that the frames we have sold in the past year have been 60% plastic com- pared to 40% metal frames," he said, adding that in the previous decade the trends had been the other way round. Sansone added however, that there seemed to be a very small percentage of cli- ents who buy frames unless they need cor- rective lenses. "Perhaps those who choose to wear glass- es as an accessory opt to buy retail brands rather than designer eyewear that's typically found at opticians," he explained. He added however that a general sense of awareness had definitely come on the scene over recent years, with clients choos- ing to buy eyewear with different protective coatings, even if they don't need corrective lenses. "People have become more aware of the effect that things like laptops, tablets and mobile phones have on their vision, and given the way these items have taken over our lives, many seek things like protective coating on their glasses." Similarly Russell Franklin from Solo Opti- cal explained that although the idea of wear- ing glasses without a prescription was often seen as a form of "adult dressing up", there had been a spike in their demand since the introduction of superior coatings suited for prolonged computer screen and smart phone use. Asked whether these coatings were ulti- mately effective, Franklin explained that al- though many were inclined to think it might be a technique to get them to spend more, these coats actually made a difference. San- sone agreed and explained that it's hard to convince someone about the effects of something they cannot see. Trying to figure out what or who set off the trend for eyewear is a bit of a chicken or egg situation. Indeed Saliba also points out that besides the fashion industry, the increased awareness itself might be the root cause for glasses becoming such a widespread fashion trend. "Many people need (and have to wear) glasses so it wouldn't make commercial sense for manufacturers to ignore such a huge market," he said, adding that a revi- sion of how glasses are presented in the first place is the very first step to meeting the needs of this market. "Glasses are now seen as being stylish so a model in glasses no longer looks casual or relaxed in an almost sloppy kind of way, de- signers start pairing glasses to smarter more polished looks." Image consultant and stylist Marisa Grima Feature From Buddy Holly to Harry Potter... the Once the marker for eccentricity and bookishness, celebrities have embraced the look and made it glamorous. (Pictured from left: Kate Winslet at the 2016 Academy Awards, Heart throbs actor Matthew Bomer and singer John Mayer at a red carpet event and the 2015 Grammy Awards respectively. Below: Singer and teen idol Rihanna making glasses look cool) Although perhaps not a staple accessory in everyone's wardrobe just yet, even the round Harry Potter frame has made a comeback