Silhouette Eyewear accompanied models down the runway during this year’s graduation show 昇華 (SHO-KA). Designed by final year Undergraduate Fashion Design students, Gabriela Blake, Ian Morris McDonald and Luca Polonio, this accessory completed some of the students’ looks.
To celebrate 25 years of Titan Minimal Art (TMA), the young designers were tasked with paying homage to the Austrian eyewear company’s iconic model while revolutionizing and innovating glasses that fit seamlessly with their collections. The project brief emphasized the importance of starting with the glasses’ weight. The students had to create a rimless model without hinges or screws, resulting in an innovative and standout piece of eyewear.
Ian Morris Mcdonald’s collection drew inspiration from cycling, the Tour de France and the positioning of the body of the rider. His outerwear is a reaction to this positioning while the inner layers are inspired by the vintage cycling uniforms of the 1940s. Naturally, his glasses mirror these references with their streamlined shape and curved form.
Gabriela Blake embraced the challenge of designing within the limits of a minimalist and frameless model: she wanted to design a fun and colorful pair of glasses that fits in with her overall collection. Her fashion design graduate collection plays with movement and color and her glasses are similarly innovative, featuring a fake frame around the lenses and a unique head strap instead of regular temples.
Luca Polonio started from the classic aviator shape, incorporating the main inspiration of his collection, the Gothic church. He applied the arch shape of Gothic church ceilings to the glasses by inserting glossy and opaque sections on the lenses.
The Polimoda x Silhouette collaboration allows students to apply their skills to the design of an important accessory. By adhering to the strict parameters of Silhouette’s minimalist design ethos and technical constraints, they balanced innovation with practicality. This project highlights the importance of industry partnerships in fashion education, offering a platform to navigate real-world challenges and expectations.
STUDENTS
- Gabriela Blake, Undergraduate Fashion Design student
- Ian Morris McDonald, Undergraduate Fashion Design student
- Luca Polonio, Undergraduate Fashion Design student