2014modetrends

Socialite turned designer Charlotte Ronson launches sunglasses line for tomboys

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On a wintery evening in Paris, Charlotte Ronson is hosting a decidedly summery party.

Her head crowned in a garland of fresh flowers, the American designer is wearing a pretty sundress and delicate jewellery as she holds court in a beautiful apartment above the historic Place des Vosges in the Marais.

The breathtakingly beautiful eyrie above one of the most romantic squares in Paris is an appropriate setting for the launch of the designer's new collection for Vogue Eyewear, a highly feminine range of sunglasses and opticals featuring pretty pastels, scalloping and lace details.

An eclectic mix of French It girls, American pals of Ronson's and guests in town for Paris Fashion Week mingle over champagne, meringues and teacakes as they admire the glasses inspired by the designer's spring summer collection.

“My girl for the season was a Parisienne girl in New York, who was a little bit bookworm and with a tomboy edge,” Ronson says.

“I had already come up with my colours, prints and patterns, so I was able to adapt the eyewear to work within the feel of that girl, but make sure it had a look and feel that was strong enough for it to also stand strong on its own.”

Ronson's cat's eye frames incorporating delicate floral prints tortoiseshell and pastel hues are part of the Vogue Eyewear Design Series, a partnership between eyewear giant Luxottica and the Council of Fashion Designers of America that is aimed at encouraging fashion designers to branch into eyewear.

Rebecca Minkoff, Nanette Lepore and Devi Kroell are among the designers who have participated in the annual initiative, which has expanded from America to include launch parties in Europe and sales in countries around the world including Australia, where Ronson's range is on sale in eyewear stores nationally.

“We are thrilled to see the program grow internationally,” CFDA chief executive Steven Kolb said.

“(We) set out on a journey to create a powerful platform to not only empower our members and offer them a unique design experience, but to also educate them on the importance of the eyewear category.”

The learning curve was a steep one for Ronson, who was more used to designing clothes for bodies rather than frames for faces.

“For me, prints are always very important, but they wouldn't all work for eyewear,” she says.

“With eyewear the colours have to work with different complexions and the shapes have to work with different faces. The challenge is to cater to as many face shapes as possible, but also to do something that is different enough that it really is your own take on it all.”

The reward for Ronson, whose frames are modelled by Eva Mendes in the accompanying campaign, is exposing her brand to a broader audience than fashion purists.

“Luxottica and Vogue Eyewear have such a huge customer base so it’s great to be able to work with that, but I also think the product will appeal to my customer so I'll bring a new customer to Vogue Eyewear too.”Read more here:white prom dresses uk