Eyewear designer, UNSUIKYO is launching four new eyewear collections: M. Midsummer, M. Bloom, M. Fall, and M. Chill. Each features frames that hold to the brand’s fascination and expertise for designing and constructing with real wood and carbon fiber while borrowing techniques from handcrafted knife handles and using a palette inspired by nature. Light, sophisticated, and engineered to perfection, each collection is destined to become an everyday statement that accentuates and elevates the wearers’ unique sense of style and design point of view while rekindling their love for the natural world.
The lightness, delicate forms, and intricate details of each pair of UNSUIKYO frames are achieved through remarkable craftsmanship. This is the first time the brand has included a fascinating “handle temple” element. This design shares the same principles of construction used for handcrafted knife handles. Authentically created knives employ rich carpentry skills, and designer Chan Ho Yin Brian was passionate about seeing how this could be applied to UNSUIKYO pieces. To create the unique effect, two raw wood chips were attached to each titanium temple on the frames before being secured with UNSUIKYO’s signature hexagonal screws and lovingly and carefully shaped to finesse the final form. The handle temples are positioned at the temple of the wearers to showcase this detail and give its craftsmanship the prominence it deserves.
The retro-inspired silhouettes are truly timeless, and while they evoke a vintage age, they also nod to a contemporary aesthetic where the value of craftsmanship remains appreciated and coveted. The result is ultra-lightweight pieces that break previous records for the brand (weighing in at only 16-19 grams) without compromising on style. UNSUIKYO has collaborated with ZEISS, the world’s leading manufacturer of precision optics, to create sunglasses clip-on with ZEISS lenses. This is the first time for ZEISS to partner with the Hong Kong eyewear designer. Each pair is practical and versatile and provides ultra-clear vision and 100% UV protection.
Inspired by the colors of the beautiful natural scenery, the collections harmoniously balance modern engineering prowess with hues found in the environment, with designs a hybrid of creativity and pragmatism. In the M. Chill collection, the M. Chill_YL glasses feature matte silver and yellow, creating a chromatic harmony between warm and cool tones. Highlighting a more understated aesthetic, the deep matte black and classic round frames of the M.Fall collection’s M.Fall_BK glasses bring together green titanium metal and wood handle temples in a minimalist but diverse design.
Inspired by how a lake surface can be illuminated by moonlight, the leaden-blue titanium details of the M.Midsummer collection’s M.Midsummer_BL complement the frames’ wooden front pieces with a mixture of dark and light stripes, and clip-on clear blue lenses. The power and majesty of golden hour and the essence of a glowing sunset are captured with the M.Bloom collection’s M.Bloom_GD frames, which contrast pale golden metal with wood-colored front frames.
ABOUT UNSUIKYO
Inspired by the beauty of natural Japanese forest scenes in Shiratani Unsuikyo, UNSUIKYO eyewear is handcrafted to evoke an appreciation for the natural world. Created by eyewear designer Chan Ho Yin, Brian, the award-winning designs use natural materials including sedimentary rock and wood, in frames inspired by classic and vintage eyewear. UNSUIKYO’s timeless aesthetic offers comfort, fit, and a unique way of looking at the world. Designs are sold in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Thailand, Germany, Spain, and Italy. www.unsuikyo.com
Text: Daniel Feldman