Oct

31

Company Profiles: Serengeti & Alexander McQueen

Filed Under Designer Eyeglasses, Designer Sunglasses, Eyewear Knowledge 


Serengeti: the ultimate driving eyewear
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Serengeti eyewear is high class. It is the James Bond of eyewear, and classifies any rugged outdoorsmen as a diamond in the rough. The designs are sleek, clean and traditional, with a very old-fashioned British racing and exploration feel. The brand itself attracts only the wealthy (or aspiring) adventurer and therefore retains high prestige among the posh elites and emerging corporate outdoorsmen.


The company’s advertising scheme is reminiscent of Dunhill, another high class company with a brilliant marketing scheme that uses Jude Law as their spokesmen. Serengeti, likewise, has Patrick Dempsey at the helm, a rising Hollywood star and man of George Clooney’s like good looks and charm.


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Serengeti has issued a flex series of frames that automatically adjust to the shape of your head for better, form-fitting comfort. The technology has been patented by the Bushnell Group (which owns the Serengeti brand) and has received favourable feedback. The design is such to make the wearer feel as if he or she is not wearing sunglasses at all; a very custom-design feeling.


Serengeti focuses on driving glasses, specially designed to react to sunlight, and ideal for convertibles or other high-speed or long distance commutes or driving/racing adventures. All frames are inspected one-by-one to ensure the highest quality product. Indeed, Serengeti sunglasses are a balance of technology, fashion and comfort.


Alexander McQueen: high fashion and fancy
On the opposite spectrum, Alexander McQueen’s high-fashion designs are edgy, new and bold– and a stark contrast to the aforementioned Serengeti brand. McQueen was trained as a fashion designer beginning at age 16, and has had a very distinguished career in high fashion. After a series of successful apprenticeships in the UK, McQueen relocated to Milan and then later relocated again when the brand bearing his name was bought (51% interest) by the Gucci Group, where McQueen is currently the creative director.


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His designs are a blend of the old and the new, with very contemporary colours and designs applied across tried-and-true shapes and silhouettes. His eyewear collection is somewhat futuristic, and distinctly couture. Both revered and coveted by Hollywood elites and fashion forerunners, the Alexander McQueen look is ideal for emerging artists or those with a creative or defiant flare. His work is hailed as original and bold, and a pair of McQueen shades would bring a distinctly high-fashion look to any outfit.


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In addition to numerous other fashion awards, McQueen has been the British designer of the year four times, and international designer of the year in 2003. He has been commemorated by the Queen and his designs have been picked up by Puma, Gucci and individually for ready-to-wear fashion and accessories, though widely acknowledged as an innovative designer, his looks are approachable and can complete any fashionable wardrobe collection by adding a touch of spark and high-fashion flare.


Eye related issues in the news:
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As part of our commitment to our Eye Pod readers, we have collected and summarized recent news stories pertaining to the eyewear industry.


Sight-restoring gel
Human trials will begin late next year on an Australian designed gel that scientists say could replace the need for contacts and glasses. The gel is inserted in a minor (15 minute) surgery that is similar to cataract surgery. The gel is intended for those suffering from eye degeneration due to age, and not genetic or induced eye illnesses like near or far sightedness, per say.


Contact lenses harbouring amoebae
According to a recent Spanish study, wearers of contact lenses should be aware that heightened amounts of amoeba are living on the surface of the eye, and normal contact lens solution does not kill these pathogenic amoebae acanthamoeba, and in fact exacerbate rather than solve the problem.


Special glasses for long-distance drivers released
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New eyewear technology created for drivers who spend more than 15 hours a week driving (the majority of American drivers exceed this number) has been released. The glasses differ in that they can darken or lighten based on outside light. Previous self-darkening lenses were not reliable through a windshield. This new design is highly sensitive and reacts quickly to changes in outside light while ignoring inside light (like dashboard lights, etc).


Permanent contacts
The blind or those with severely limited sight can now have contact lenses permanently imbedded in their eyes. This surgical implant can cost up to US$2000 per eye. The surgery is still in the experimental stages, and should only be seriously considered by patients with severe cases.


New swimwear design with imbedded timer
A new design of swimming goggles has been released in the UK. One lens displays the number of laps swam with a countdown clock above it. The wearer can easily see through the clock and counter to concentrate on the swim, or can focus on the clock in order to better time his or her performance. Imagine what good a self-timer like this would have done for those training against the all mighty Michael Phelps in the recent 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.


Contact lenses that fight myopia
University scientists have released preliminary results on recently designed contact lens technology for near-sightedness (myopia). The lenses can be given to children who are doctors determine are likely to suffer from myopia later in life, and thus decrease the likelihood of degeneration later in life. It is, scientists admit, difficult to encourage pre-emptive and preventative healthcare. Preliminary findings on children aged 4-14 indicate mixed results.


Causes of short-sightedness studied
Scientists in the UK have determined that there is a possibly genetic link to near-sightedness, the PAX6 gene, which can make it more likely that a child with these gene will suffer from near-sightedness as an adult. In addition to genetic causes, recent changes in lifestyles have led to the highest rates of eye problems in human history. Causes: constantly looking at a computer screen, TV, video games, lack of Vitamin D (sunlight) and poorer overall health from bad eating habits.

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