Vintage 1990s Nina Ricci tortoiseshell sunglasses

It comes to something, in my head at least, when you can describe 1990s as vintage. Nevertheless, that's is what these are: Nina Ricci sunglasses in tortoiseshell acetate with a subtle cat's eye. These are the first of a number of posts of frames from Lunettes London, so if you're quick you can snap these up for a rather reasonable £55.

Ballyhoo!! Cat's eyes or bat's ears from Oliver Goldsmith?

At some point cat's eyes become so accentuated that they appear more like bats' ears or devil's horns, so perhaps I should have posted this later in the month. Above is the brilliantly named Ballyhoo from Oliver Goldsmith, while below are Annabel in black and Vice-Consul in a smokey grey crystal.

Face à Face majors in blue with Jodie and Madam

Striking blues, inspired by the Majorelle Garden in Marrakech, feature in these new designs from French frame masters Face à Face. Above is a chunky feminine sunglass named Madam, while top is Jodie, a brow-focused cat's eye frame with some stunning 3D-patterned acetate.

Face à Face is one of my favourite makes, with both me and Mrs EWG frequently wearing their frames. Here's Beck, below on Christmas Day on the beach in Suffolk, wearing Face à Face Ebony, originally featured here a couple of years ago.

Brixton Village #1: Josephine wears Alain Mikli glasses

New camera at the ready, I bumped into Josephine in Brixton Village on Saturday and she was kind enough to let me take a pic of her in these wonderful Alain Mikli specs that she bought at Bromptons. The colour of this frame is perfect, is it not?

Yves Saint Laurent SS2012 sunglasses: layer it on...

Am enjoying the use of layers in these Yves Saint Laurent 2012 sunglasses: above is YSL2350 and below the YSL6366 cat's eye. Interesting to see more subtle branding from the designer names...

Dsquared2 sunglasses FW 2012: design with decor

Dsquared2 sunglasses for Fall/Winter 2012. Am loving the influence of a-morir and Mercura NYC on the big brands.

Is everyone getting a little braver?

Massada 2012 optical collection: Metropolis and Belle de Jour

Massada heads to Paris to shoot its latest glasses collection, inspired by European cinema by the likes of Fritz Lang and Luis Buñuel, and in the process presents some simply beautiful frames in rich, luxurious acetate.

We're particularly excited by the terrific cat's eye Metropolis.

Top to bottom:  Metropolis, Solaris, Belle de Jour and Sunset Boulevard, left.

Below are close-ups of Metropolis, Belle de Jour and The Cube.

Prices start at €205 or $264.

Virginia and Zarthan from Seraphin Neoclassic glasses collection

Classic styles are all very well but if something new is added, something that brings the design into the 21st century, eyewear starts to reach another, more exciting level. We love this cat's eye from Ogi Eyewear's Seraphin Neoclassic collection. It's called Virginia (top). Also pictured is Zarthan.

TD Tom Davies launches six limited edition 1950s glasses for women

British bespoke eyewear designer TD Tom Davies has launched six 1950s-style special edition glasses, limited to 50 pieces each. Made from high-quality acetate, they feature Swarovski crystals in the browline or temples.

Tom Davies himself explains:  "“I have been doing private couture commissions incorporating precious stones and the recent demand for these has inspired me to do this first limited edition with Swarovski crystals. For customers wanting a truly exquisite finish, we can fit the frame with real certified diamonds. The results are literally dazzling."

Are these the best glasses of 2011? Mykita Holly and Elsa

Want specs that nod at the 1950s and 60s (which is of course v good), but don't make you look like old snaps of your grandma? Then get your peepers round Holly and Elsa from EWG favourite Mykita.

Amazingly, Mykita has been going for less than seven years' but it has already established itself as one of most innovative manufacturers - and one of the coolest designers - in the world.

Above is Holly in gold and light blue, an addition to the No.1 collection, while below is Elsa, from Mykita No. 2. If you like the look, go and find a pair and fold those hinges. For a rave on Mykita hinges looky here...

Available from any optician with taste.

Infinit vintage collection 2011: Dimitri, Margot and Tito (close-up)

Eye Wear Glasses likes to provide you with only the best glasses pictures and, where possible, we present them at quite a size. We prefer, also, as a rule, to feature someone's face for the frames to sit on, since generally only then do you get an idea of what the glasses really look like.

But rules are there to be broken and when Infinit sent these images of its new "vintage" collection, we got quite excited. Even to the degree that we've linked the next image below to an even larger version to give you the full splendour of the Argentinian designers' Tito frame, inside and out, and in every colourway.

Above is the cat's eye Margot, and on top of that is Dimitri.

Tom Ford spring summer 2011 campaign

Graz handmade sunglasses: round, square or cat's eye

Had the pleasure of meeting the brilliant Graz Mulcahy in Paris last month, and had a good look at his eponymous Graz eyewear collection, including new pieces from his 2011 collection. Here I've selected just a few examples of his fine designs, which are available from The Grand Social.

Parasite - fittingly different eyewear for 2011

Think these are a bit different? Then get your peepers around this lot from what is certainly France's and probably the world's most original glasses designers, Parasite Eyewear.

Note the unusual split temple design that travels not behind the ears, but to just before the ear and then up high on the temple. It looks unusual, but feels unusually comfortable should you ever try a pair. And unlike most ordinary eyewear these glasses don't slip off once you bend down to tie your shoelace.

What's more Parasite has some pretty sharp, some-might-say-1980s (although 2010s is most accurate) innovative designs.

The first of this next bunch, Varana, is brilliantly inspired by Mexican wrestling - can they're be a more modern take on the cat's eye?

Face à Face glasses for Mad Men and women...

The first pair of decent glasses I ever owned were made by Face à Face; come to think of it, the second pair were too, and these two glasses remind me why.

Neither of these two latest designs from Face à Face's AW2011 collection would look out of place in the offices of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. Top is Ebony, an amazing acetate cat's eye frame, while bottom Kazan, a thin acetate frame similar (although with more colour) to that worn on occasion by Roger Sterling (left).

Both clearly have 1960s roots, but with a modern treatment.

Mermaids, officers, sunglasses and glasses - Cutler & Gross 2011

Cutler and Gross's collection blew me away a little when I saw it, in its entirity, last week. There really is something for everyone, even mermaids. Great images above from its SS2011 campaign (inspired by Tim Buckley's Song to the Siren) and here's one great frame (1028) which sums C&G up - bold, exciting, with a nod to the past, but making the right statement for 2011...

Swann and Polen - two terrific frames from Face à Face

Two great frames - Swann with swan-like temples and Polen (top, allergy sufferers beware) - from another great French design house, Face à Face. I love the pink detail on the front of Polen - excellent.