The protection that sunglasses provide for the eyes is just as important as style and design, if not more so. Silhouette’s sunwear provide 100% UV protection, up to a 400 nm wavelength and keep harmful infrared and UV rays at bay. Silhouette’s high level of expertise in the field of sun protection culminates in the unique IQ POL technology. The sun’s rays reflect strongly off flat surfaces such as tarmac, water or sand. However, special filters between each synthetic layer prevent harmful reflections, making colours and contrasts more intense.

Water, dirt-repellent coating and non-reflective lenses also guarantee undistorted vision. The sunwear from Silhouette combines maximum wearing comfort, future-oriented design and innovative technology made in Austria for a solution that offers eyes protection from the sun in the most beautiful and intelligent manner. Perfect for unbeatable protection and clear vision while enjoying laid-back days in the sun.

Click through the new sun shades on the Silhouette Website silhouette.com or try them on using the iMirror.

Ever since human beings have existed they have used jewellery – as a status symbol, an expression of their personality and taste or simply as a personal adornment. Whereas 100,000 years ago it was mainly shells from which ornaments were shaped and created, modern materials are more varied and open up a wide range of design options. The selection of jewellery available has also changed and expanded over the years and centuries. For a long time jewellery was thought of mainly as necklaces and bracelets, earrings or rings but now there is also jewellery for the feet, hair – and the face.

No jewel is capable of sparkling like the eyes, which are the first thing an observer sees and whose brilliance is emphasised by what is probably the most beautiful piece of jewellery for the face – a pair of glasses. Thanks to three new Silhouette collections, eyeglass wearers can now turn their everyday accessory into a piece of jewellery: Light Attraction and Magic Wings are the two versions for women and Powerlight is the name of the men’s version. What all three have in common are the luxurious crystals that are fashioned in feather light frames made of high tech titanium. There are three colour options in each collection – classic silver and gold as well as a fashion alternative.

Each model has a brilliantly eye-catching effect with a sober business suit or as an elegant complement to eveningwear. Thanks to Silhouette, glasses are no longer just a functional accessory but also a visual embellishment and a real gem on the first thing everyone sees – your face.

Modern Shades

Loud and pastel colours dominate the display windows from Los Angeles to Moscow, they fill the fashion columns of magazines and have inspired the designers of Austrian eyeglass manufacturer Silhouette to produce a new, very colourful collection. “With the 12 colour combinations of the Modern Shades collection we offer a wide range of flamboyant shades in combination with the wear comfort so characteristic of Silhouette”, says Arnold Schmied, the board member and company co-owner responsible for marketing, design and sales.

“Contrasts create excitement – anything goes” has won over not only the fashion gurus at Vogue. Teal is being used as an accent, yellow and red provide freshness, deep purple represents elegance, while black and white offer much appreciated combination options. All these fashion colours can be found in the 12 Modern Shades models, including combinations such as Silver-Gold Silk, Yellow-Back Brightness, Green-Yellow Spirit, Purple-Pink Touch, Teal-Brown Look and Grey-Orange Energy.

What all 12 models have in common is their effectively positioned line, which breaks up the large surface area of the frame with brilliantly vibrant colours. “This particular method of creating section in the frame geometry produces an extraordinary intensity of shades”, is how Arnold Schmied explains the Modern Shades design concept. With this new collection the Silhouette team helps people wearing glasses to express themselves very effectively, because colours work, as Axel Buether, chairman of the German Colour Centre insists. “Colour is one of our most important means of communication. Between 70 and 90 per cent of non-verbal information is conveyed via colour. We live in a world of colour!”

• Eine Brille sollte Ihr Kind nicht belasten – achten Sie daher auf möglichst geringes Gewicht.
• Jede Brille sollte robust und widerstandsfähig sein und jede Bewegung mitmachen, für Kinderbrillen gilt das noch mehr als für Erwachsenenbrillen – testen Sie daher die Brille “in Bewegung” und überlegen Sie gemeinsam mit Ihrem Kind, was die Brille aushalten muss.
• Idealerweise wächst die Brille mit Ihrem Kind mit, d.h. die Gläser sollten austauschbar sein, wodurch die Brille bei einer Änderung des Sehstärke als auch bei Wachstum ohne Probleme weiter getragen werden kann
• Was sind die Lieblingsfarben Ihres Kindes? Wahrscheinlich wird es eine Brille in seiner Lieblingsfarbe lieber tragen
• Beraten Sie Ihr Kind, aber überlassen Sie ihm die finale Entscheidung bei der Wahl der Brille – schließlich muss sich ihr Kind wohlfühlen und die Brille (meist) täglich tragen.
• Erklären Sie Ihrem Kind, warum es eine Brille trägt, damit es auch bei seinen Freunden argumentieren kann, wenn diese nachfragen.
• Lassen Sie sich vom Optiker bezüglich der Wahl der Gläser beraten. Für Kinder werden meist Scheiben aus Kunststoff oder Polycarbonat (bruchsicher!) empfohlen.

Weitere Informationen finden Sie unter:
silhouette.com
sehen.de
allaboutvision.com
cyh.com

• Your child’s eyewear should not weigh him or her down – aim for the lightest eyewear possible
• Your child’s eyewear should be durable and hardwearing and move with them; this is even more important than with adult eyewear – so test the eyewear “in motion” and discuss together with your child what the eyewear is going to have to withstand.
• Ideally, your child’s eyewear will grow with your child, i.e. the lenses should be replaceable to ensure that your child simply continues to wear the eyewear if their eyesight changes and when they grow.
• What are your child’s favourite colours? He will most likely prefer wearing eyewear in his favourite colour.
• You can give your child advice but leave the final decision about the choice of eyewear down to him – after all, your child has to feel happy about the eyewear and (generally) wear it every day.
• Explain to your children why he is wearing eyewear so that he can also explain to his friends, should they ask.
• Ask your optician for advice on the choice of lenses. Plastic or polycarbonate (break-proof!) lenses are generally recommended for children.

Further information:
www.silhouette.com
www.allaboutvision.com
www.cyh.com

Kids want to look cool!
Kids want to impress friends and fellow students. Parents love the looks of their children: Thank goodness, the new SPX Art Kids blends harmoniously into the face and it remains in the background without attracting attention. This is exactly the type of eyewear that kids love to wear – especially, if it has to be for the first time.

Kids want to feel comfortable.
The new SPX Art Kids is eyewear that children just forget about: It is so light-weight that our kids don‘t even know when they wear it. The feather-light high-tech material creates an incredible comfort when worn.

Parents want eyewear that grows with the child and brings enjoyment for a long time.
Just bought and already too small? Not with the new SPX Art Kids! It grows with the child – just switch the glasses.

Parents want only the best for their children.
The new SPX Art Kids offers everything what parents want for their children: top quality, latest technology, carefully and mostly crafted by hand, “Made in Austria.“ Light as a feather, corrosion-resistant, and anti-allergenic materials such as high-tech titanium and SPX make it together with the screw- and hinge-less design extremely durable and guaranteed maintenance-free.

Kids want what mom, dad, and friends all wear.
In their social behavior, children focus strongly on their parents and friends. They want to wear what they wear. This is the reason why children fashion is derived from adult fashion. The new SPX Art Kids provides the fantastic Silhouette from mom and dad now for girls and boys. Among the cool colours and shapes there is something for every one!

Find out more about the SPX Art Kids Collection here: www.silhoutte.com

Ten internationally awarded movies will be competing for the New Vision Award inspired by Silhouette. These films will have their Austrian premiere at the festival. An international jury – including the winner of the New Vision Award 2011, Oleg Novkovic – will select the winner who will first learn of this during the awards presentation on April 28.

From now on, we will be on site, tracking the program, current events and more at www.crossingeurope.at as well as on Facebook and Twitter.

Um den New Vision Award inspired by Silhouette bewerben sich 10 international ausgezeichnete Spielfilme, die als österreichische Erstaufführungen beim Festival gezeigt werden. Eine international besetzte Jury – darunter der Gewinner des New Vision Award 2011, Oleg Novkovic – wird über den Gewinner entscheiden, der im Rahmen einer Preisverleihung am 28. April von seinem Glück erfahren wird.

Wir sind ab sofort dabei und verfolgen das Programm, aktuelle Ereignisse und mehr unter www.crossingeurope.at sowie auf Facebook und Twitter.

Titan Minimal Art

In the last few years the Austrian eyewear brand has managed not only to win but to expand its position as market leader in top class rimless eyewear. “We just did what we do well – rimless eyewear of the highest level,” say the two managing directors and co-owners, Arnold and Klaus Schmied. The experience, the technical knowledge, the unmistakeable design, the greatest comfort and the standards of quality of the past few years now allow Silhouette to prove itself with an even larger assortment and range, thus offering an even greater selection to spectacle wearers. The Silhouette range will soon include – in addition to rimless eyewear – Nylor eyewear from spring 2012 and full-frame eyewear from summer 2012. This will make Silhouette the “most complete” provider in the segment of high quality, light eyewear with the greatest comfort, and it also represents a further logical step in the assortment policy.

“You should only do something new if you can do it better,” said the Austrian architect Adolf Loos. Silhouette subscribes to this motto and is launching the Nylor and full-frame eyewear now that it can be guaranteed that they fulfil all of the criteria that apply to the Silhouette brand and the rimless models. “It is our objective to offer eyewear that people like to wear,” says Klaus Schmied. And he continues: “That is why we have done everything to keep the weight of the Nylor and full-frame eyewear as low as possibly by using our know-how and the best materials such as high-tech titanium and SPX. The result is comfort, flexibility and adaptability.” Nylor and full-frame eyewear by Silhouette are therefore almost as light as rimless models, providing the best possible comfort for their category and high resilience.

With its Nylor and full-frame eyewear Silhouette is also remaining true to the design that is typical for its brand, because design families have been created. “We have established a collections logistic by offering a selection of models in different versions – rimless, Nylor and full-frame – and can thus fulfil nearly all the wishes of spectacles wearers,” says Arnold Schmied, who is responsible for the areas of marketing, sales and design in the company.
Nor will anything change in the quality of service as a result of the expansion of the range, as the Austrian family company will of course continue to guarantee the prompt delivery of eyewear and spare parts – up to five years after the discontinuation of a collection – as well as ongoing competent advice.

The Silhouette brand
What began as a vision – eyewear as accessory – in 1964, is now the world’s leading brand for light eyewear: Silhouette. Under this brand the lightest eyewear in the world is manufactured in Austria with much love for detail, a large proportion of handicraft, and individual design signature and the use of the best materials and the latest technology, and exported around the whole world. Over ten years ago the Austrian family company revolutionised the eyewear market with its rimless, screwless, hingeless and almost weightless Titan Minimal Art. Silhouette eyewear has been on board over 30 NASA space missions, and it has travelled around the world not only with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, but also with a series of great names from the worlds of entertainment, business and politics.

La gente la conosce come consulente d’immagine, autore, artista, imprenditore e come personaggio della televisione italiana. Chi è in realtà Diego Dalla Palma?
A prescindere da qualsiasi attività, mi vedo come una persona che attende impaziente ciò che la vita ha in serbo. Professionalmente, mi sento più che altro legato alla scrittura, perché è ciò che più soddisfa la mia curiosità e la mia ricerca esistenziale.

Ha dedicato gran parte della sua vita alla ricerca dell’armonia e dell’eleganza. Qual è il segreto della vera bellezza?
La vera bellezza conosce i lati luminosi della vita, ma anche quelli più oscuri. Credo che le esperienze dolorose della vita ci arricchiscano e ci consentano di sviluppare la nostra personalità in modo più interessante. Infatti è solo attraverso il dolore che impariamo a riconoscere la poesia della bellezza.

Cosa rivela un occhiale della personalità di chi lo indossa?
Dagli occhiali e dalle scarpe di una donna si può capire se ha stile o meno. Gli occhiali riflettono inoltre la sensibilità estetica di chi li indossa. A me ad esempio piacciono le forme semplici e sobrie. Altri invece possono prediligere montature più modellate e con più dettagli. La percezione della bellezza è qualcosa di individuale e dunque espressione della nostra personalità.

Ha da poco presentato il suo nuovo libro, intitolato “Diego per te”. Può spiegarne brevemente la trama ai suoi lettori?
“Diego per te” è un inno ai “difetti”, anche se preferisco parlare di tratti distintivi della personalità. In questo testo, riassunto di anni di esperienza, descrivo come imparare ad apprezzare le caratteristiche che definiscono lo stile di ognuno, ma anche come farle scivolare in secondo piano privilegiando il fascino.

Credo che ognuno di noi dovrebbe mettere in evidenza i propri difetti, piuttosto che nasconderli per valorizzare ciò che ci rende unici e speciali. Questa decisione è tuttavia del tutto soggettiva: non esistono formule valide per tutti. Proprio per tale motivo ritengo che il libro sia una guida utile a individuare diverse possibilità e soluzioni per trovare l’immagine più confacente alle caratteristiche personali.

Stando all’opinione degli esperti di tendenza a livello internazionale, viviamo nell’era degli accessori: lei vi includerebbe anche gli occhiali, e quante paia di occhiali dovremmo avere a suo avviso?
Non esiste una formula fissa che dica quante paia di occhiali bisognerebbe avere. Talvolta un determinato modello può anche trasformarsi in un segno distintivo. Personalmente in estate indosso vestiti bianchi, a cui abbino montature chiare e leggere. In inverno, invece, mi piace anche portare modelli più scuri. Credo che per gli uomini sia abbastanza facile, mentre per una donna esistono migliaia di opzioni diverse di portare un occhiale come elemento di stile. Per esempio giocando con i contrasti delle tonalità dei complementi.

Die Menschen kennen Sie als Image-Berater, Maskenbildner, Autor, Künstler, Unternehmer und aus dem italienischen Fernsehen. Wer ist Diego Dalla Palma?
Ich sehe mich als einen Menschen, der gespannt erwartet, was das Leben bereithält – ganz abseits all dieser Aktivitäten. Beruflich fühle ich mich dem Schreiben wohl am meisten verbunden, weil es meiner Neugier und der Suche nach der Essenz des Lebens am meisten entgegenkommt.

Sie haben einen großen Teil Ihres Lebens der Suche nach Harmonie und Eleganz gewidmet. Wie lautet das Geheimnis wahrer Schönheit?
Wahre Schönheit kennt die Sonnenseiten des Lebens ebenso wie seine Schattenseiten. Ich glaube, dass schmerzvolle Erfahrungen unser Leben bereichern und wir uns durch sie zu interessanteren Persönlichkeiten entwickeln. Denn erst durch den Schmerz lernen wir, die Poesie der Schönheit zu erkennen.

Was verrät eine Brille über die Persönlichkeit ihres Trägers?
An der Brille und an den Schuhen einer Frau erkennt man, ob sie Stil hat oder weniger. Eine Brille reflektiert auch das ästhetische Empfinden ihres Trägers. Ich zum Beispiel mag einfache, reduzierte Formen. Anderen Menschen gefallen detailreiche, gemusterte Fassungen besser. Das Verständnis von Schönheit ist individuell und daher Ausdruck unserer Persönlichkeit.

Eben haben Sie Ihr neues Buch mit dem Titel „Diego per te“ vorgestellt. Erklären Sie unseren Lesern doch kurz den Inhalt.
„Diego per te“ ist ein Loblied auf den Makel, wobei ich viel lieber von besonderen Persönlichkeitsmerkmalen spreche. Ich beschreibe, als Ergebnis jahrelanger Erfahrung, wie man diese stilprägenden Merkmale schätzen lernt, aber auch, wie man sie in den Hintergrund treten lässt, indem man den eigenen Charme unterstreicht.

Ich finde ja, man sollte den Makel vielmehr betonen, als ihn zu verstecken, um hervorzuheben, was uns einzigartig macht. Aber diese Entscheidung ist sehr subjektiv. Es gibt keine allgemeingültigen Regeln. Deshalb halte ich das Buch für einen nützlichen Leitfaden, der mehrere Möglichkeiten und Lösungen aufzeigt, um jenen Look zu finden, der am besten zu den persönlichen  Wesenszügen passt.

Glaubt man internationalen Trendexperten, so leben wir im Zeitalter der Accessoires. Zählen Sie auch Brillen dazu und wie viele Brillen sollte man – Ihrer Meinung nach – haben?
Es gibt keine Formel dafür, wie viele Brillen man besitzen sollte. Manchmal kann ein bestimmtes Modell auch zu einem Erkennungsmerkmal werden. Ich persönlich trage im Sommer sehr viel Weiß. Dazu wähle ich leichte und helle Fassungen. Im Winter greife ich auch gerne mal zu dunkleren Modellen. Ich glaube, bei Männern ist das ziemlich einfach, wohingegen eine Frau tausend Möglichkeiten hat, eine Brille als Stilelement einzusetzen. Sie kann etwa mit den Kontrasten der Komplementärfarben spielen.

On vous sait conseiller en image, maquilleur, auteur, artiste, chef d’entreprise et star de la télévision italienne. Qui est réellement Diego Dalla Palma ?
Je me vois comme quelqu’un qui attend impatiemment de savoir ce que la vie lui réserve – totalement à l’écart de toutes ces activités. Professionnellement, c’est lorsque j’écris que je me sens le plus en phase avec moi-même car cela me permet d’apporter des réponses à mes questions et de me laisser aller à chercher l’essence même de la vie.

Vous avez consacré une grande partie de votre vie à l’harmonie et à l’élégance. Quel est selon vous le secret de la vraie beauté ?
La vraie beauté connaît les bons, mais également les mauvais côtés de la vie. Je suis persuadé que les expériences douloureuses sont enrichissantes et nous permettent de développer des aspects intéressants de notre personnalité. Seule la douleur nous apprend à discerner la poésie de la beauté.

Que révèle une monture sur la personnalité de son porteur ?
Rien qu’en regardant les lunettes et les chaussures d’une femme, on peut deviner son style. Une monture reflète le sens esthétique de son porteur. Moi, par exemple, j’aime les formes simples et épurées. D’autres préfèrent les montures ornées de nombreux motifs et détails. La conception de la beauté varie d’une personne à l’autre, elle révèle donc notre personnalité.

Vous venez récemment de présenter votre nouveau livre intitulé « Diego per te ». Pourriezvous nous en parler brièvement ?
« Diego per te » fait l’éloge des défauts. J’y explique comment on peut apprendre à apprécier certains traits caractéristiques qui font partie de nous, mais également comment on peut les faire passer au second plan en mettant son charme en valeur.

Je pense que l’on devrait parfois plus souligner nos défauts plutôt que de chercher sans cesse à les dissimuler. Ce sont ces défauts qui font que nous sommes tous uniques. Mais il s’agit là d’un verdict tout à fait subjectif. Il n’existe aucune règle en la matière. Je considère ce livre comme un petit guide utile, qui propose plusieurs possibilités et solutions afin que chacun trouve le style qui correspond le mieux à sa personnalité.

Si l’on en croit les spécialistes internationaux des tendances, nous vivons à une époque où les accessoires occupent une place prépondérante. Pensez-vous que les lunettes en font partie et, selon vous, combien de paires de lunettes devrait-on posséder ?
Il n’existe aucune formule toute faite permettant de déterminer le nombre de montures que l’on devrait posséder. Dans certains cas, un modèle suffit et devient un objet d’identité. Personnellement, en été, je porte beaucoup de blanc. J’opte donc pour des montures légères et claires. En hiver, je préfère les modèles plus sombres. Je pense que c’est relativement simple pour un homme. Pour une femme en revanche, il existe des milliers de possibilités permettant de transformer une monture en un accessoire de mode à part entière.

La gente le conoce como asesor de imagen, maquillador, autor, artista, empresario y tambien de la televisión italiana. ¿Quién es Diego Dalla Palma?
Yo me veo como una persona curiosa ante todo lo que la vida le depara, aparte de todas esas actividades que ha mencionado.Profesionalmente me siento más unido a la escritura, porque es la actividad que mejor satisface mi curiosidad y responde a la búsqueda de la esencia de la vida.

Una gran parte de su vida la ha dedicado a la búsqueda de la armonía y la elegancia. ¿Cuál es el secreto de la auténtica belleza?
La auténtica belleza conoce el lado soleado de la vida, pero también sus sombras. Creo que las experiencias dolorosas enriquecen nuestra vida y que gracias a ellas nuestra personalidad se desarrolla de manera más interesante. El dolor nos permite reconocer la poesía de la belleza.

¿Qué nos revelan unas gafas sobre la personalidad de quien las lleva?
En las gafas y en los zapatos de una mujer se reconoce si tiene más o menos estilo. Unas gafas reflejan también el sentido estético de su usuario. A mí, por ejemplo, me gustan más las formas sencillas, reducidas. A otras personas les gustan más los modelos con más detalles, con estampaciones. El concepto de belleza es individual y, por tanto, expresa nuestra personalidad.

Recientemente ha presentado su nuevo libro titulado «Diego per te». Explíqueles a nuestros lectores brevemente su temática.
«Diego per te» es un canto de alabanza a las imperfecciones, por supuesto prefiero hablar de cualidades especiales de la personalidad. Describo, a partir de mi experiencia acumulada a lo largo de los años, cómo aprender a apreciar esas características que marcan el estilo, pero también cómo dejarlas en un segundo plano, destacando el encanto propio.

Creo que deberíamos resaltar esas imperfecciones en lugar de ocultarlas, con el fin de destacar aquello que nos hace únicos. Pero esta decisión es muy subjetiva: no existe una regla general válida para todos. Por eso el libro me parece una guía útil que presenta diferentes posibilidades y soluciones para encontrar ese look que mejor se adecúa a nuestros rasgos.

Si prestamos atención a los expertos en moda internacionales, vivimos en la era de los accesorios. ¿Para usted las gafas también son un accesorio? Y en su opinión, ¿cuántas gafas deberíamos tener?
No existe una fórmula para saber cuántas gafas debemos tener. A veces, un modelo determinado se puede convertir en un rasgo identificativo. Yo en verano suelo llevar mucho el blanco, para combinar elijo modelos ligeros y claros. En invierno me gusta recurrir también a modelos más oscuros. Me parece que para los hombres resulta más sencillo, en cambio una mujer dispone de miles de opciones para convertir unas gafas en un elemento de estilo. Puede jugar con los contrastes de los colores complementarios.

People know you as an image consultant, make-up artist, author, artist, entrepreneur and star on Italian television. Who is the real Diego Dalla Palma?
I see myself as a person who excitedly looks forward to what life holds in store – completely detached from all of these roles. On a professional level, I feel a greater bond with writing, because it best corresponds to my curiosity and my quest to find the essence of life.

You have dedicated a large part of your life to the quest for harmony and elegance. What is the secret behind true beauty?
True beauty knows the bright side of life just as as much as it knows the dark side. I believe that painful experiences actually enrich our lives and form us into interesting characters, for it is only through suffering that we can appreciate the poetry of beauty.

What does eyewear tell us about the personality of the wearer?
A woman’s eyewear and shoes tell us whether or not she has style. Eyewear reflects the aesthetic sensitivity of the wearer. For example, I like simple, reduced designs, whilst others prefer patterned rims with plenty of detail. Everyone has their own perception of beauty and the way in which we express our personality.

You have just launched your new book “Diego per te”. Could you briefly tell our readers what it’s about?
“Diego per te” sings the praises of little imperfections; however I prefer to refer to them as special traits that make our personalities unique. Drawing on years of first-hand experience, I describe how to learn to love these character-defining traits as well as how to play them down in such a way as to emphasise our individual charm.

I believe that we should give a flaw much more emphasis, instead of hiding it, so that we can highlight what makes us the unique person that we are. This is a very subjective decision though because there isn’t a valid rule across the board. I see the book as a useful guide that provides several suggestions and solutions to find exactly the look that matches one’s own character traits.

If we are to believe international trend experts, we are living in the accessory age – would you consider this to include eyewear and how many pairs of eyewear do you think we should have?
There’s no formula to determine how many pairs of eyewear someone should own. Sometimes, one particular style can become someone’s trademark. I personally wear a lot of white in the summer, which is why I choose lightweight, palecoloured rims. In winter I like to go for darker styles as well. I think it is fairly easy for men, but women, on the other hand, have a thousand opportunities to use eyewear as a fashion statement. They can play with the contrasts between complementary colours, for example.

I have made a resolution: I will lose weight over the coming months. Not so much physically as losing some of the ballast that tends to get carried around through life. Lightness is good. My jackets have been as lightweight and comfortable as my jumpers for a while now, due to my avoidance of padding and lining. I am now also waiting to get an ultra-light Smartphone that won’t make my trouser pockets look quite so big.

I was a little taken aback when I looked at a display recently and was faced with unsophisticated, thick and heavy glasses – in true Woody Allen style. And I asked myself, do these really hip (alas), thick-rimmed glasses truly belong to the spirit of our times, in which we are striving to reduce excess weight and ballast? When you take a close look at what designers are doing, lightness is the order of the day. (The Age of Lightness).

All of Audi’s models in their new generation of cars are almost 100 kilos lighter than their predecessors, despite the additional burden of increased customer expectations of comfort and compliance with safety regulations. Although aluminium is almost a classic lightweight construction material…
… new, super-light composite materials and synthetics are receiving increased attention. Carbon fibres are the promise of great things.

That is all very well, but what I really want in a car is one – like our former 2CV – that is so light that I, together with three chums, can simply pick it up and put it somewhere else. Cycling is a sport that has been obsessed with lightweight construction for a long time. This is a sport where every gram makes a difference because a cyclist is the power behind a bike, not an engine. The most radical bike on the market in this respect has to be the Japanese Zerobike, which was designed way back in 1988.

The fashion industry has also recently made spectacular progress where lightness is concerned, with the introduction of new fibres and weaving techniques. If you look at the new summer collection for 2012, you will notice a move in this direction – new materials that are as light as nylon and feel as nice as cashmere, whilst looking beautiful too.

Lightweight construction already has one interior design icon: the Bionic Bone Chair by Joris Laarman. It is based on the principles of bone growth, allowing a minimum weight of material to cope with a maximum load. The paper chair by Tokujin Yoshioka is also quite a masterpiece. So too is the radical Gaudi chair, with a nice-looking lightweight construction and weighing in at just a kilo. The same also goes for the lightweight aluminium profile table with thin layers of wood that is designed by Basel-based Alinea. Another example is Allumettes, the spectacular-looking filigree-construction furniture system from Atelier Oï. An Air Vase, which, as its name suggests is virtually nothing but air, is placed on this table.

1951 saw the arrival of Wire Chairs by Eames, which are still being produced today and which Alfredo Häberli honoured as a classic icon with his wire chair, “Nais”. The only chair that gets even more radical is the Web Chair by Jun Hashimoto.

Classical watches are also becoming flatter again. The new Swatch Touch is lightweight, ultra tech and looks really cool, too. This is the first time that Swatch has made a digital watch, and it’s going down well. In the meantime, Rado has made the thinnest ceramic watch of all time.

And now, moving on to glasses. Up until quite recently, it was ultra-chic for very beautiful women, like our former beauty queens, to wear those thick, oversized librarian-style glasses. But now times are changing. Glasses are becoming lighter – which isn’t all that surprising given that they couldn’t get any heavier! And this is good news, because what is the use of my car being eighty kilos lighter than my last one, if I cancel it out with a thick-rimmed, heavy pair of glasses? We need a new ideal form of lightness in this respect.

The big magazines are giving the lightness issue more clout again. Recently, the NZZ on Sunday timidly set off on a new tack. Half-heartedly, we are bidding farewell to the mad-men-retro-feeling and heading towards a new ideal of technological sophistication. All the hipsters are going around with these wide horn-rimmed glasses, because their lives are so weighed down, whilst decision makers in business and politics are sporting rimless ultra-light eyewear, which they wear, of course, to alleviate the administrative burden.

And you will probably notice that these nice and light glasses from which we have recently weaned ourselves away are perhaps not such a bad match for our current times after all – an age in which transparency appears to be one of the greatest possible blessings. It is time to take a crystal clear look at things.

Silhouette: How would you describe the style of your acclaimed fashion designs?
I am following my personal guidelines which are consistent and steady, but I am always adding something new, rather unexpected to every new collection. I change the details but the core of my work – the character – remains. I think that it is also part of my success that I can adapt my creations to different kind of women. I just love the fact that there is one moment in every woman’s life where she can wear one of my dresses.

Silhouette: What inspires you?
I think the biggest inspiration is my life itself. It is the music I hear, the food I eat, my travels, my friends etc. The mood I am in actually really is important when I am starting to design a new collection.

Silhouette: What do your fashion and the Silhouette design have in common?
What measures is the design and the fact that Silhouette eyewear is handmade with love for details and tradition. This process is similar to my work. Silhouette is a family business and the products are made with a lot of precision and accuracy.

Silhouette: What is the most outstanding feature of Silhouette eyewear?
They are very light and easy to wear. It is an accessory that is very practical and at the same time feels like a part of you. I love this and the fact that these glasses are rimless.

Silhouette: Can you give us a little foretaste and preview of the forthcoming trends in fashion?
I am not very interested in trends but in having a real identity for my brand. When you are creative it is particularly necessary to know who you really are. The consumers want to know why they are wearing your brand and your fashion. It seems to me that people nowadays are less interested in fashion, because they are submerged. I try to support the people by having a clear message.

How would you describe the special characteristics of the Nordic Symphonic Orchestra?
In particular, the excitement and the internationality. We invite people for whom music is just as important and essential as it is for us. A musician has to feel music because he loves it and can transfer this feeling to an orchestra and bring it closer to the audience. We’ve been told that our orchestra has the energy of a rock band – and we are proud of that.

You call your orchestra a “luxury orchestra”? How did you get this name?
We can’t meet every day, but only three times a year to record concerts or to go on tour together – we see that as a luxury. And from Tallinn, we “conquer” the world. Every minute that we spend together and make music is a luxury for us. Every single musician does his/her best, a lot of emotion and energy is released and infects the public.

You love looking beyond the horizon. How can we imagine this – not just metaphorically?
Our greatest love is for children. We don’t just invite children to our concerts, we also give them the chance to get involved in the orchestra and play with the adults. These are irreplaceable moments for the children. Such as, for example, a ten year-old boy who proudly joined us in playing the Rhapsody on a theme by Paganini from Rachmaninoff on his clarinet. We still don’t know what he was playing, but he was very enthusiastic and happy.
And looking beyond the horizon also means playing different composers, adapting our program to the host countries – and above all being international. We know no boundaries!

Which role does your eyewear play and what do you expect of it?
Anu: In my work as a conductor, eye contact is the most important element. I can’t use anything that will limit my vision or will fly around my ears. My rimless eyewear doesn’t limit me and sits perfectly. Of course I enjoy getting so many compliments.

Kadri: When I wear my Silhouette I have the feeling that I’m seen as a whole person, I’m not wearing a mask – I find that so wonderful that I already have three different models.

What would you recommend to your readers when choosing eyewear?
Make sure that the shape and angles of the eyewear compliments the shape of your face and pay attention to the colour choice. It should compliment your skin tone and hair colour. Rimless eyewear is a great option as it allows people to see you (and your eye makeup) without being distracted by your frames.

Why did you choose the model you are wearing know?
I liked that they had a hint of colour on the sides that added to my personality. I love how they’re so customisable!

What do you think are the benefits for the look of the face and the whole appearance when wearing Silhouettes?
When you wear Silhouettes, people aren’t distracted by the frames and can concentrate on making eye contact.

Can you give us a little foretaste and preview of the forthcoming trends in beauty and fashion?
I just finished covering New York Fashion Week for Spring/Summer 2012 and found that the red lip is going to continue to be in style as well as bold brows. Nail art is still going to be a huge hit and will continue to surprise us as well.

SPX Art Kids

According to the findings of an Allensbach study, about 15% of 2 to 15-year olds in Germany are already wearing eyewear and, in some countries, experts are already talk of 20 to 30% of children needing eyewear. Defective vision, positional defects (“squints”) or congenital eye diseases among children are being detected and better treated earlier and earlier, thanks to sight tests now possible when children are babies or toddlers – and, now as before, the most common “treatment” is to prescribe eyewear for children.

While slight long sightedness, which can be widespread when children are babies or toddlers, has often regulated itself when the eye has grown by the time they each school age, there is a series of defective vision problems and defects that have to be treated – often with eyewear.

“Defective vision problems, like long sightedness, short sightedness, astigmatism or anisometropia, can impair the normal development of stereo vision in both eyes in very early childhood and have to be treated immediately with appropriate eyewear. Undetected or inadequately corrected defective vision or strabismus often rapidly leads to irreversible amblyopia, which simply cannot be healed later with perfectly adjusted eyewear, contact lens correction or with an operation,” according to opthalmologist Dr. Markus Grasl.

Children’s eyewear: durable, comfortable and stylish
Kinder – as well as their parents – have specific requirements when it comes to their eyewear, both in terms of its material, size and weight, as well as manufacturing and comfort in wear.  “Children don’t like wearing poorly fitting or pressing eyewear,” states Dr. Grasl.
Experts list four crucial points as key criteria for “good children’s eyewear”: excellent fit, durability, exciting and sophisticated design and light weight. Children’s eyewear should be monitored around once a year and adjusted to the child’s growth: between 8 and 10 prescriptions for eyewear are usual between the ages of 5 and 13. If children opt for eyewear that grows with them and where the lenses can be replaced, these new prescriptions still mean new lenses, but not necessarily a new design every time.

The complete PR-Text is in the Silhouette Mediabox and available for download.

SPX Art Kids

Children should not only be able to see well through their eyewear but they should also feel good wearing it and enjoy looking at the world around them. Here are a few hints from experts – directed particularly at parents – to ensure that this is the case.

• Your child’s eyewear should not weigh him or her down – aim for the lightest eyewear possible
• Your child’s eyewear should be durable and hardwearing and move with them; this is even more important than with adult eyewear – so test the eyewear “in motion” and discuss together with your child what the eyewear is going to have to withstand.
• Ideally, your child’s eyewear will grow with your child, i.e. the lenses should be replaceable to ensure that your child simply continues to wear the eyewear if their eyesight changes and when they grow.
• What are your child’s favourite colours? He will most likely prefer wearing eyewear in his favourite colour
• You can give your child advice but leave the final decision about the choice of eyewear down to him – after all, your child has to feel happy about the eyewear and (generally) wear it every day
• Explain to your children why he is wearing eyewear so that he can also explain to his friends, should they ask
• Ensure that the eyewear fits well. Alongside the choice of material, the correct length of the temples and also the choice of nose bridges are crucial for a correct fit
• Take your time – you can’t buy your children’s eyewear in ten minutes. Ultimately your child should be happy wearing the eyewear and see well through it for some time. Allow around an hour for this
• As your child’s eyes are still growing, the fit and lens thickness of his eyewear should be checked regularly.
• Optimum storage and handling – a hard case – will extend the service life of all eyewear and children’s eyewear. Make your child aware of this
• Show your child how to clean his eyewear using dry, soft eyewear cleaning cloths and – if seriously dirty – lukewarm water with a little soap and special eyewear cleaning sprays
• Ask your optician for advice on the choice of lenses. Plastic or polycarbonate (break-proof!) lenses are generally recommended for children

The complete PR-Text is in the Silhouette Mediabox and available for download.

SPX Art Kids

“The glasses I wear every day really have to be very comfortable.” This is not just the opinion of 10-year old Salvatore but also the opinion of the majority of spectacle-wearing children, who are naturally also concerned with their look. According to Fiona, aged 7, “So that I like my glasses, they shouldn’t stand out but still be pretty.”

Children know perfectly well what they like, both in terms of their leisure activities and outfits – but their eyewear too. The market for children continues to develop and major brands are discovering and actively targeting the world of little people.

Silhouette, the leading manufacturer of lightweight and high-quality eyewear, has therefore decided to develop the best eyewear for children to cope with every adventure children are involved in and be their best partner to children for their school, sports and leisure. “The inspiration for SPX Art Kinds essentially came from children themselves – both from our own children as well as from all the children with whom we have spoken and worked. And, of course, we have also listened to the needs of parents as well,” explains Silhouette designer Gerhard Fuchs.

SPX Art Kids enjoys all the benefits of “grown up” Silhouettes and yet is specifically designed to meet the needs and wishes of children. The colours – Candy Pink, Rainbow Purple, Cherry Red, Cool Black, Action Green, Ocean Blue, Coconut Brown – and the design of the eyewear are so cool that children enjoy wearing the lightweight and robust glasses in every situation. Comfortable SPX Art Kids remain on children’s noses, irrespective of the adventures that the children embark upon. The SPX plastic, specially developed by Silhouette, not only ensure lightweight eyewear and comfort in wear, but is also extremely flexible.

And a further factor that parents particularly like is that SPX Art Kids grows with the children, as the rimless eyewear lenses can be adapted to the child’s personality and the shape of their face and can very simply be replaced by larger lenses as soon as they become too small..

The complete PR-Text is in the Silhouette Mediabox and available for download.

Allison, you graduated from the Albany College of Pharmacy in  May 2010 and are now working as a full-time pharmacist. In what way has this career progress changed your life?
My life has changed on many different levels. I have recently bought my own house, which is a stroke of luck at the age of 23. As I signed the contract, the self-confidence that I got from my new Silhouette made me look so competent that nobody suspected that I was so young.

Why did you decide on a Silhouette at this very point in time?
I looked so childish with my old glasses, which isn’t good for a professional career. I wanted to change my look, appearing credible and self-confident. And I was greatly impressed as soon as I tried them on – they are so light!

…and why Silhouette Zenlight in particular?
My Silhouette Zenlight is very light and so feminine. I like its subtle, white notes that give it a special, unique character, adding emphasis to my facial traits.

Neben zahlreichen heimischen Mode- und Styling Experten wie Yoan Gonfond von Perfect Props, Martina Cerny von Making of oder Trend Expertin Irmie Schüch-Schambruck, bestaunten auch die Londoner Fashion-Scouts Valentina und Silvia Cangiano die neuen Modelle.

Mit dabei war auch Silhouette Brillendesigner Martin Preuer-Lackner der den Gästen einen interessanten Einblick in die Entstehung einer Designbrille geben konnte.

5000 Kilos of ultra-light patented synthetic material, SPX, is incorporated into rimless eyewear by Silhouette every year. That’s enough to fill 45 bathtubs. The colorless SPX granules are the raw material for manufacturing the synthetic temples. Mixing equipment is used to carefully combine these with exclusive color pigments. Depending on the style of eyewear, the temples are produced by either fully automated or manual spray casting. The innovative sandwich injection molding technology allows synthetic materials of differing hardness to bond together: in this way, the hard SPX of the core that gives the temple its required strength can be coated with softer synthetic SPX material, which, on the other hand, renders the temple soft to the touch and supple. Nose pads are also made from this first-class synthetic compound, guaranteeing maximum wearing comfort.

80 hours – the time needed to polish the eyewear components with sanding granulate and make the surface flawless. Vibrating, rotary polishing machines use sanding particles, such as nutshell granules or special polishing additives,
to remove sharp edges and ensure an even, shiny surface. However, a Silhouette would not be an outstanding designer accessory without a hand polish and a simultaneous inspection of all parts by a trained pair of eyes. Last but not least, various refining processes and decorative touches provide each temple with its own, individual look.

1500 employees the world over are committed to the unique quality of the Silhouettes that they produce, each and every day. When all components of a Silhouette are ready, they are intricately assembled by hand into a perfectly formed design accessory. The tiniest pieces of metal, such as an eyewear’s nose piece, are welded together or soldered by induction. Employees require extreme precision and manual dexterity for this task. When it comes to assembling the synthetic temples, employees need utmost precision to apply the glue, which has been specially developed for Silhouette’s requirements. This is the key to turning the passionately produced components into a masterpiece.

Come descrivereste le caratteristiche peculiari della Nordic Symphonic Orchestra?
Le caratteristiche principali sono l’entusiasmo e l’internazionalità. Invitiamo persone che danno alla musica lo stesso grado di importanza e la stessa priorità che diamo noi. Un musicista deve sentire la musica, perché la ama, e trasmettere questo sentimento a un’orchestra per avvicinare il pubblico alla musica. Ci è stato detto che la nostra orchestra ha l’energia di una rock band e siamo davvero fiere di questo.

Chiamate la vostra orchestra un’”orchestra di lusso”. Come siete arrivati a questo nome?
Non possiamo vederci tutti i giorni, ma solo tre volte all’anno per registrare concerti o per andare in tournée insieme… e questo ci sembra un lusso. E partendo da Tallinn “conquistiamo” il mondo. Ogni minuto che passiamo insieme facendo musica è un lusso per noi. Ogni singolo musicista dà il  meglio di sè, trasmettendo emozione ed energia che contagiano il pubblico.

Vi piace guardare oltre l’orizzonte. Come possiamo immaginarcelo, voglio dire, non solo in senso metaforico?
La cosa che più amiamo sono i bambini. Li invitiamo ai nostri concerti, ma diamo anche loro l’opportunità di entrare nell’orchestra e suonare con gli adulti: sono momenti davvero unici per i bambini. Ad esempio ricordo un ragazzino di dieci anni che si è unito a noi con grande orgoglio per suonare con il suo clarinetto la Rapsodia su un tema di Paganini del direttore d’orchestra russo Rachmaninov. Ancora non sappiamo cos’abbia suonato, ma lui era felicissimo e pieno di entusiasmo.Guardare oltre l’orizzonte significa anche suonare musica di diversi compositori, adattare il nostro repertorio ai paesi che ci ospitano e soprattutto essere internazionali. Non conosciamo limiti!

Che ruolo svolgono i vostri occhiali e, in generale, cosa vi aspettate da un paio di occhiali?
Anu: nel mio lavoro come direttore d’orchestra, il contatto visivo è l’elemento più importante. Non posso usare occhiali che limitino la mia visuale o astine ingombranti che mi coprano le orecchie. I miei occhiali glasant non mi pongono limiti e mi stanno alla perfezione. Naturalmente provo anche piacere nel ricevere tanti complimenti per i miei occhiali.

Kadri: Quando indosso i miei Silhouette, ho l’impressione che gli altri mi vedano come una persona autentica, perché non sto indossando una maschera… questa cosa mi piace così tanto che possiedo già tre modelli diversi.