Written by Rakelle Maurici in Essentials on the 2nd March 2015

It’s never been so cool to wear spectacles than right now in 2015. Think Idris Elba, Jon Hamm, Johnny Depp and Ryan Gosling – and did you know that Tinie Tempah doesn’t actually need to wear eyeglasses? With this in mind, here are some eyewear brands that you should look for next time you’re shopping for glasses. 

FLEYE 

For their SS15 collection, they have crafted an eyewear range which puts extra focus on the most beautiful feature of the face: the eye. Super thin rims that follow the contour of the lens highlight the personality of the glasses and put the focus squarely back on the wearer. Their new Contour Collection is handmade in Japanese beta-titanium, an allergy-friendly material that delivers outstanding lightness and flexibility.

Dom Vetro 

Inspired and handmade in the Italian Alps dating back to the 18th century; often described as a legacy. Dom Vetro’s aim is to challenge the industrial mass production of eyewear, in which they are one of the few brands that are 100% hand-crafted. Looking at the latest range we see matte finish frames, mirrored lenses and the option for a removable snap outer lens. Aesthetics include tortoise shell or frosted neutral shades to reflect that of the alpine inspiration. The craftsmen behind Dom Vetro have spent years perfecting this art where the ‘maestri’ create the ultimate visual experience for their customers.

The Bespoke Dude’s Eyewear 

Founded by Fabio Attanasio of ‘The Bespoke Dudes’ blog, this new eyewear brand is currently one to watch this year. Fabio’s aim is to create artisanal glasses at an ethical price in order to stand out from the mass produced brands we see today. Keeping the ‘Made in Italy’ name, all the frames and lenses are handcrafted by family run business Kador who have been producing eyewear since 1962. The latest styles in the range are the ‘CRAN’ and ‘PLEAT’ which derive from the bespoke tailoring industry; the ‘cran’ being the space between the collar and the lapel of a jacket. They’ve taken no compromise on quality where they have used four screws instead of two, a classically designed range with a modern and elegant twist.

Mykita 

This German based brand aim to provide modern manufacturing with complete in house production. The creative core emerges from Philipp Haffmans and Harald Gottschling, two of the eyewear world’s most innovative designers. With innovative designs the duo have a knack for style and sophistication. In terms of quality Mykita take their inspiration from an industrial design with an aerodynamic style; a complete technical style with classical elegance. Exclusive to Mykita they have created screw-less hinges of interlocking pieces that snap on and off for simple repairs. All frames are made from titanium for an extremely lightweight and flexible accessory, adding durability and strength. Not only are the designs great, their boutiques are pretty suave too!

Nackymade 

As a previous sales man in the glasses industry Naoki (Nacky) wasn’t able to find any glasses to which he actually liked to wear himself, and this is where his inspiration began. Handcrafted by Japanese artisans with Japanese plastic acetate and European antiques he’s been able to produce unique and eye catching designs. To say the least this brand is unconventional. so if you’re after something a little daring Nackymade will probably have what you’re looking for. With designs created in the style of tailor scissors, and dragons to frames made from cherry blossom trees; all are very unique. Nacky also offers ‘Made to Order’ at various trunk shows across New York and Asia.

Kirk + Kirk 

Dating back to 1919 and three generations on the London based workshop, Kirk and Kirk find their inspiration from the Victorian era and the scientists who made their name in this period. Karen Kirk has described this business as "standing out from the crowd", in doing this she has added a unique jewellery pin of 9ct gold or sterling silver to her designs. For their latest range, Kirk and Kirk have recently collaborated with ‘Transitions lenses’ who specialise in light adaptive lens technology; which makes their brand pretty unique. All frames are handmade in France from a very lightweight acrylic, in 4 different styles in a range of 6 metallic colours.

Thom Browne 

New York based designer launched his eyewear range for both men and women in 2011. Following his success of being "One of the most influencial designers in menswear" it only seemed right to release something new into his collection. The collection has been a big success in the press having seen them featured on Pharrell’s latest album cover ‘Girl’. Each pair of frames are handcrafted in either Italy or Japan from acetate so are durable and lightweight. Each featuring the signature Thom Browne tri-colour of red, white and blue. The latest range features aviator designs in matte finishes and often blue mirror lenses.

Oliver Peoples 

80’s inspired Californian brand having began in 1986, base most of their designs on film, sports, art and fashion of that era. During that time fashion was moving in a richer direction with the rise of Wall Street so they wanted to sustain the retro vibe with their geometric styles. Recent collaborations include Maison Kitsune and Gregory Peck with the latest range featuring styles with matte frames and mirrored lenses, all of which are now handmade in Italy. The newest ‘Scheyer’ collection has larger frames and deeper lenses for a complete vintage look.

French Connection 

Fashion forward specs wearers need look no further than French Connection’s spring/summer collection exclusively available at Specsavers to add a certain je ne sais quoi to their look next season. The men’s range, in a variety of colour combinations and designs from adventurous and bold to elegant and understated, is perpetually fashionable, stylish and affordable. From vintage tortoiseshell to contemporary colour pop, the collection complements the spring/summer trends set to take centre stage in 2015.

In this men's eyeglasses and spectacles shopping guide we feature 9 Eyewear Brands You Should Know in 2015.