Much like everything Derek Lam does, his launch of a first-ever men’s eyewear collection Thursday evening at his Crosby Street boutique in Manhattan was both methodical and poised. It was refreshing to be away from the glitz of a trendy venue or overly bright showroom and the same comforting vibe could be said about the capsule three styles for men: Cary (after Mr. Grant, which company president Jan-Hendrik Schlottmann named) and aviator-esque styles Imogen and Quentin, the latter named for a young Frenchman who once worked for Lam in ready-to-wear design. Relatively reasonably priced at $275, the trio, out now, are hand made in Japan and very lightweight on the face. I appreciated the attention to detail–evident in the contrast trim (white/caramel or black/tortoise) and the subtle double-dot detail on the temple. My favorite, by far, was the slightly oversized aviator Imogen style; it was downright modern-day Rat Pack cool. Note to those who actually need to wear glasses: prescription frames can be put in.
$275 at Ilori, Barneys New York and the Derek Lam boutique in NYC