Adventures in Munich (Part 2)

If you havn't read part one of our adventures in Munich.....go and read what we got up to on our first day...........done that?Ok.....lets continue the story.

We stayed at the very convenient BOLD hotel in Munich. This hotel very much appealed to my own interior decor sensibilities. It was bright, modern and clean, with funky furniture.
As we were so tired after our long first day, we chose to grab a bite to eat at the hotel before an early night.......not the finest dining experience we have ever had! There was a very strange moment when a rice pudding was served up with a caramel top instead of the creme brulee! Perhaps we can put this down to a language barrier?Not sure, but needless to say we stuck to the breakfast buffet after that, which was VERY good!

Day 2 of the tradeshow was another busy one. We had an early appointment with LINDBERG. Anyone well versed in the world of optics will know that LINDBERG are a bit special. They are, perhaps, most famous for their rimless styles, however their collection is so much more than just rimless. We were blown away by the frames! We were invited to sit down to view the collection (which is huge, and has sub-collections) and instructed to wear gloves as we handled the frames!!
We have picked a good selection of amazing styles, from their 'Spirit', 'Acetanium' and 'Strip' collections. These bad boys have just landed this week, come in and have a peek, they have been worth the wait!

So after LINDBERG, we viewed one other collection, which we are playing close to our chests for now. They won't arrive until September or October and so, we have a bit of a wait for these......but I will admit, they are a brand that we have been lusting over for more than a year. I'm so glad we decided to order them, but we want to keep it a surprise for now....!

Intrigued???So you should be!! ;)

Besides our first questionable experience with the Munich food, we did have a really good dinner and brunch in the city on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. I'm going to leave that to another post, which I won't leave as long in between this time!But just in case your going to Munich anytime soon, we will post about the hotel and the restaurants we liked.

Thanks for reading, guys, hope your excited for our new frames.....a few of them have already landed!

Adventures in Munich (Part 1)

Hi Friends!
We are back from Opti-Munich and we wanted to tell you guys all about our  adventures!  Have you got a cuppa in front of you?Ok, great......!

Our flight from Dublin on Friday morning was at 8am, so we arrived in Munich bright and early, grabbed a coffee and took the shuttle bus directly to the tradeshow....that's dedication for you!
As you would expect from our German friends, the tradeshow was super well organised, so they had a left luggage facility for anyone travelling. We imagined alot of European guests would have flown in and out the same day!

The venue itself was HUGE, even though they say this is one of the smaller of the 'big' European tradeshows. The whole event spanned over 4 massive halls each bigger than the size of a football field (think the RDS as each hall!), with smaller stands in corridors in between. Each hall was dedicated to either frames, optical equipment, lens companies or accessories. This makes it sound like it was easy to find where everything was...and it was...it was just so overwhelming! The whole place was like a maze, I think we felt a little like were in one of those casinos where your not sure what time of day it is! Every time you turn a corner looking for the bathrooms or the exit, there is something else that catches your attention and makes you stay and look just another half hour!

Each hall had a few cafes where you could grab a snack or a coffee, but nearly every brand had either a bar or a little cafe of their own, serving beers, champagne and little bites. Some were so elaborate, we even spotted an airstream and a full sized school bus! - Check me out....I'm nearly the same size as it! ;)

So...Friday, we had made appointments to see two brands in particular. The first stop was with a French brand called 'Anne et Valentin'. We. were. blown. away. by this brand! These frames are beautiful. Handmade and so unusual, but yet totally wearable. There is a mixture of acetate frames with intricate detailing and metal frames with amazing colours and acetate mounts. They are really stunning we cannot wait for you guys to see them. We will be taking delivery in April......but in the meantime - here's a sneak peek...

Yup...amazing, right? This one is largely for the girls, but they have a small collection of men's frames also, so we didn't leave anyone out. :)

By now it was time to focus on our boys...!Our next appointment was with Danish brand 'Kilsgaard'.This brand has both a male and female collection, but we have a gap for something different in our men's collection, so we were focusing solely on them. 

In my opinion, the best word to describe Kilsgaard frames are 'architectural'. They are understated but yet meticulously designed, light, strong and modern with clean lines and matte colours. We think they will go down a treat.

We are expecting these to arrive in early March and they will be a great addition to our shelves!

What do you guys think....have we wet your appetite for our new brands?

So, we have alot more to tell you guys about the following few days in Munich. Stay tuned for part 2! 

We are off to Munich!

We are so excited to be going to our first ever Optical tradeshow in Europe, and it happens to be one of the biggest!!

Opti-Munich exhibits over 525 representitives from leading eyewear brands the world over.
We have a gap in our collection for some new brands and will be scouting exciting new exclusive ranges to add to our shelves this coming Spring and Summer.
Sometimes we will be interested in a brand that may not have representation in Ireland or England, and so visiting a tradeshow such as Opti gives us the chance to see whole collections side by side, that we may never otherwise get the chance to see in person.
As you know, we are really picky about how we choose our frames, so this means we can try styles on, feel the quality and see the true colours that browsing on a web catalogue just can't compete with!

So we are off this Friday and Saturday, 15th & 16th,  to immerse ourselves in all things optical.....can't wait!
We will have plenty of pictures and stories to share when we return.....and also a BIG reveal!.....Exciting times ahead!

Introducting Etnia Barcelona - Vintage Collection

We are so excited to announce Rachel Murray Eyecare is an exclusive stockist of our newest brand. One of our favorite brands, Etnia Barcelona - in celebration of their 15th birthday - have recently launched a new diffusion line - the Vintage Collection - and it couldn't be better!

They have used actual vintage acetates from the 70's and combined them with their own colours to create an original, but vintage inspired, look. 

Each model is named for a different historic neighborhood, in major world cities such as Shoreditch, Mission District and Fitzroy.

There are eight optical frame and six sunglasses styles to choose from, and two of the optical styles have two colours of custom clip on sunglasses with mirrored lenses which ups the cool factor 100%. It's such a practical addition but it actually makes the frame even more attractive. I love how it looks with the metal and plastic and as always their choice of colours defines them. (see pic below)

The collection comprises of all acetate styles, including the sunglasses and the vintage influence is evident. Keyhole bridges and funky prints on the tips, beautiful tortoise shell patterns and clear acetate frames are just some of the choices available. Not to mention the clip ons.....we are obsessed with the clip ons!

 

A couple of the sunglasses models have photochromatic lenses, yet another cool little extra. They are already dark - with graduated lenses - and they will get even darker in bright sunlight, making them the PERFECT winter sunglasses........who wouldn't like to get a pair of these in their stocking this Christmas?!

This is a unisex brand so there is something in it for everyone.Will you be a Williamsburg or a Montauk?A Fitroy or a Kreuzberg?Let us know what you think!

Find out more about the collection from our website.

Purple Is A Magic Colour!

As part of our 'colouring' series I thought that we would include an ode to Purple.
People love purple. And not without good reason either, its pretty much the perfect colour!

When you consider that purple is made up of a mixture of red and blue you'll know (because you've read our last 'colourings' post!) that means it's got both WARM and COOL tones!
So it's a little bit like red lipstick - it suits everyone - you just have to find the right shade.

Cool colourings should choose shades of purple with more blue in them. Think Lavender, Amethyst and Violet.

Warm should try richer shades with more red in them, like Raspberry, Marsala and Plum.

Simple!

Why not try a few purple tones the next time you're in the market for a new pair of specs? If this isn't enough to make you take the purple plunge maybe Jenny Jospeh's poem will help! 

When I Am An Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we’ve no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I’m tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick flowers in other people’s gardens And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beer mats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised

Children's Vision - When Should They Have Their Eyes Tested?

Most children have excellent sight and do not need to wear glasses.
Some children may have vision screening done at school. However, the earlier any problems are picked up the better the outcome.

If there are problems and they are not picked up at an early age, the child may have permanently reduced vision on one or both eyes.
If you have any concerns about your child’s eyes, or if there is a history of squint or lazy eye in the family, do not wait for the vision screening at school.

Take your child to a local optometrist for a sight test. An optometrist has the equipment and training to carry out a thorough eye examination, checking all the aspects of your child’s vision which are important to learning.

Signs that your child may have a problem with their vision include;
*One eye turns in or out – this may be easier to spot when the child is tired
*They rub their eyes a lot (except when they are tired, which is normal)
*They have watery eyes
*They are clumsy or have poor hand and eye co-ordination
*Your child avoids reading, writing or drawing
*They screw up their eyes or frown when they read or watch TV.
*They sit very close to the TV, or hold books or objects close to their face.
*They have behaviour or concentration problems at school.
*They complain about blurred or double vision, or they have unexplained headaches
*If flash photographs show a white, yellow or orange colour in their pupils or red in only one eye.

Simple treatments like wearing glasses or wearing a patch for a while could be all that your child needs. The earlier that eye problems are picked up, the better the outcome will be.
If the Optometrist cannot help your child's vision improve, they will refer your child on to an eye doctor for further help.

If you have concerns about your child’s vision, please visit your local optometrist. An eye examination is a vital health check and should be part of everyone’s normal health care.

Rachel Murray Eyecare are running FREE sight tests for all primary & secondary school pupils until the end of September.Check out the offer here.

WOOW Has Arrived!

We recently took delivery of a new brand to our collection. WOOW are a diffusion line of popular French eyewear brand FACE A FACE. We have added ophthalmic frames and sunnies to our shelves, with styles for both men and women.

WOOW have managed to create a brand that is truly unique. Their exaggerated frame shapes and layered colours are unlike anything else we have seen. Each style has a little message inserted on the inside tip of the frame - fun, motivational quotes, (for what WOOW call “anti-crisis eyewear”)such as ‘Super Duper’, ‘Wake Up’ and ‘Rock Me’. Such details are completely unnecessary but utterly complimentary of the brand’s creative design and intended to enhance the frame for the wearer alone, as the design is completely hidden!

We love WOOW’s attention to detail with saturated colours, layered acetates and original shapes. Everything, down to the little quotes’ vintage inspired type-writer font, has been carefully chosen.

The sunglasses are reminiscent of the 60’s and 70’s, with round and cat eye shapes for the ladies and keyhole bridges and metal sides for the men. These frames have already proved popular and, as always, we try not to repeat our ophthalmic frames, so that our customers know that they are getting something as unique as they are!

What do you guys think?!