Today we present all the entries in InDaily‘s spectacle design competition. Now it’s open to you to vote for your favourite and go into the running for a $400 Health Partners Optical store voucher. The competition is a collaboration with UniSA and Health Partners Optical, in which design students are competing to have their work recognised, and maybe even manufactured.

To register your vote, go here.

Adam Donato / Mediterranean Optical

Design rationale

Inspired by many of the existing top brands of eyewear, the Mediterranean Optical is designed to give a flattering look and a sense of comfort. With a special aesthetic and design, the Mediterranean incorporates the butterfly-shape frame and is made of two materials: black acetate frame and walnut wood temples.

Special features

Spring hinges are designed to move the temples in an outwards position at a particular angle and sit comfortably along the face and on top of the ears. Curved and bumpy temples are aimed at improving aesthetics and connecting with the frame shape.

Chenjing Gu / Gorgeous Dream

Design rationale

I am interested in European art, culture and history from my perspective as an overseas student. This work was inspired by lorgnettes [spectacles or opera glasses with a short handle]. My intention is to capture the aesthetic of the lorgnette and invite the viewer to view the world through the lens of the golden age of European art.

Special features

The frame is inspired by a leaf shape and includes various detailed traditional patterns on pieces of white acrylic, to achieve a retro and elegant style. The pearl-coloured beads and a golden tassel enhance the turn-of-the-century effect.

Patrick Shepheard / Blend

Design rationale

The idea behind this eyewear is to have a fluid transition between the temples and the frame, creating a perfect blend. While the eyewear is to be marketed to women aged 35-49, the minimal aesthetic allows it to be worn by all ages and genders.

Special features

The eyewear features a conservative frame, while the interchangeable temples allow customisation in colour and pattern to inspire individuality. The innovative magnetic hinge allows the client to change temples easily for any occasion.

Ya Feng / Flower head band glasses

Design rationale

I wanted to design beautiful and unique women’s glasses.

Special features

These glasses could be worn as a hair band when the wearer does not need them as glasses. The lenses are not affected by the curved shape of the hair band, because the lenses are inlaid into half of the headband/frame. This enables clear vision for the wearer, as does the transparent acrylic use for the body of the band.

Phillip Henschke / Existence

Design rationale

The reason behind my design was to make a product available to a greater number of people. Classically inspired cat-eye glasses tend to fit smaller faces; because of this, the temple arms are usually shorter. In my design, I have tweaked the shape of the traditional design, and made the frame wider and larger, to fit a bigger face. I have also lessened the angle of the temple arm to the front frame. This is because the more extreme the angle, the less likely it is to fit as many faces. Faces with a lower or sunken bridge or high cheekbones would not be able to wear such frames.

The idea for the paint was taken from personal experience – everyone loves something of their own, something slightly different, and something that is ageing with the user, because that’s what makes it theirs and gives them a connection with the product; it’s why people tend to keep old things that still work. The idea of the paint is it will wear as you keep the frames, and over time show the brilliant colour underneath, making a completely unique set of frames out of a mass-produced product.

Special features

The exterior paint is designed to scratch off as the glasses are worn, giving the wearer and the frame a personal connection – they are scratched because you scratched them, making them yours.

Diep Pham / 2-C Glasses

Design rationale

Decorations that can be customised for different moods and occasions, thus reducing cost of changing styles each season and prolonging the lifespan of eyewear.

Special features

• Replaceable plastic parts on the temples with different colours or style.
• Metal frame to withstand rough handling when putting the pads onto the frame. Can be worn without the pads themselves.

Harry Dinnen / Veronica

Design rationale

The reason for this design is to reduce the weight of the optical frames, while keeping to a conservative style. The material used for the frames is Cellulose Propionate, which is a light-weight, hypo-allergenic, flexible material, with a wide range of colours, patterns and finishes to suit the style of the consumer. The Temples are made from titanium to keep low the weight of the frames over the ears of the wearer. The temples are detachable for ease of repair, so the user can customise their frames to suit their life and style. The detachable temples also allow the glasses to fit a wider range of face shapes.

Special features

• Detachable (snap-fit) Temples, for customisation of frames.
• Lightweight and flexible material to reduce breakage.
• Titanium temples to keep weight off the nose of the wearer.

Adam Donato / Nightlife Optical

Design rationale

Inspired by the shape of the cat-eye frame, the Nightlife is designed to make a woman feel young and confident, and to stand out in the crowd. The unique feature of the Nightlife is its ability to glow and shine at night. Can’t seem to find your glasses buried in a handbag full of items or left somewhere in the nightstand drawer? The Nightlife can help you know where your glasses are in a dark environment.

Special features

Temples are attached to the frame by magnets and have the ability to be rotated along their angled face to fold together.

Danielle Barrie / Spectac-twirl

Design rationale

My rationale behind this piece was entirely based on the material chosen. Metal wire can be contorted into unique shapes and interlocked design, but is also strong enough to hold its shape and survive daily wear and tear. Additionally, while researching I found that many sunglasses were a variation on a theme or only had one interesting or visually appealing feature. I wanted to create something where all elements were competing for visual attention.

Special features

Fully flexible design which could be made to fit any lens of any shape, size and thickness. Also, the arm designs could either be a twirl or a geometric pattern, or even one of each.

Jaime Sanchez / Front-on

Design rationale

To be able to be manufactured using any of the following methods:

• Traditional (hand cut)
• Automated (CNC milling)
• Vustomised small batch (SLS 3D printed)

Special features

• “Raised Eyebrow” eye line
• Temples not visible when viewed from front
• OEM hinges
• Asymmetrical temples to allow arms to fold completely flat
• Customisable and replaceable modular nose pads, for both acetate and metal frames
• 3D printed option allows complete customisation to wearer’s face, for greatest possible comfort

Nick Jolly / orb:it

Design rationale

This range of glasses draws inspiration from eyewear marketed to younger customers, and reinterprets these styles to be worn by all ages. The flat, angled and comparatively small frames are fitted with rounder lenses for a “softer” aesthetic.

Special features

The optical frame is minimal, with a refined aesthetic. A sun clip, in a more bespoke style, is designed to accompany the frames. This clip is asymmetrical and hand-made; it begins to blur the lines between utility and jewellery.

To register your vote, go here.