The Continuing Saga of Kanye's New Shades

hose foolish, non-functioning white Alain Mikli sunglasses of Kanye's just will not go away. They are now considered so essential to Mr. West's look, that they have been included as preliminary album art for his new record, Graduation.

Courtesy of New York Magazine:

"The just-released cover for Kanye West's Graduation shows Kanye's trademark bruin, manga-ized, being launched out of some kind of floating university in the sky. As a statement of purpose, it's a little confused and busy; what is Kanye saying, exactly? That's he's finally ready for the world? Surely that was true two blockbuster albums ago. That he's boldly sailing into the unknown? As space age as these tracks might be, we don't think they're going to sound so unfamiliar to fans of Kanye and his contemporaries.

All Graduation's cover really says, we think, is that Kanye's copped a new style. Created by Japanese artist Takashi Murakami — who curated the revelatory "Little Boy" show at the Japan Society in 2005 — the cover reflects West's recent stylistic infatuation with contemporary Japanese art and anime (an infatuation made clear in the "Stronger" video, which is peppered with anime-influenced visuals and scrawled Japanese characters). But if that's all his cover was going to say, we sort of wish he'd just stuck with the iconic promo art Murakami created for him earlier this year, of the bear in Kanye's venetian-blind sunglasses. Now that's a cover that says something: specifically, "Check it out, I got some new shades!""

[Source: NYMag]

For further FlashyShades coverage of Kanye's and Alain Mikli's collaboration, click here.

80s Trends That Don't Kill Us Only Make Us Stronger

lain Mikli has lent his considerable talents to hip hop's biggest rock star, Kanye West. Their collabo resulted in the below lens-free sunglasses.

Sophie Raubiet, General Manager for Alain Mikli boutiques tells PEOPLE, “this collaboration was such a positive experience for both Alain Mikli and Kanye West. It’s officially marked the beginning of future partnerships they are looking to do together.”

[Source: People]



While I won't be rocking these particular shades any time soon, I have to admit I'm curious to see what flashy shades their alliance will yield.

After all, even the princes are intrigued.

[Source: People]

K.West Redux

o follow up on my Kanye West/Alain Mikli collabo post, don't expect to get your hands on those white lensless frames anytime soon without laying out some serious cash. Anyone have $1500 handy? [See: 80s Trends That Don't Kill Us Only Make Us Stronger]


[Photo: MSN.uk.com]


The Dallas Morning News quotes Mikli's PR people:

"The glasses aren't featured on the company's website as these are new and very, VERY special custom order. Readers will have an easier time if they just call the toll free number and inquire: 1-800-829-8032."

[Source: Dallas Morning News]

A Decade in Shades

Though many of us are looking forward to the end of 2009 and this somewhat dismal decade, I couldn't resist the temptation to look back on the aughts and how far our sunnies have come. We've moved away from the early 00s logo craze, but still swear by our classic aviators. White sunglasses were briefly hip, but then named as one of 2007's worst trends by People. Designers were inspired by both retro and futuristic styles. Colored wayfarers were all the rage last year, but clear frames were simultaneously in vogue. And let's just pretend that Kanye West/Alain Mikli plastic shaded thing never happened. Its been a rough ten years.

Bigger is still better. Much of the decade was dominated by reality TV starlets in oversized logo sunnies who would later go on to launch their own ill-fated lines. We've given up on the bling, but oversized sunglasses are still huge.

Except when smaller is better. The cool girls (i.e., M.K.)have already embraced the round, John Lennon-inspired frames. The sunglasses in Proenza Schouler's Spring 2009 RTW show (below) were a pitch perfect example of the trend, but they were also seen at Balenciaga, Marni and Ralph Lauren. I don't see these going away in 2010.


Future Perfect. Balenciaga's Spring 2007 clear shield sunglasses paved the way for the both the futuristic and clear frame trend. Their designer, Nicolas Ghesquiere, cited "robotic articulation, car parts and droids" as his inspiration.


Retro Forever.Our sunglasses have been shaped by nearly every imaginable era. The 1950s influence can be seen in last year's cat-eye, Peggy Guggenheim-esque shapes. Folding Persols and Jackie Onassis's trademark oversized sunglasses are direct references to the 1960s. The 70's mod angles can be seen in _blank">Balenciaga and Linda Farrow styles. But no era has shaped our sunnies preferences (neon, plastic frames and wayfarers) more than the 80s.

The 80s Live. In 2006 and 2007, wayfarers were everwhere and on everybody. The Ray-Bans are, of course, the gold standard, but even Karl Lagerfeld got in on the action for Spring 2008 when he showed his candy-coated take on the trend.
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The Newbies. In the past ten years, a seemingly countless number of new sunglasses lines have been introduced, as nearly ever major fashion house entered the eyewear market. A standout is Karen Walker's line, which premiered in 2006 and consistently produces some of the most innovative and exciting sunnies around.



What are you hoping makes the cut next year and what styles could you live without? Here's to 2010, flashies!

Backstage Flash

tepping up his backstage behavior (as compared with his recent award show tantrums), Kanye West has been making the rounds at the Paris shows. Luckily, he left his Alain Mikli white plastic blinders at home.

Here he is at John Galliano and Alexander McQueen.