With Vision Expo East coming up, we spoke with our colleagues from sister publication Eyecare Business (EB) to discuss the latest trends in eyewear, to help readers freshen up their inventory.

Read below to learn what patients are looking for in frame styles, colors, and sustainability.

Frame styles

Eyeglass shapes are becoming more experimental, according to Erinn Morgan, editorial director, and editor-in-chief of EB. “One key thing in shape trends is there’s almost a shape in a shape, such as the shape of the lens being different from that of the frame,” she says.

This trend was big in “super indie” frame brands a few years back, Ms. Morgan notes, but now she says she is seeing it even in mainstream frames.

These experimental shapes are also crossing over to the athleisure and sunwear eyewear space, says Kerri Ann Raimo, managing editor and social media content manager for EB. There’s a big trend toward “the fusion of fashion and function” in eyewear, she says.

Many newer frames can also be described as “classic with a twist,” says Ms. Morgan, updating a proven style, such as aviators or Jackie O sunglasses, with trendy colors (see below for 2024’s notable colors).

Patterns have also become more popular, adds Ms. Morgan, as new technology allows for inlaying patterns, such as mosaic and floral designs, directly into the frame, giving them “an interesting energy.”

 Colors

One of the biggest color trends this year is toward “understated luxury” instead of colors that are more “showy,” says Ms. Morgan. She says she’s seeing this in the use of more subdued colors for eyewear, with bone – an off-white similar to beige – being especially popular right now. “Pure white is tough to wear, but bone leans into camel and other tones,” she explains.

 Another popular color for 2024 is peach, as it has been chosen as the color of the year by the Pantone Color Institute, a consulting service that forecasts global color trends. Ms. Morgan says she has already seen several frame companies touting the peach colors of their lines, in response to Pantone’s announcement.

Sustainability

Eye wear manufactures have been more supportive of sustainability in their manufacturing and packaging, says Ms. Raimo, knowing it’s something patients look for in products.

 “A lot of companies know that consumers are taking more interest in what their purchases are doing to the planet,” she says, “which had led to greater prominence of using upcycled plastics, recycled steel, and plant-based materials in frames, lenses, and packaging materials.”

Trending at Vision Expo

To learn more about the latest fashion in eyewear, catch EB’s Vision Expo East presentation “Trends in Eyewear,” occurring Friday, March 15, 10 a.m., at The Bridge main show stage. Vision Expo East runs from March 14 to March 17, at New York City’s Javits Center. OM