ILORI

Last winter we wrote about the exclusive new collection of Gold Edition sunglasses plated in pure 18-carat gold from Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana. Now the duo has added some new designs to the luxe collection - whose fans include Brad Pitt – including two cool new Fifties-inspired styles (above) for Spring / Summer 2011. The slick shades starred in Dolce & Gabbana's Fall 2010 / 2011 men's fashion show in tribute to the 20th anniversary of their men's collections. There are two versions, one with rounded lenses and one square, available in black or tortoiseshell. Made in Italy, the sunglasses feature polarized glass, and a certificate of authenticity comes with each pair of glasses attesting to the originality, design and quality and the use of 18-carat gold. Each pair is presented in its own jewelry case featuring a plaque with the words "Dolce &Gabbana Gold Edition". Inside there is a portable case in black leather, decorated with a plaque and logo. The Gold Edition models are available at ILORI Luxury Sunglass boutiques with prices ranging from $490 - $580, except for the squared version which will be on sale exclusively in Dolce & Gabbana boutiques.

ILORI is donating a percentage of purchases through November 7 to Breast Cancer Research, so to encourage shoppers, they're putting a $25,000 pair of sunglasses up for grabs!

Just buy any pair of Sama Eyewear, Badgley Mischka Eyewear or Loree Rodkin EyeCouture at any ILORI or Optical Shop of Aspen (ILORI's co-sponsor) before November 7th, and not only will a percentage of your purchase be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, but you'll also be automatically entered to win the $25,000 Samas in a random drawing.

The one-of-a-kind "Pink Pyramid of Diamond" Sama sunglasses (pictured above) feature 1.75 carats of white diamonds in an 18k rose gold frame with 18k rose gold micro-coated lenses. That's right: rose gold micro-coated lenses. These are actual rose colored glasses, and they're sparkly to boot.

Click here to find an ILORI near you.

The new Tiffany Charms sunglasses are classic and chic with an oversized design that calls Audrey Hepburn to mind, and they come with a little something extra charming: actual charms.

True purists can get them in black and Tiffany blue, but we love the double laminated violet and candy pink combo above (rich brown with red is also available). Lenses are available in gray or brown and violet gradient. The charms include a heart, the letter "T" and the Tiffany & Co. logo. First bracelets, then necklaces (in the 80s), and now you'll find charms on everything from your cell phone to your handbag. To purchase a pair of these fanciful, chichi shades, visit ILORI ($320).

Italian fashion stars Dolce & Gabbana have come out with an exclusive new collection of Gold Edition sunglasses and eyeglasses plated in pure 18-carat gold. Priced at $580 per pair, the limited edition aviator-style shades and specs feature a mix of different materials for the temples, enhanced by the Dolce & Gabbana logo engraved in the same color. Made in Italy, the sunglasses feature polarized glass, and a certificate of authenticity comes with each pair of glasses attesting to the originality, design and quality and the use of 18-carat gold. Each pair is presented in its own jewelry case featuring a plaque with the words "Dolce &Gabbana Gold Edition" and containing two tiny side drawers to hold a cleaning cloth and certificate of authenticity. Inside there is a semi-rigid glasses case in black leather, decorated with a tiny plaque and logo. The Gold Edition models are available at ILORI Luxury Sunglass boutiques.

Theirry Lasry and Thakoon have both helped to immortalize this year's glorious summer of Shakespeare in the Park with limited edition collections of sunglasses for Soho sunglasses boutique ILORI.

The Thierry Lasry styles, above, are all aviator-based and called "Agavy" after The Bacchae's leading character Agave (all Thierry Lasry design names end in "y"). Only twelve of each color has been made -- and yes, they are numbered -- and they retail for $365.00. Not a bad price for a numbered collectible!

Below in the gallery, check out the Twefth Night styles, designed by Thakoon and named "Viola" for Anne Hathaway's character. The hexagonal, feminine Viola shades retail for $320.00, and only twelve of each color was made.

Of course, now that the summer of Shakespeare is over, your only hope is to call ILORI's exclusive treasure trove in Soho and beg. It'll be worth it to snag a pair of these sunglasses which support and celebrate free theater in Central Park!

Welcome to the first in a new series of exclusive photo features showcasing seasonal style essentials inspired by classic icons of elegance, sport and design, photographed with the most beautiful and coveted cars on the road. The emphasis is on luxury of course, but of the timeless variety as opposed to mere extravagance.

In our recent Classicist column on the 2010 Jaguar XK convertible coming out this August, we remarked on the sleek new cat's stylistic heritage dating back to 1948's XK120, as driven by the likes of Gary Cooper, Humphrey Bogart and Clark Gable, as well as later models like the D-Type (or XK-SS) made famous by the great Steve McQueen. The first in our new series of exclusive shoots is inspired by them and stars the XK in homage to these stylish icons, both man and automotive (read all about the new XK here).

In particular, the influence of Gable (with his XK120 in 1954, top right) and McQueen (with his XK-SS, center right) can be seen in the summery style essentials we've assembled for this shoot. For the pastoral setting we drew on another classic Jaguar reference, an image of writer Truman Capote in a Jaguar XK-E, the model most closely aligned with the new XK, in the Hamptons in 1965 (bottom right).

In the spirit of summer we've chosen a classic combination of navy and white, popular as fashionable resort wear for a nearly a century and still going strong in the right circles. While navy blazers of the type shown here originated as part of English cricket club scenery and other elegant sporting occasions such as the Henley Royal Regatta, without gold buttons it needn't be unnecessarily nautical or costume-y.

The jacket shown here, in tropical weight wool with soft shoulders by the dashing Italian house of Etro, references its sporting antecedents with grosgrain tipping on the lapels, pockets and cuffs; however, since it is finished in the same color as the jacket the effect is a subtle one, while the slim cut updates the look with Italian flair. A cream linen camp shirt by Paul Stuart and white linen pants by Polo Ralph Lauren round out the rest of the ensemble.

As an alternative on cooler days or evenings - which we've certainly had plenty of this summer - we've also included a variation of the navy blazer by Brooks Brothers made of butter-soft goat suede with spiffy sporting details including a throat latch, stand-up collar, action back and pure Irish linen lining, which calls to mind the jacket worn by Gable above.

While a polka dot foulard silk scarf by the venerable British clothier Turnbull & Asser (shirtmaker to the Prince of Wales) provides not only another classic touch and added dose of sprezzatura, it also protects against the elements while piloting the XK with the top down at serious speeds. A hefty dose of McQueen meanwhile can be seen in the rakish cap, sunglasses and watch. For the feet and the road, a pair of pebble-sold leather driving moccasins by Tod's keep the haute Italian vibe going.

The checked linen driving cap - this model is made by Brooks Brothers - of the type favored by McQueen has no brim to collide with a car's headrest, and is infinitely more elegant than a baseball cap. Also on view: iconic Italian Persol sunglasses, in particular the model made famous by McQueen in The Thomas Crown Affair. Starring in this feature are a foldable version of McQueen's faves, as well as a couple of other killer Persol models; all are available at Ilori. Also included is a pair of shades by Paul Smith. The watch is a classic and vintage stainless steel Rolex GMT-Master II, available at Tourneau, of a similar design to the Rolex Submariner model favored by McQueen (and which recently fetched a record price at auction). Read on for details of the rest of the accessories after the jump.

We recently caught up with stylist to the stars Jennifer Rade (right), who's worked with Angelina Jolie, Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian and Pink, to name a few -- not to mention Dave Matthews, Usher and Marilyn Manson! How's that for versatility?

We met with Jennifer at ILORI (she's ILORI's Brand Ambassador), Soho's treasure trove of sunglasses ("ilori" is an African word for "secret treasure") to talk about what makes shades so fabulous -- "they're never gonna make you look fat" -- and how she chooses which ones to put on the stars.

Luxist: So, you started in hip hop. Why do you think sunglasses are such an iconic part of that scene?

Jennifer Rade: Because it's a way to give yourself instant attitude. You cover your eyes, it's very mysterious. You have a conversation and people don't know if you're looking at them, or if you're sleeping -- or if you're rolling your eyes. It's an incredible way to disguise your emotional life.

Luxist: Is that why you think sunglasses are so strongly associated with celebrity?

Click through the gallery to read ...

Zooey Deschanel has been putting her pretty blue eyes and quirky style to good use lately. She's been collaborating with Oliver Peoples to make a fabulously chic collection of sunglasses with a very unusual feature!

The adorable, kitchy 1950's-esque shades (see gallery below) actually display Zooey's kiss print if you fog them with your breath.

Or, I assume, any other way you'd fog up your sunglasses.

Crazy, right? I had to have it demonstrated for me at sunglasses treasure trove ILORI in Soho before I believed it.

Check out the gallery to see Zooey's very own lip print, and some of the "Zooey Deschanel" sunglasses color options -- appropriately quirky, of course.

The sunglasses run from $325 to $375, and are available from the ILORI store near you!

Luxury sunglass boutique ILORI has just gotten in a shipment of the new limited edition white gold Ray-Ban Caravan UItra (above), of which only 1,000 pairs are available in North America. The sunglasses are a luxurious re-take on a classic Ray-Ban model, enhanced with revolutionary P3 PLUS system mirrored lenses, made of high-quality glass with a polarizing filter, anti-reflective treatment and an innovative water-repellent system. Plated in 18-carat white gold with tortoiseshell earpieces, they retail for $485 and are also available in an 18-carat yellow gold-plated version. Each pair is numbered on the inside of the arm.

Audrey Hepburn-esque model / socialite Jessica Joffe fêted luxury sunglass shop ILORI's exclusive new Thakoon Hexagon 502 shades at their NYC boutique the other night. Thai-born designer Thakoon Panichgul (with Joffe, above), whose fashions are favored by the likes of Rachel Bilson, Demi Moore and Sarah Jessica Parker, debuted the new sunglass design featuring his signature Japanese shibori print, which will only be available at ILORI for a limited time. ILORI, which also has high-end stores in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and Las Vegas, specializes in curated collections, exclusive styles and limited edition frames. The Hexagon model, which costs $315, is made to match clothing from Thakoon's chic Spring/Summer runway collection. See the gallery for more.