Now you can see eye-to-eye with Tom Ford

MANILA, Philippines -  A real visionary, Tom Ford brings you in the eye of fashion with his latest creations: sunglassdes.

The 26-piece collection includes new versions of Tom Ford’s best-selling sunglass frames plus new styles that morph vintage-inspired shapes into ultra-contemporary silhouettes and colors. Spring 2011 also sees the debut of the ’60s-style optical frame inspired by the one that was worn by Colin Firth’s character in Tom Ford’s flim, A Single Man.

“Every frame is imbued with a very high design value. This is obvious in the fashion-forward frames, and subtler in the classic styles. The point is to avoid looking “retro” and always look completely modern,” says Tom Ford.

Frames for women include new versions of Ford’s best-selling frame, with its curvy “X” front. It is reworked in stunning metal and epoxy blends to become the Sienna and Rikie frames. These feature the now familiar open side profiles and come in sexy color combinations like silver-violet frames with violet-lilac lenses. Two ultra-lightweight plastic frames, the Tabitha and Vicky turn the same cross-front motif into a double-bar.

Firth place: Colin Firth wears the ’60s-style frame in Tom Ford's film A Single Man.

The new Iris and Francesca frames are elegant metal versions of another now-familiar sunglass silhouette, notable for its tubular metal front bar, is well suited for a strong rebel-hearted woman. This iconoclastic attitude also infuses the Federico, a mascular-looking frame, especially designed for a woman not afraid to make a statement.

Classic feminine styles include the acetate-framed Sheila, the over-sized Rhonda, and a wide, wraparound style made of lightweight plastic, the Sonja, which pairs a curvy “X” front with a second Tom Ford Eyewear motif, a twisted knot, at each temple.

The men’s collection includes two new variations of a metal pilot frame as well as a new version of the famous “James Bond” frame, the William. The Nicolai and Gregoire feature a double-bar bridge and thin temples inset with the designer’s signature metal “T.” These frames can also be fitted with optical lenses. There are two head-turning frames for men, the James and Harry, which feature visible attaching the tubular front bar to the metal rims.

Tom Ford’s best-selling Peter frame is reworked into three new versions. The square-shaped Felix, the rounded Magnus and the stunning Maximillion, which is intended as a unisex style that can also be worn as a woman’s sunglass or optical frame.

Vintage-inspired frames include a thick acetate frame, the Campbell, and the ’30s-style Carter frame, which exaggerates that era’s circular frame shape. A subtler, more classic masculine statement is made with acetate frames that can be worn as sunglasses or optical glasses, the Alphonse, Gabriel, and the Leopold.

All Tom Ford Eyewear is handmade in Italy by Marcolin.