EXCLUSIVE: Balmain to Debut New Eyewear With Startup Akoni

PARIS — Balmain will be debuting its new eyewear collection on the runway at its men’s show Friday, a premium line created with new licensee Akoni, a startup based in Switzerland that was co-founded by industry veteran Rosario Toscani. Nearly a year in the making, the line — initially a capsule of five sunglass styles (four unisex, one designed for women) before a broader offer including optical frames launches in September — was originally scheduled to be introduced on the runway with Balmain’s women’s collection in February. When the label’s creative director Olivier Rousteing discovered the designs, however, he decided to advance the rollout. “As soon as I saw them, I was determined to have them immediately,” stated Rousteing. “Although I knew it would cause more than a little bit of chaos, extra work and late nights, I had to have them — and I had to have them now. So, I pressured all teams to push up the introduction of the glasses, in order to let me incorporate them into my January men’s show. This collection aligns so perfectly with my message — they’re the ideal Balmain accessory for my designs. There was no question — they had to be a

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