BROOKLYN, N.Y.—Catherine Malandrino, a brand of Bluestar Alliance, has announced that the designer will launch Catherine Malandrino Eyewear with Zimco Optics.

The licensing arrangement with Zimco is a worldwide exclusive, multi-year partnership for ophthalmic eyewear and sunwear. The collection prototypes will be previewed at Vision Expo East later this month, but the official launch of the collection will take place at Vision Expo West in the fall.

The Catherine Malandrino brand is evolving into a lifestyle collection that will be cohesive through every product offering, the company said. “Zimco is an excellent partner that can execute the DNA of the brand, incorporating the key characteristics and superior quality our customer expects,” commented Ralph Gindi, COO of Bluestar Alliance.

“We were excited when Catherine Malandrino approached us a couple of years ago with the idea of doing an eyewear collection,” said Mitch Zimberg, president of Zimco Optics. “Now in 2014, the timing was right for us to launch. We know what it takes to launch a successful brand and we approached the debut collection with the right combination of daring creativity and careful attention.”

Bridging the fashion of Paris and the energy of New York City, the Catherine Malandrino brand is known around the world. Born in Grenoble, in the French Alps, Malandrino had ambitions to be a global luxury designer from a very young age, sketching dresses as a child. She pursued her childhood dreams in Paris couture houses until 1997, when she followed her heart to New York City and started her own label. The Malandrino woman is “timeless, distinct, sophisticated, ultra-feminine, daring and sensual. With unique craftsmanship, color palette, and innovative draping skills, the brand conveys a timeless femininity and ‘joie de vivre’ that Malandrino values in her own life,” a statement said.

The new eyewear collection was inspired by the Catherine Malandrino Spring/Summer 2014 collection, Zimberg said. The line will consist of 20 women’s optical and sun styles.

Bluestar Alliance LLC owns, manages and markets a growing portfolio of consumer brands including Catherine Malandrino, Kensie, English Laundry, Larry Levine, Joan Vass, Harve Benard, Kooba and Yak Pak. Bluestar licenses its brands to a network of ‘best in class’ manufacturers and retailers both in the U.S. and internationally.