• The Wall Street Journal, Monday, April 28, 2008 10:16 AM

In a Botox era obsessed with youth and physical perfection, Lasik surgery wasn't seen as just corrective, but also cosmetic: Ditching the four-eyes look was part of the payoff. But amid a push by glasses makers--as well as fashion designers with their own eyewear lines--nonprescription glasses have become a hot accessory.

Michael Kors and Carmen Marc Valvo have featured models wearing bold rectangular glasses in their runway shows. Designers have never been shy about outfitting models with scarves, shoes and bags. But "they never made passes at models with glasses," says David Wolfe, a fashion-industry consultant. The Lens Crafters chain, once known for dowdy ads touting discounts and quick service, now uses supermodels like Heidi Klum to hawk its wares in fashion magazines like Vogue.

Prada and Gucci are among the brands featuring models posed wearing retro-looking rectangular frames (think Buddy Holly). High-end eyewear brand Oliver Peoples now releases four collections a year, up from two years ago, hoping customers will change frames as often as they, perhaps, switch handbags.

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