Hi Patricia, Gigi Studios is one of the up-and-coming young fashion brands in the eyewear universe. We would like to hear about how you got started in the sector.
It started when my grandfather created an eyewear factory in Barcelona, back in the 1960s. Then my father, Luis Ramo, carried on his legacy. I inherited my passion for a well-made product from him. I started working in my father’s company when I was 21 and I quickly became hooked on this world.
How did the family values carry over into your brand?
From the very beginning, the aim has been to create a global brand with a constant commitment to improvement. Over the years, professionals from the optical sector wanted to join Gigi Studios. So today, our team includes over 100 people who work up to the highest standards in a creative, young, and international setting.
What distinguishes Gigi Studios from other brands?
I felt that the industry needed a fresh designer brand with high attention to detail and, most of all, one based in fashion. For this purpose, I brought Gigi Studios to this day. I believe that at this point, we are meeting this need more than enough.
What was the reason for changing your brand name to Gigi Studio?
“Gigi” is the name I was called by part of my family when I was a child. And “Studios” comes from a rebranding we did in 2019. We loved the idea of evolving the name of the brand to “Gigi Studios” because we felt that it endowed the brand with an artistic and art studio character. At the same, it provided a more international approach.
You mentioned the studio character. How would you describe the philosophy behind your brand?
Eclectic, avant-garde, traditional, and innovative. We are an independent company with head offices in Barcelona that merges design and creativity with craftsmanship. A free, pluralistic view of fashion that promotes people’s unique identity.
Describing yourself as traditional and innovative at the same time seems like a contradiction. At the end of the day, which aspect is stronger?
Both! I’m the third generation of a family that has always been surrounded by eyewear. This heritage is so important to me. Craftsmanship is our essence and I think it’s also where our modernity lies. I think craft will always be relevant.
You already mentioned your Barcelona heritage. The city seems to be a true melting pot for eyewear. Why do so many eyewear fashion brands originate here?
Barcelona has been a reference in terms of design for many decades now. Today, it’s home to plenty of fashion brands and artists. And the same is happening in the eyewear field.
To what extent does this creative environment influence your eyewear designs?
This environment is a constant inspiration for me and it’s great to have independent brands around us. But the underlying inspiration comes from all around the world and from many different disciplines – including fashion and street trends, artistic movements, also from past decades.
What characterizes the design of Gigi Studios frames?
I would say what characterizes our design the most is our unique metal collection. We were one of the first brands that made a bet on metal at a moment when everyone was focused on acetate. So, we offered the market a trendy and special collection, both in stainless steel and beta-titanium. Nowadays we maintain a very good metal collection but the designs we execute in acetate have a very distinctive approach. That’s due to the way we work with angles and volumes in special constructions.
What would you like to say about your sunglasses collection?
I believe we have one of the most interesting sunglasses collections in the market at the moment. We have a fresh, trendy collection that is desirable for a wide range of consumers.
And the optical collection?
We are slightly more exaggerated in the intention of the sunglass designs compared to our optical styles. But we always maintain a coherence and transversality of the underlying concepts. Plus, we’re always looking to express our unique vision of fashion.
You currently have five collections Vanguard, Icons, Men, XS and Lab. Can you tell us about the characteristics of these collections?
Vanguard is our most emblematic collection. We describe it as the top expression of fashion, modernity, and sophistication. It includes optical and sun designs for women. Men is our collection that offers contemporary designs for men. Optical and sun models in bigger sizes. The Icons collection is characterized by timeless shapes and iconic designs. It’s a genderless collection, also with optical and sun designs. Our Lab collection is inspired by technology and fashion. It comes from experimentation with new materials and technological advances. The subtlety of the designs and the extreme lightness define the collection. Some designs can be called genderless, others more feminine. Finally, the* collection XS* takes up our Dna and applies it to designs for slim faces.
You also like to launch capsule collections and special concepts. What’s currently in the pipeline?
The latest ones were our capsule collection in May and a special Vanguard Collection with a new design concept in June. Besides that, we are working in partnership with brands which I personally like and respect, in order to develop new models together. Stay tuned, many surprises coming in this area.
Source: Favrspecs
March 2023
