Rolf Spectacles

We have successfully introduced a new logo, a fresh corporate identity and a simplified website. We are proud and happy with the result. We enjoy working with our new brand identity every day.

How did the rebranding process develop, how much role did your corporate culture play in this process?

The entire rebranding process was a far-reaching and well-considered decision that we implemented with the help of external professionals. You need fresh perspectives and expertise for a process like this. We chose the Rabensteiner agency from Innsbruck. Their experience, creativity and patience were exactly what we were looking for. Together with Ulrike Hirtzberger, we developed a comprehensive brand strategy that included positioning, competitive analysis and other key elements. We then worked on the details on this basis. The end result was more than just a new logo – it was the birth of #planetrolf – “Rolf. Naturally handmade”, a brand identity that fully reflects our values and vision. Our design approach combines high-tech with traditional craftsmanship and underlines our passion for aesthetics and functionality. The rebranding process was an opportunity to bring these elements even more to the fore. A love of technology, craftsmanship, nature and design – these are all key elements of our Dna that we are expressing in our new brand identity.

Are there any particular designs or design elements that you want to emphasize as part of the rebranding?

Rolf focuses on timeless design, characterized by clarity and understatement. Our design is characterized by a harmonious design language. We believe that good design starts in the gut, goes through the head and touches the heart. Aesthetics and technology are equally important. Rolf transforms complexity into simplicity.

How does understatement in design manifest itself?

In the functionality and beauty of our products. At Rolf, you don’t recognize a pair of glasses by their eye-catching logo, but by their balanced shape and subtle, functional elegance. Our eyewear proves that functional design can also be beautiful. Each frame contains innovative know-how and natural simplicity. Giving these aspects more space and strengthening the Rolf brand as a framework for our products was the core of our rebrandings.

Does the rebranding also involve adapting or expanding the collections?

Absolutely. In addition to maintaining our existing collections, we will continuously introduce new products and collections. For example, we presented the Fusion collection lately. This collection combines our technical expertise with natural materials – a real milestone for us. To this end, we have invested in the modernization of our machinery. This investment underlines our commitment to high-tech, innovation and independence.

So #planetrolf stands for?

Innovation, for constantly questioning the status quo and for our commitment to producing high-quality and durable eyewear from renewable raw materials. We communicate openly and transparently and leave it up to our partners and customers to decide what they consider to be sustainable and honest products. Our approach to sustainability is based on our own standards and beliefs and not on external organic or eco-labels. Everyone who can identify with our products meets at #planetrolf.

Source: Spectr

June 2024

How did your story with Oliver Peoples begin, and how was the collaboration for your first eyewear collection born?
It’s been over twenty years since I purchased my first Oliver Peoples frame and I feel this is a very special full-circle moment to come together for a collaboration with such a storied and elegant brand. I wanted to work with Oliver Peoples because I appreciate the integrity of their product and it felt very natural to expand my RF brand with them. There was also a strong alignment on what we wanted performance eyewear brand to be, something very functional, yet also a luxury piece.

How important were the little details for you when designing the collection? Which detail is your personal favorite?
I’m a big fan of details and we focused very closely on making every angle and function of the frame special, whether it’s the lightweight design, high optical quality lenses and dedicated details, including a custom corewire and temple tips inspired by a tennis racquet and the usage of number 8, aligning with the amount of career wins I had at Wimbledon. If I had to choose one, my personal favorite is the custom corewire pattern inspired by vintage tennis racquets. It’s a special, subtle reference to my sport.

Every pair from the collection is designed for comfort and ease. Tell us more about how you achieved that each pair fits consistently throughout the performance, whether uphill biking or being in the midst of a tennis match?
Fit was a big focus for me when working with the development team. I wanted to make sure our sunglasses especially did not slide on the face in any activity, whether sport or everyday life. The end result is rubber grip details on the nosepads and temple tips that help prevent sliding. The lightweight design also helps the frame balance on the face.

The collection has a lot of exclusive details that honor you and your legacy. How did you decide on including particularly number 8, the custom corewire pattern and the octagonal RF metal logo piece?
These elements are such nice hidden details in each frame. The number 8, like previously mentioned, is a reference to my career titles at Wimbledon, as well as my birthday, which is 8.8.81. The custom corewire pattern and octagonal temple tips are a subtle reference to tennis, with the corewire inspired by vintage strings and the temple tips being octagonal like the shape of a tennis racquet end piece.

What would you like to say about the properties of the lenses you used in the collection?
The RF x Oliver Peoples collection introduces lenses that redefine visual clarity, incorporating Colour Enhancement technology to amplify the hues of outdoor environments, from the sea to the forest and city. Polarised lenses slice through glare effortlessly, while mirrored surfaces add mystique and sleekness.

One of the most recognizable pieces of the collection is the Mr. Federer frame. What makes it so recognizable and how did you come up with the name?
The shape of Mr. Federer is inspired by the Oliver Peoples sunglass that I wore to the Met Gala. I’ve always been a fan of that timeless square lens shape, but for our collaboration, I wanted to incorporate this look in a sportier way. This resulted with a timeless, sophisticated style, yet still having all the same performance details as the other frames in the collection, including the high optical quality lenses, rubber grip features and custom details.

May 2024

You became the Director and Creative Director of this well-established brand by embracing the legacy of your designer father Alexander Wintsch. Could you tell us about how your career was shaped? How did your interest in design begin?
I attended IE University in Madrid, where I pursued a degree in Business Administration. While my focus was on business studies, IE is widely recognized for its emphasis on technology and innovation. It was during my time there that I developed a keen interest in the intersection of innovation, design, and business. My father is the most creative person I know. With over 40 years of experience designing for numerous brands, he introduced me to the world of eyewear design. His influence on me has been profound; from a very young age, I accompanied him to his office, where I would play with colorful acetates and witness the creative process firsthand. Upon completing my degree, I fully immersed myself in his career. One of the most valuable lessons I learned from him is the importance of discovering and collaborating with new suppliers. We frequently travel to different countries to source the finest materials, ensuring that our creations are truly unique. The impact of my father’s guidance and mentorship on my life cannot be overstated. He has not only shared his passion for design with me but also encouraged me to explore my own creativity and voice.
What would you like to say about Alexander Wintsch’s design language? How does it differ from other brands at this point?
Alexander Wintsch’s design language is a unique blend of tradition and innovation, standing out for its elegant and timeless style. Rooted in family heritage, Wintsch’s creations capture enduring elegance while incorporating fresh, innovative elements. This balance resonates with authenticity and excellence, appealing to clients who value both tradition and modernity. Wintsch’s attention to detail and commitment to sharing family tradition ensure each piece is a tribute to the past and a glimpse into the future, creating a lasting connection with discerning clientele.

What are your sources of inspiration for your collections? Do your inspirations differ in each new collection?
There are two main sources of inspiration that accompany our brand: the family legacy and market trends. The value that underpins our brand is rooted in our family legacy, particularly inspired by my grandmother and my father’s childhood. My grandmother was a remarkable woman, ahead of her time and remarkably courageous. All these elements are imbued within the collections we design. We strive to infuse our collections with meaning through Swiss values and culture. To achieve this, whenever we travel to Switzerland, we seek inspiration, as seen in our latest Davos collection. Another clear source of inspiration is international trade fairs, where our team of designers regularly attends to capture new trends, colors, and materials. Additionally, visiting the factories we collaborate with is fundamental. What is offered to you versus what you see can often be two different things.
Could you tell us about the characteristic structure of the brand’s famous Icon collection? Will this exclusive series expand with new models?
The idea behind the Icon collection is to maintain the best-selling models over time or to create unique and retro models that do not follow market trends but rather serve as a symbol of our brand. Yes, we will definitely expand it over time with new special models that have a strong brand identity.
Your latest Davos collection has striking details that stand out. Could you tell us about the characteristics of Davos?
Our latest Davos collection is a testament to our commitment to introducing capsule collections that maintain the essence of our Swiss inspiration. This year, we’re excited to debut two capsule collections: Davos and Arosa. Davos, named after the picturesque ski town in Switzerland where winter sports competitions are highly popular, embodies a retro aesthetic with unique hinge details and bamboo temples. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, this capsule collection draws inspiration from the exhilarating world of winter sports, including slalom, snowboarding, and ski jumping. Each frame features special touches such as pin terminals, intricately engraved temples, and subtle embellishments on the front, all crafted from eco-acetate materials. In September, we’ll be launching the Arosa collection, inspired by another charming Swiss ski village where we often spend our holidays. This exclusive collection will feature frames crafted from titanium, offering a luxurious and durable option for eyewear enthusiasts.
Which are the most special designs for you at Alexander Wintsch and why?
The most special designs for us at Alexander Wintsch undoubtedly reside in the Icon collection. The most iconic ones are the AW6145 Sulegg and AW6144 Grunhorn. We’re constantly working to develop more lines inspired by these two models. However, our designer Alexander’s personal favorite is the women’s model, AW20155 Bernnina.
You are represented in Turkey through your distributorship. What could you say about the contributions of this co-operation to the Alexander Wintsch brand?
We are very pleased to have Optiser as our exclusive distributor in Turkey. It was during my first visit to the Silmo Paris fair when curious individuals approached our stand. They were seeking a retro brand that stood out from others in the market and were drawn to us, even with a small, tucked-away booth. Thanks to them, the brand has not only grown in Turkey but also internationally. They instilled confidence in me that the brand could become significant. Today, we are represented in more than 15 countries, but undoubtedly, the best representation is in Turkey. They share our values of tradition, family, and fashion. Additionally, in Turkey, they have exclusive models tailored for the market and always stay ahead with the latest trends.
As one of the brands represented at the Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair in Turkey, how would you evaluate the fair and your presence in the geography reached by the fair?
We are honored to be part of such a significant event, like Silmo İstanbul Optical Fair, for our brand. Having personally attended the fair, I’ve witnessed its effectiveness in representing our brand and showcasing our latest collections. The fair’s management team does an excellent job in this regard. Our presence at the fair provides us with valuable opportunities to connect with industry leaders and potential customers, while also gaining insights into the evolving trends and preferences of the Turkish market. Given Turkey’s status as a rapidly expanding market, participating in this fair allows us to capitalize on growth opportunities and strengthen our brand presence in this region.

April 2024

How does the Dita Lancier collection differ from the classic Dita collection in terms of product design and use?
The Dita collection is strong with many bold shapes and colors, including its signature black and gold combinations on many styles. The Dita Lancier collection is trendy and lightweight with exceptional comfort, wearable shapes and earth tones.

What are some of the typical designs we see in Dita Lancier?
You will find a wide range of designs in the Dita Lancier collection. On the optical side, we have a combination of classic, fashion-forward and retro shapes in both high-quality titanium and Japanese acetate. Our sunglass collection includes a variety of navigator, aviator, modified round and square shapes using mixed materials and custom features.

Dita Lancier is also positioned in a sports environment. Which sports are you most associated with?
The Dita Lancier sunglass collection is not a sports sunglasscollection per se. Dita Lancier is an active lifestyle sunglass brand. Our proprietary sun lenses work incredibly well for a variety of activities.

A high-quality visual experience is especially important. What sets your lenses apart?
The custom color tint formulas of our sunglass lenses, combined with an extremely high quality AR coating and polarization (where applicable), make our lenses unique. The clarity and color contrast of all 3 lenses is second to none. You just have to try on a pair of Dita Lancier sunglasses to experience the difference.

You differentiate between Land, Sea and Air. What are the special features of the lenses for land activities?
Our Land lens is the best combination of full polarization and high contrast. The Dita Lancier Land lens meets the realities of everyday activities by dramatically reducing blinding glare while fully preserving natural depth perception. For road and trail environments, the brown polarized Land lens contrasts with reds, greens and yellows. Full polarization and high contrast provide increased clarity, revealing vivid colors and optimal visibility on land.

What sets the Sea category apart?
Our Sea lenses offer the ultimate in glare reduction for all water activities: beach, boating, sailing, fishing. The Dita Lancier Sea lens features fully embedded polarization technology that eliminates most reflected surface glare without sacrificing contrast in and around open water. This gray lens contrasts reds and skin tones against the blue background of the ocean and sky. It has maximum polarization.

And what about the Air category?
Our Air lenses are non-polarized for maximum contrast without compromising depth perception in all light conditions. Not only are these lenses great for hiking, skiing and mountaineering, they are also great for pilots who cannot wear polarized lenses. The improved contrast and depth perception make them the best choice for any ball hitting sport such as golf, handball or tennis.

What material do you prefer? Is there a material difference between sunglasses and optical glasses?
Actually, we don’t differentiate too much between optical and sun in terms of materials. All Dita Lancier metals in both the optical and sun collections are high quality titanium. We use Japanese acetates in both, which are cured longer than standard acetates. This allows the acetate to be thinner without breaking and to withstand more extreme temperatures without deforming. The only difference is that only our Sun collection uses a super lightweight nylon material for the more athletic sunglasses.

Source: Spectr

March 2024

Hug was started by yourself along with Frederic Utz and Jochen Gutbrod—three friends with a lot of history in the eyewear world. What made you want to start your own glasses company?
Fred and I had a store together for ten years—Steingasse 14 in Heidelberg. Whenever we selected glasses for the store, it was usually the case that we grabbed the same glasses at the same time—we noticed we had a very similar aesthetic sensibility, always quickly deciding on the same models and colours. Fred had said for years that we should finally make our own glasses, so that we could finally do everything the way we liked. After we got Jochen hooked we had all the skills on board. We were complete—design, brand builder and silverback—everyone wanted to build the same kind of product.
How do you three split what you do at Hug? What’s your day-to-day role?
Fred mainly takes care of the design. He also takes care of projects such as the look of our social media presence. Jochen realises our products—he takes care of the complete creation, procurement and distribution of all components and the correspondence with the production until the finished product is in our warehouse. He also has the greatest expertise in building eyewear, especially when it comes to technical details. I take care of brand building and sales. When it comes to our designs, my soft spot is definitely in the selection of colours. Every design is an interaction and we always finalise everything together. Starting from the design, we refine and adjust every angle and detail until we hit our result. Likewise, colour selection and deciding whether to add silver or gold attachments to accentuate the right style of eyewear is a collaborative process. Everyone has their own priorities, which are reflected in the individual decisions.

Your frames have a distinct timeless quality to them—where do you look for inspiration?
Inspiration in this sense is not quite necessary, because we all want to implement exactly what suits us. Logically, this looks different one year than the next, because you are constantly evolving and are influenced by everything that happens to you. If it doesn’t come out of you without you having to put something together in a big way, it can’t become authentic. In contrast, we are convinced that if you implement what you think is cool at all times, it will automatically always evolve and remain authentic, and thus independent and exciting.
From Robert Johnson to Gladys Bentley, each frame takes its name from a blues legend. Can you tell us more about how these blues pioneers influence the brand?
Fred plays guitar himself and loves this old blues sound and he listened to his old records a lot whilst designing the first collection. In the beginning, these were just working titles for the different models, but after we had Fred’s acetate guitar pick on the table we thought it was a nice shape for a rivet. Also, we all love music—it immediately conveys an emotion, and the blues was the basis for a lot of different styles of music, so it fit together pretty well with us creating our first collection. And last but not least, having this blues base means we can create other beautiful music themes and collections.
All your glasses are made in Germany. Is that another thing that’s crucial to the brand?
We need the proximity to production and the quality to get the result we want. We know of no one who can work with comparable precision and produce such beautiful surfaces.
Glasses are a very specific item—and one pair that might work for one person, might not work for another. How do you guys go about designing each pair? Do you start with a face in mind?
No, we always have a style in mind that we want to implement. This then also tells us whether it works as a large or small, feminine or masculine or unisex variant. Of course, we have shapes that work very well in several sizes. Otherwise, we simply pay attention to a nice balance within the collection.
What next for Hug? Have you got any new processes or ideas you’re working on at the minute you can talk about?
We have a lot of ideas and new projects in the back of our drawers that we really want to implement. But in order to do this consistently in our usual quality, it naturally takes time and we have learned to only talk about something concretely when we definitely know that it can be realised the way we want it. 

Source: Seen Journal

February 2024

Cutler and Gross celebrates its 55th anniversary in 2024. Given the legacy of exceptional craftsmanship that characterizes the brand, are you planning to honor this tradition during the upcoming celebration?
Of course – craftsmanship is the beating heart of the business; without our skilled artisans we would not be where we are today. We are passionate about communicating the craftsmanship story at every opportunity. From inception design, prototyping, production, to the final polish, there are so many steps to creating a piece of handmade eyewear – it can take anywhere from 9-12 months from start to finish. There’s true beauty in that.
Interestingly, the heart of your production beats in Italy. What role does that play in maintaining your high standards?
Because we own and operate our own factory and design studio in the Dolomites with over 70 employees, Italian manufacturing is truly at the center of the Cutler and Gross brand. We take care of every element of the design and manufacturing process in-house; from start to finish, the frames are handcrafted by expert craftsmen and women. In our factory, we only make products for Cutler and Gross, and the design studio is located on the top floor of the factory, much like the bridge on a ship, steering its course.

That’s a remarkable analogy.  How did Cutler and Gross develop this strategy?
We’ve always had very high standards, but a trip we took to a high-end Japanese factory in 2018 opened our eyes to some of the differences we could make in finishing to take our products to an even higher level. We saw the skill level of the people we already had in Italy, and how eager they were to push the standards of excellence. So, as a board, we set a goal to produce the highest quality acetate frames in Europe by 2023. It has been slow and steady progress, but with the help of our Creative Director Alessandro Marcer and General Manager Enrico Deppi in Italy, we have driven quality to unprecedented heights.
You’ve also managed to be a heritage brand while remaining relevant and modern…
The key to our success is our respect for our Dna and heritage, coupled with a creative need to improve and build on the beauty of what came before. We are heavily inspired and influenced by the shapes and silhouettes of an impressive 55 years of our own eyewear designs. There are over 5,000 Cutler and Gross styles in our extensive archive dating back to 1971, which is now housed in our design studio in Cadore, Italy.

Speaking of Dna, could you tell us more about the term “Quiet Luxury” which really describes Cutler and Gross very well?
Quiet luxury is the new buzzword for what we have been doing for over 50 years. Like a quality suit by Brunello Cucinelli or Loro Piana, our frames aren’t adorned with flashy emblems or external branding. We have a single logo in gold foil on the inside. We don’t need to show off, and our customers rarely feel the need to. The materials we use and the way we make them, creating a frame that fits beautifully and the tactile sense of quality, is what we consider most important.
Do you have any overarching principles that guide you to ensure that the Dna of the brand remains unchanged?
We have grown about 300% in 5 years. This success is linked to a few core values that we hold dear. Our design ethos is deeply rooted in the legacy of our founders, Tony Gross and Graham Cutler. Each new model undergoes a rigorous sign-off process to ensure it embodies the essence of a true Cutler and Gross frame. Authenticity is another fundamental principle we uphold, from using traditional techniques such as real riveted hinges and hand-finished frames, to drawing inspiration from real moments in time when our eyewear made its mark in the world of music, film and art. We avoid superficial trends. Another backbone of our brand is the dedicated people who have been part of our journey for decades, working alongside Tony Gross and Graham Cutler. They reinforce our integrity.

Looking to the future, how does Cutler and Gross plan to continue to grow and innovate while staying true to its heritage?
We have an aggressive growth strategy that includes both retail and wholesale. One of the most important elements of this growth strategy is to expand our product offerings to include more luxurious offerings such as titanium, retail-exclusive horn and other alternative fits.
What about retail and distribution?
We want to maintain and nurture our selective distribution model, selling only in our own boutiques and premium stores. We are always looking for opportunities to open new flagship stores in key cities around the world. We are also planning a complete renovation of all our existing retail stores. A key component will be the development of our bespoke offering, which harkens back to our origins and customizable lenses.
Are there any collaborations we should know about?
We have signed a five-year licensing agreement with luxury English jewelry manufacturer The Great Frog, which allows us to venture into the world of silver and gold eyewear. There are a few more collaborations in the pipeline over the next two years, which has always been part of our Dna, the cross-pollination with other design-led brands is a shot in the arm for creativity every season.

Source: Favrspecs

January 2024

What would you say if we asked you to describe the Dna of Mykita?
Well, I would say we are a wild child in a way. So we want to find our own way instead of accepting somebody else. So I think the foundation of the company is really based on the fact that we are self-producing, and the fact that we are self-producing has always been maybe the biggest inspiration for us to develop further. I call it our kitchen where we do our own production, so new technologies, choosing new materials, finding new structures and constantly trying to really innovate and do things in our own way and in our own unique way with our own identity; that’s the Dna of Mykita. I think it’s very rare to have everything integrated under one roof. From the idea to the design to the production, I think we work in a really, really integrated way.
As a world-renowned eyewear designer, are your sources of inspiration constantly changing? What inspires you the most to design?
I think the reason why our inspirations vary is again, first of all, to understand what’s going on in our kitchen and to try to make sure that we’re constantly renewing our ingredients and finding more and more things that we can use for eyewear. And there is no such thing as a primary source of inspiration. Because yes, I have my inspirations, but you know, I have a great team and design team working with me. We all have our individual talents. When we design our eyewear, we try to look at the world, we try to see what is needed in each market. But of course from a more conceptual point of view we are trying to reach new aesthetics that are some of the more surprising ones, but it has to do with working with materials and trying to identify new options in production for us as well. So it’s really goes hand in hand.

Let’s talk about Mykita’s latest collection and the highlights of the models…
Obviously the two years of Covid were important. We tried to focus on ourselves and rebuilding the foundation of the organization, so that we could launch new products and collaborations again, so we created our last collection to celebrate what we have as Mykita, so looking at the other collections that we have presented over the decades from our first collection, we created a collection that has a real consistency with our code software and our Dna, without trying to find new ways of expression and aesthetics.
You crowned your 20th anniversary with the Silmo d’OR 2023 Responsible Company award. What are your thoughts on this and will your sustainability projects gain momentum in 2024?
Yes, absolutely. We were very excited when we heard that Silmo was giving an award for sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility, because you know these issues have been very important for Mykita from the very beginning. We produce our own products, we source our own materials. It’s a continuous journey and we are constantly trying to optimize and improve things. That’s why it was incredible for us to receive this award in Paris. Because this award was not given to one product of Mykita, it was given to all our employees and all our partners in a much more holistic approach.

What are your favorite sunglasses and optical glasses in Mykita collections and why?
It is very difficult for me to answer this question, because I can say that I don’t have a single favorite. I can’t have a single favorite because for us, our portfolios are a little bit like a little family. There are so many different models and the one that I really like right now, or the one that I think is very, very cool, is a collaboration with a company based in Berlin. I think it’s a really desirable model. It has a very strong stance in its design and it stands out with its material. The material is an innovation of ours and we first introduced it to the market in 2009, so the product serves as an ideal example to really explain how we developed this material, how our processes have evolved. With our partner in Berlin we have reached a new aesthetic with this product, so it’s like a real celebration of Berlin at the same time.
Should we expect surprise collaborations, collections or openings from Mykita in the new year?
I have to say very clearly that you will see surprise developments from us. But unfortunately I can’t give details yet, but I can give you a big news, even if it’s not a collaboration or an opening. We are moving to a new building. We are really lucky to have found a new Mykita House in Berlin. The new building is in the center of the city and we will move in July next year. The new building is only 10 minutes on foot from where we are now. We think it is a really great location and we believe that we are taking the right step for our future. This move is really important for us because house has always been Mykita’s manifesto.

You are represented in Turkey through your distributorship. How would you evaluate this cooperation and Mykita’s position in the Turkish market?
First of all, we are very grateful and very lucky to have this great team in Turkey. We started our cooperation in 2008, they became our customers as wholesalers. Three years later they became our distributors. Since then we have been working really closely, we are together like a family. Every year of our cooperation we try to listen to each other better, to help and support each other. I can really feel the passion and commitment that the whole team brings here, it’s something very special to me and it’s also exciting to see how well the brands are represented with the independent, big presentation at Silmo Istanbul. When I came to Istanbul, we visited about 10 or 12 clients in their stores and we had a beautiful presentation and all the stores, the clients were very happy and very excited. Everybody was talking about the future, which I think is very important and they want to understand how we can be better partners and grow together. I think in the eyewear world, where everything is somehow more and more consolidated, it’s very important to have strong independent brands that have their own uniqueness and aesthetic. I think it’s also very important to work with the best opticians to really serve the end customers in the most ideal way.
We are very happy to have you with us at Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair. Finally, could we learn your evaluations about Silmo Istanbul, which celebrated its 10th anniversary?
We are also very happy to be here. As soon as we landed in Istanbul on the second day of the fair, we attended the magnificent night you organized at Çırağan Palace. We had a wonderful night with a great concept in that beautiful building that really smells of history. For this reason, we are celebrating our 10th anniversary. Moreover, we see that you hosted a really great organization at the Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair, which I attended for the first time. Maybe this success was not so clear to you when you first started the show with your team, but you continued to dream and believe. Moreover, it is really great that your geographical location connects Europe with the Middle East and the Far East. We can easily say that Silmo Istanbul has achieved a great success with its increasing number of visitors and exhibitors in its 10th year. Silmo Istanbul continues to grow and attract attention. We congratulate you.

December 2023

What does the fashion industry mean to you as a designer who has achieved great success?
Fashion is something, which never stops. Fashion is always moving very fast and changing. Fashion lives some changes. We are here to adapt ourselves. Our society is changing, our clients are changing, and the fashion is changing too. So, its something, which is very fluent and very fast.

You create collections for many product groups. Are your sources of inspiration constantly changing? What encourages you the most to design?
I always find inspiration from everywhere. You just have to be ready to led the inspiration come to you. A lot of people think that they have to travel to foreign places, but that’s not true. You get the inspiration whenever you are ready to be inspired and you can get inspired by anything. It can be a beautiful dinner or a meal, it can be just walking on the street. You can find inspiration all over the place. Inspiration is all around us.

Compared to your other products, does eyewear design require different qualities?
Yes, if you want to have a success in this business, first of all you have to learn how to translate your brand into a pair of eyewear. Eyewear design does not give you so much space. If you design a dress or a t- shirt, you have a lot of space to explore and to put your prints or designs on it. But with eyewear we have a speacial product here. It is very defined and you have to be very precise. Then of course design has to follow function and this is very important. We have to design a product, which is wearable. Because you can may be wear crazy dress, but if you put something straight in your face you have to have the comfort, the functionality and never forget it is on your face. People are very particular when it comes to their face. So designing eyewear is a really challenge, but I think we did something very well. Because we have a product, which is definitely different than the most of the other products in the market, so it stands out.

What are the main features that distinguish a pair of Philipp Plein eyewear from others?
You can just look at the details. The logo is on everywhere in small spaces. There is small logos inside the temple. Its all in the details and a pair of Philipp Plein eyewear is like a piece of jewelery. It is not even anymore just a a pair of shades, it is a piece of jewelery. When you look at the everything of a pair of Philipp Plein eyewear, you can find these features. It is really something special and of course the quality is outstanding. Because we are working with best of the best, with our partner De Rigo. We have the the best suppliers and manufacturers in the world.

You entered the eyewear industry with your collaboration with De Rigo. Could you tell us about the reasons of this choise?
De Rigo is one of the four big players in the market. De Rigo is a family company, which is very traditional and successful in what they do since many years and it is all about their approach and also the fact that they have the quality and understanding of quality which is very necessary to design outstanding eyewear. Because you can find beautiful product, but then the quality is not the same. This is why we decided to go company, which has all these features, and De Rigo definitely fullfills this. We can may be deliver the design but then you have to have right people to execute it. This is what we have with De Rigo. It is hard to find something at the moment, which is better and higher in terms of quality and design than the a pair of Philipp Plein eyewear. De Rigo also understood the vision, and applied the best the price positioning.

Yakın zamanda De Rigo ile Plein Sport markanıza ait gözlükler için de küresel bir lisans anlaşması imzaladınız. Plein Sport koleksiyonunu ne zaman piyasada görebileceğiz? Nasıl bir koleksiyon olacak?
Plein Sport çok ilginç bir proje, çünkü Philipp Plein Eyewear’dan tamamen farklı. Çok daha ticari bir yaklaşıma sahip ve çok daha geniş bir dağıtıma odaklanacak. Tasarım açısından daha demokratik. Spor bir marka ve konumlandırma açısından Oakley’e daha yakın olabilir. Koleksiyon bu yılın sonunda, gelecek yılın başında piyasaya çıkacak. Yani 2024’ün ilk çeyreğinde Plein Sport gözlük koleksiyonunu piyasaya süreceğiz ve bu bizim için çok heyecan verici. Çünkü Plein Sport markalaşma, logolar gibi özellikler açısından tamamen farklı bir proje, markanın Dna’sı kesinlikle farklı. Teknik olarak hafif çerçevelerimiz, spor çerçevelerimiz, koşmak için çerçevelerimiz, bisiklete binmek için çerçevelerimiz ve tabii ki günlük kullanım için çerçevelerimiz var. Ancak hepsine baktığımızda, işlevin en üstte olduğunu söylemeliyim.

Kasım 2023

What is the main message of your campaign and how do you convey this message in your campaign?
With our campaign 100 Seasons, it was our greatest wish to celebrate our birthday not just on a single day, but throughout the whole year 2023. In this twenty-five-year journey, we wanted to convey the message of how valuable our employees are to us. For this reason, we shot the 100 Seasons campaign in our own factory using our employees who have been with us for many years as models. We selected the most original ones among eight hundred almost unretouched photographs. Our campaign images will continue to be featured as black and white portraits on our website, social media, trade fair stands and PoS materials throughout the year.

Let’s take a quick look at the twenty-five-year history of your company. What do you think are your biggest milestones?
I would say that we have indeed reached many major milestones over the years. First of all, arguably one of the most important events in Markus T’s history was the ‘birth’ in 1998 with the development of Design Classic, a collection that is still in our portfolio today. Our collections, customer base, patents, design awards and headcount have grown steadily to the point where we need more space. This coincides with our move to the glass factory in Gütersloh-Isselhorst, which made 2016 another important milestone. It was a very bumpy and emotional project, often pushing the boundaries of what was feasible. Looking back, it was a very exciting time and the result is something we are very proud of.

Which materials and technologies do you think best represent Markus T?
At Markus T we rely heavily on the highest quality titanium and our proprietary lightweight plastic TMi. We have proven our expertise in both materials, from raw materials to the forming process and coloring. We perfect every step in the production process until it works exactly as we want it to. This is how we developed the patented titanium coloring process MSC in 2014, for example – a highly complex process that is still surprising us and our customers years later. MSC is the process of coating the metal with a protective oxide layer.

You create a remarkable impact in the sector with your designs. And how do you achieve this?
Yes, this is true. We want people to be able to recognize our glasses as soon as they see them, even if there is no label on the frame showing the brand. By focusing on this basic goal, we take care to use the design language that we have created uniquely for ourselves. Obviously, our frames show themselves to the users in a very ideal way. Happily, we often hear from people around us and at trade fairs that Markus T users recognize each other. I would also say that one of the reasons we stand out is that we are actively working to bring the technology to the forefront rather than hiding it.

With your new 100 Seasons campaign, we also see that you have moved away from the classic Markus T style. What are the things that have changed at Markus T?
In our twenty-fifth year, we consciously want to experiment with designs outside of what is typical for Markus T. Take for example our anniversary collection, which we raffled off at trade fairs as part of a social media campaign. As I mentioned before, we were inspired by the four seasons for our anniversary slogan. You can see the new titanium frames in the collection, carefully laser-cut. In the collection, for example, we added floral details for the spring frame. We will continue such creative experimentation throughout the year and will also include spontaneous ideas that we did not plan in advance.

So you are not fundamentally renewing your brand identity?
No, our innovative approach to these creative experiments that we have done and will do does not mean that we are turning our backs on who we are. Markus T is always open to new ideas. And this year we have chosen to be bolder and more experimental, deliberately avoiding the ‘ifs and buts’. With twenty-five years of experience, we believe it is natural to focus on innovation without changing our brand identity. ‘Achieving excellence by reducing excess’ still represents the first of our guiding principles. As Markus T, we are aware that a brand should act in accordance with its Dna even when changing direction. The genes of our Dna consist of three basic characteristics: Simple. Beautiful. Intelligent.

Could you tell us about the current state of Markus T and where it is heading?
First of all, we would like to re-emphasize that we are always changing and this is part of our Dna. This change does not mean that we blindly follow every trend. On the contrary, it means that we respond to the needs of opticians. This kind of flexibility is only possible because we manufacture our own products here in Gütersloh-Isselhorst in Germany. As a result, we have direct control over the quality of our products.

What are your favorite models from your highly acclaimed Dot Mono collection and what are their features?
What makes our popular Dot Mono collection really special is the unique hinge technology. I would like to mention three of our standout models from the collection. Although they are part of the Dot Mono collection, they also stand on their own in a way. I think the two-dimensional design of the fronts looks very cool in their simple profile. So cool that I use them myself. The shade of the rose gold 24-carat PVD coating really highlights the design and gives the frames a kind of special and elegant golden shimmer. This golden shimmer impression is inspired by the warm days we are already starting to miss. The subtle rose gold color of the satin titanium surface gives the normally technical Dot bezel a softer character and evokes summer.

What other surprises await us this year?
As a matter of fact, you may ask what you will surprise yourself with this year. Because, as I mentioned, this year is not based on our rigid planning and we will be guided by our very special and innovative ideas. We act in a spontaneous, creative and flexible way. Aware of what our strengths are, we move forward confidently and comfortably with new designs. That’s why we are as excited as you are.

Source: Favrspecs

October 2023

Hi Marianne, where does your love for the Memphis style come from?
The father of my Italian boyfriend, in the old days, lived in an Italian villa full of Memphis masterpieces – a crazy house! When we saw the “Memphis” exhibition in Beaubourg Museum in Paris, we rediscovered the Memphis roots and its fascinating “beautiful-ugly” atmosphere.

What are the main distinguishing features of this art movement?
Memphis is a maximalist stance against the design approach of the time, which was obsessed with minimalism and modern aesthetics. The color palette of the Pop Art movement, the geometric figures of Art Deco and the unusual aesthetics of the 1950s kitsch phenomenon inspired this movement. We can say that Memphis creates a pattern shock in reaction to the rational-minimalist dictatorship of those times. It is nonconformist, breaks all codes and values the power of expression much more than functionality.

The Memphis style is the counter-design to “form follows function” or “less is more”. Weren’t you always very close to this style with your design orientation anyway?
You could say so, but like all designers, we used to have some “rules of good taste,” such as not mixing strong patterns. However Memphis shock pushed us to try new ways to break our own rules.

The founder of the Memphis movement, Ettore Sottsass, once said “design begins where rational processes end, and those of magic start.” Does this attitude also apply to your eyewear design?
We are very much looking for this emotion as a way to validate our designs. When you like something at first sight, and you cannot explain why, you can be sure you are dealing with a strong aesthetic emotion, and that is a very exciting moment.

Which color worlds do we find in the new collections?
We enjoyed working on new purple and green combinations, black and white patterns with vivid colors, a mix of 80s and 70s colors, and daring big contrasts. We hope that you will like them.

Is there a focus on specific materials in the new collections?
Not really. It is more the art of recombining things, exploring new contrasts, but also new shades, such as duck green with smoked transparencies, deep violet shading, and burnt oranges. So maybe a spreading of 70s color in the air.

With your new collections, you appeal to the irrational and the unconventional. Which designs are special to you?
The Calder model has a titanium voluminous spiral that goes around the eyes. This concept gives a great sense of freedom and the frame seems to have been made in a single movement. But the great technical development behind it goes unnoticed. That’s why Calder is special to me. Also Gioco, which means “Play” in Italian, is one of my favorites because it evokes the playful spirit of Memphis’ basic shapes and colors. The Novva sunglasses are sophisticated and bold with sculptures, contrasts and rich transparencies.

How would you summarize the influence of Memphis on your designs?
Memphis’ theme of “elementary plays” definitely inspired us. We were looking for something between “naive childhood” and ” connoisseur knowledge” and we found it in the Memphis style.

Source: Favrspecs

September 2023