SILHOUETTE
Tinted Glasses and New Models
Titan Minimal Art continues to fascinate millions of eyeglass wearers around the world for twenty-three years with its lightness, comfort and durability…
Austria-based Silhouette succeeded in producing completely rimless, hingeless and screwless glasses in 1999. Feather-light eyeglasses weighing just 1.8 grams… Twenty-three years later, Silhouette defined a new comfort that no other eyeglasses can match even today.
With Titan Minimal Art, Silhouette ushered in a new era that would completely change the company. Before the launch of Titan Minimal Art, lightness was never a topic in the eyewear world, but from that point forward it has become a key feature of all of the company’s products. Few eyeglasses have as many stories to tell as Titan Minimal Art. The TMA flew into space for the first time with NASA astronauts in 2000 and was chosen as the standard goggles for astronauts under the name “Certified Space TechnologyTM”. In the same year, it became the global star of the summer eyewear season. All over the world, hingeless, screwless and rimless sunglasses have become a must of the year. It was no surprise, therefore, that Titan Minimal Art gained international acclaim in 2001. Long before celebrities began to adopt this iconic design as well.
Titan Minimal Art Special Editions were first released in the 2010s and this special edition created even greater excitement among eyeglass wearers. In addition to partnerships with famous faces such as top model Nadja Auermann, star photographer Nick Knight, makeup artist Mary Greenwell and musicians from the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, design collaborations were made with fashion brands such as Arthur Arbesser and most recently Perret Schaad for the 2018 sunglasses season. In 2017, Silhouette reached another milestone by opening Lens Lab to perfect its philosophy of vision without borders. Now the glasses, together with the frames, are produced at the company’s headquarters in Linz with the highest degree of precision, requiring a high degree of craftsmanship.
To celebrate the iconic model’s twentieth birthday, the unique Titan Minimal Art’s Special Sun Edition was launched at the beginning of 2019, just in time for the sunny season. Silhouette celebrated this special year with four stylish new sunglasses. The designs included geometric, architectural shapes inspired by the minimalist lines of the handles. Small eyeglasses were offered in unisex models with trendy hexagonal or cool round lenses, as well as models with cat-eye lenses for women and classic square lenses for men. A new optical version of the ’90s icon was also unveiled in the summer of 2019.
Silhouette is now expanding its exclusive TMA–The Icon collection, with minimalist and modern lines, with four new models. The Austrian brand presents its designs with the glasses in the latest trendy colors produced in its own laboratory. We present an interview with Michael Schmied, Silhouette’s General Manager of Marketing, about the success of the Titan Minimal Art–The Icon collection and the features of the new models.
Hi Michael, Silhouette is a brand that specializes in making high quality titanium eyeglasses. What makes Titan Minimal Art so special?
Titan Minimal Art is an inspiration for the entire design language of the Silhouette brand. I think I can best summarize this collection, which is an example of pure minimalism, with the motto “Renouncing the unnecessary, makes the necessary extraordinary”.
Can you explain the general features of Titan Minimal Art a little more?
You will realize the difference of the TMA collection when you notice the extraordinary lightness of the glasses, the strength and flexibility guaranteed by the high-tech titanium wire, and how comfortable they fit on the face. Many have tried to replicate this level of precision and quality, but no one has succeeded. By dispensing with screws and hinges, we made the Titan Minimal Art not only suitable for everyday use, but also standard equipment for astronauts. The titanium temples of the glasses in the collection fit the face so well that they guarantee a perfect fit even in a gravity-free environment.
So why did you add the name ‘The Icon’ to Titan Minimal Art?
Titan Minimal Art is the ‘Icon’ of the Silhouette brand. We revolutionized the entire eyewear market in 1999 with the models in our Titan Minimal Art collection that weigh only 1.8 grams and do not contain frames, screws or hinges. Titan Minimal Art offers the wearer an absolute lightness with a level of comfort that no other pair of eyeglasses can match. We added the title The Icon to the collection in 2013. We started to expand the collection, which was minimalist and classic at that time, with sporty and more dynamic designs.
You’ve added four new models to your The Icon collection. Can you talk about the new models?
We decided to create new, trendy designs for The Icon collection, including the round oversized glass shape and the butterfly form. Classics such as the smaller round glass shape and the pilot form are also present in our new collection.
By the way, how long have you been working with tinted glasses?
I can say that we have been working with colored glasses for a while. However, it would be more specific if I say especially since we opened our Lens Lab in 2016. We have been offering 100% Silhouette signed eyeglasses since the beginning of 2017, including our own tinting facility in our lens lab.
What do you think are the reasons why colored glass stands out so much?
Tinted lenses allow users to enjoy colors and immerse their world in the light they see fit, not just with sunglasses, but also with optical glasses. You can often come across colored glasses, which is the most popular trend of this year, on catwalks and magazines.
Why do you think tinted lenses are better for rimless glasses than rimless glasses?
Rimless glasses attract attention with their simplicity. On full-frame models, the bezel is prominently featured on the wearer’s face. Frameless models instead allow the windows to shine. This limits the fashion element to the shape and color of the lenses only. For this reason, a frameless eyeglass with colored lenses reflects the entire visual perception on the wearer’s face in a plain, simple and stylish way.
In which color options do you present your new models?
You can choose between radiant rosegold, cosmic blue, mystic ruthenium and spheric silver in terms of colors in our new models in The Icon collection.
Do tinted glasses have other advantages beyond being fashionable?
Of course there is. There are many advantages, although most of them are subjective. Many users find it more comfortable to look with colored glasses; they can choose the color they want to see the world in a more comfortable light. Color theory also claims that certain colors can have mood-enhancing effects, for example.
What technical features do the new models stand out with?
All 100% Silhouette signature glasses are also available with tinted lenses. We can meet any customer request for an optical model with tinted lenses, even progressive lenses, for example. Next year we plan to introduce even more technical and design-oriented innovations.
Who are your new tinted lenses designed for? Are you targeting a specific demographic?
Since tinted glasses and frameless designs are totally in trend right now, our new designs and colors are attracting attention and admiration, especially by younger and trend-conscious consumers.
Do celebrities also prefer your Titan Minimal Art ‘The Icon’ models?
Frameless designs, especially those with colored glass, are very popular right now. You can come across celebrities using our models not only on social media, but also on runways and red carpets around the world. The first name that comes to my mind is Rita Ora. She recently wore a Cosmic Blue colored pair of glasses from our Icon collection and shared her photos on her Instagram account, gaining great acclaim.
Source: Favrspecs
January 2023
