Robert La Roche
50 Years!
Austrian eyewear brand Robert La Roche celebrates its 50th anniversary with the Essentials collection, which pays homage to its history and underlines its unique character.
With roots in the seventies, Austrian brand Robert La Roche represents designer eyewear at the intersection of art and fashion. Founded by the iconic designer of the same name, the independent label became a darling of celebrities and VIPs practically overnight. The secret to this success is, first and foremost, the brand’s fashion-forward designs based on classic and contemporary trends and its deep commitment to quality.
Robert La Roche was established in 1973 in one of the world’s hotbeds for art and style: Vienna, Austria. The on-trend frame designs soon hit the international spotlight worn by celebrities such as Andy Warhol, Meryl Streep and Yoko Ono. That’s also because Robert La Roche has always celebrated the good life via his designs. As a result, the roaring Vienna party scene of the 1980s brought in more Hollywood followers like Arnold Schwarzenegger, with VIP ambassadors documented in legendary advertisement RLR campaigns. In 1999, Robert La Roche retired after a successful career. But the brand returned in 2014 with a relaunch and the same commitment to cutting edge technology and artistic designs. It’s important to note that Robert La Roche advertisements are considered art in their own right. In 2016, the Austrian Museum of Applied Arts dedicated an exhibit to legendary campaign photographs by the likes of Gerhard Heller in tribute of the Austrian eyewear design legacy.
Over the years, certain Robert La Roche eyewear models have become valuable collector’s items. And even today, the brand prefers limited edition colorways and models, produced at 100 pieces each, to mass production. Plus, exclusive features like spectacle chains elevate Robert La Roche eyewear into the realm of luxury products. It’s that special something that keeps the global fan base coming back for more on-trend designs that pay tribute to the classics.
A Tribute to 50 Years with Essentials
Austrian eyewear brand Robert La Roche is marking its 50th anniversary with a collection that pays tribute to its history and underscores its unique character. La Roche’s own brand gained international recognition by capturing the spirit of the New Wave era, much like how Helmut Lang left an indelible mark on fashion. These Austrian talents revolutionized their respective industries globally.
Now led creatively by Kamilia Kusz, the brand is honoring its origins by resurrecting iconic models from the 1980s and 1990s. These daring acetate frames – ranging from round and oversized to narrow and rectangular – arrive in four captivating color schemes: black, off-white, red, and green. These colors accentuate the signature shapes, reintroducing them for the upcoming era. Robert La Roche’s fresh Essentials line, exclusive for 50th years, has undergone a significant transformation under Kusz’s meticulous guidance. This classic assortment of extraordinarily lightweight sunglasses and optical frames, inspired by bestsellers from recent years, possesses an inherent Italian essence with gentle natural tones and understated shades. The diverse array of shapes, from rounded to rectangular
and small to oversized, ensures a perfect fit for any preference. Newly introduced rounded bezels elevate comfort, making the Essentials collection an ideal companion for day-to-day wear.
For our 50th anniversary collection, the brand wanted to touch on the ever-flowing cycle of trends and highlight the fact that truly ingenious design will always come back in style. That’s why utmost craftsmanship has always been its number one priority. Kamilia Kusz, Creative Director of Robert La Roche, mentions she is confident that the models in Essentials will look and feel as good 50 years from now as they do now. Across its five decades of existence, Robert La Roche has consistently been renowned for its flawless craftsmanship. Regardless of whether they are crafted from Italian acetate or Japanese titanium, each stage of the process adheres to the highest standards to guarantee unparalleled comfort. Even the hinges and wire cores are custom-made. Likewise, the Essentials collection with its bold frames offers lightness and comfort as well as uncompromising brand standards.
Source: Favrspecs
November 2023