THE BEST AUSTRIAN BRANDS II
LİMİTLERİN ÖTESİNDE
We continue to take a closer look at the best Austrian brands that push the boundaries and stand out from other eyewear brands globally.
ROLF SPECTACLES IS PART OF THE CHANGE
Rolf Spectacles was founded in 2007 with a strong vision focused on sustainability and natural materials. The brand prefers unpretentious yet elegant urban looks, underpinned by meticulous quality control and craftsmanship. Rolf Spectacles uses hard-to-process materials such as stone, wood and natural horn in its frames, and one of its other distinctive features is its patented screwless hinge system. From the very beginning, Marija “Mary” Iljazovic and Roland Wolf, the founders of the Austrian brand, built their brand identity on the use of regionally sourced natural materials. This guiding principle has enabled them to develop an innovative brand with equally unique products, such as “Woodstone”, the first stone-coated wooden eyeglass frame. Since its debut, the brand’s timeless, elegant designs, material choices and craftsmanship have helped it make a big splash on the European and then the global eyewear scene. Since its inception, the Austrian brand has taken home multiple Silmo d’Or Awards, as well as the European Product Design Award, the Red Dot Design Award and the Muse Design Award, thanks to its masterful use of wood, stone, natural horn and even 3D printed ecological materials.
For Rolf Spectacles, the concepts of origins, rationality and future have always been at the core of the brand Dna and values. It is of great importance for the brand to be connected to its origins and the region in which it is located. As an Austrian brand, the region in which they were founded has played a major role in shaping them. The brand therefore produces regionally and never overlooks strengthening its connections in the region. It develops a close family-like relationship with local suppliers. The development and production of its patented hinges and lens fitting systems, and the targeting of new technologies to create value-added products, ideally illustrate the brand’s passion for rationality. Always aiming to be prepared for the future, Rolf Spectacles continues to present that it is possible to be a part of change and to create better products with a sustainable mindset through the systems it develops and the collections it prepares with the latest technologies.
BOLD DESIGNS WITH ROBERT LA ROCHE
Austrian Robert La Roche was founded in 1973 in an era of bright colors and bold designs and the brand continues to dazzle. The Vienna-based brand’s eyewear has been worn on red carpets by world-renowned names such as Yoko Ono, Meryl Streep and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Robert La Roche, one of the international trendsetting brands, was relaunched after a break between 1999 and 2014 to bring its bold designs into the 21st century. With this return, the Austrian brand started to present its eye-catching collections one after another, much to the delight of its fans.
All Robert La Roche frames are handcrafted by artisans in Italy and Japan using the finest materials on the market, promising a lifetime of quality. However, what makes Robert La Roche truly special is the stunning choice of shapes and styles. From bold designs to unusual shapes, many of its frames are collections in their own right. Robert La Roche is a well-established brand, founded in the early 70s, so its unique eyewear collections are an ideal alternative to a market flooded with simple vintage reproduction frames, combining its unique historical design values with art and modern technology.
UNBREAKABLE EYEWEAR WITH GLORYFY
Christoph Egger, Founder of Gloryfy, launched the brand to create indestructible and unbreakable eyewear after a colleague injured his eyes during a sports accident. Since its inception, Gloryfy’s first indestructible design, performance eyewear, has evolved and expanded to a wider market with a wide variety of aesthetically diverse concepts. Today, Austrian Gloryfy is a globally recognized brand when it comes to unbreakable eyewear. Collaborations with artists and athletes, whom the brand’s founder calls “Gloryfy Heroes”, have also contributed greatly to the brand’s rapid rise to a successful position in the industry. The brand’s first sunglass models were developed with artists such as Rich:Art, Dust and Lilo Krebernik, while the ski goggle designs were developed with snowboarding legend Michi Albin in 2010. Manufactured locally in Austria, Gloryfy’s indestructible and unbreakable goggles are characterized by ultra-flexible frames and lenses, as well as being ultra-strong and lightweight thanks to the materials and craftsmanship used. Bendable, Gloryfy designs will not break even if you sit on them. Thanks to the patented proprietary material NBFX, they return to their original shape even in the most destructive conditions. As part of its sustainability initiative, the Austrian brand offers a lifetime guarantee on its products and uses eighty-three percent recyclable materials in the manufacturing process.
BOTH FORM AND FUNCTION WITH SPECT EYEWEAR
Spect Eyewear, founded in 2016 and based in Austria, focuses on combining form and function with sunglasses, sports eyewear and optical frames. Headquartered in Graz, the brand develops designs that focus on meeting the needs of individuals with physically active lifestyles. This allows the brand to use functional materials such as Ultem, TR90, Edelstahl and Nylon, as well as incorporating a range of innovations such as Ultra Flex, Wing, Magnetron and Flow technologies. The result is goggles that are virtually indestructible, comfortable to wear and stay in place without the need for straps, whether while mountain biking or rafting. Deeply committed to both utility and style, Spect Eyewear is still a relatively new brand, but has already established an official partnership with Red Bull, bringing the Red Bull x Spect Eyewear collection to the optical world and strengthening its brand positioning.
Source: Favrspecs
April 2023