Eyewear issue 10

T H E

V I SI O N A RY

M AGA Z IN E

10

JACOB KILSGAARD

Rock‘n Roll, Passion & Aluminium BRAND PROFILE Adrian Marwitz

The LOVE Issue

COLLECTION CHECK Ørgreen Sun

MOODBOARD Coblens FROM Koblenz

FEATURES

G-Star Raw, Rolf Pure Horn, Connexion, Hoffmann Natural Eyewear, LINDBERG, Ralph Vaessen, J. F. Rey, Blac+, Cazal, Etnia Barcelona, Invu & Freigeist

24 Eyewear Heads

FALL IN LOVE

E

ENGLISH ISSUE Nr 10 – 1 /2014 12 €

OPTI 2014 · MÜNCHEN · STAND C4.217

NIKOLAJ HĂœBBE / Artistic Director of the Royal Danish Ballet HILARY GUSWILER / Member of the Corps de Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet

orgreenoptics.com

Esra Rotthoff meets

INSIGHT – MITARBEITER DES TERTIALS Auch bei dieser Ausgabe haben wieder viele fleißige Kreative ihren Beitrag geleistet. Da es die Love Issue ist, haben sie sich vielleicht auch besonders viel Mühe gegeben. So ist das im Leben. Dieses mal im Insight: Stylistin Janina Cüpper, Hair- and Make-Up Artist Holger Weins und Model Constanze Witzel.

CONSTANZE WITZEL, MODEL Wenn ein Model zum wiederholten Mal für uns vor der Kamera steht, wird sie hier vorgestellt – so will es das Reglement. Constanzes intelligent schöne Ausstrahlung offenbart sich nicht nur in ihrem Äußeren, sondern auch im inneren.

Und damit das so bleibt, ernährt sie sich möglichst abwechslungsreich: vom Coco Spinach frozen Banana & Mango Smoothie bis hin zum Cranberries, Sesame & Chia Seeds Salad mit lemon-Avocado-Sesame öl ist alles dabei. für Produkte, die irgendetwas mit Tier zu tun haben, bleibt da auf dem Speisezettel kein Platz mehr. Und wenn Constanze in ferner zukunft mal keine lust mehr auf das Modeln verspüren sollte, ist das auch nicht schlimm. Bis dahin dürfte sie ihre Ausbildung zur yoga-lehrerin abgeschlossen haben, um dann andere Menschen physiologisch und mental in form zu bringen. Spielt es da noch eine Rolle, dass sie nebenbei ein Studium in Betriebswirtschaft und Management absolviert hat? irgendwie nicht – zumindest nicht für Jacob Kilsgaard, von dessen Kollektion sie ausgewählte Teile im interview Shooting präsentiert.

JANINA CÜPPER, STyLISTIN Janina hat sich voll und ganz dem Styling verschrieben. ob es an ihrer liebe für die Mode oder an ihrem geschulten Auge für farben und Schnitte liegt, seit 2010 wird Janina als freiberufliche fashion Stylistin von Kunden aus film, fernsehen und Print gebucht. die Arbeiten der Stylistin, die durch die Agentur 21 Agency vertreten wird, bestechen vor allem durch detailverliebtheit. für das Shooting in dieser Ausgabe buchte sie im flugzeug nach Südafrika gleich den halben laderaum, um all die Kleidung, Accessoires und Brillen für das Shooting unter zu bekommen. ob sie wegen des Shootings erst nach vier Wochen zurück gekommen ist, darf allerdings bezweifelt werden. insider vermuten eine ausgeprägte Reiseleidenschaft. dass Janina weiß, wie man Models in den Wohlfühlmodus und in Szene setzt, könnte auch daran liegen, dass sie in ihrem früheren leben selbst als Model gearbeitet hat. Sieht man irgendwie, oder?

HOLGER WEINS, HAIR & MAKE-UP ARTIST Auch Holger ist Wiederholungstäter beim Eyewear Magazine. Kleidet Janina leute wie Constanze ein, so sorgt Holger für den entsprechenden Teint und eine schöne frisur. der Hair and Make-Up Artist, der ebenfalls der 21 Agency angehört, ist schon seit Kindesalter von den Möglichkeiten der Persönlichkeitsveränderung durch Make-Up und Haarstyling fasziniert. Er hat schon in vielen Ecken der Welt Models für Shootings vorbereitet, aber besonders hat es ihm der Big Apple angetan, den er seit seinem ersten Job dort jährlich besucht. gängige Make-Up Trends interessieren den Pinsel- und Schwammkünstler weniger, vielmehr holt er sich seine inspiration in der natur, an Kunstgegenständen oder an dingen, die ihm im täglichen leben in die Hände fallen. Als Make-Up Artist ist seine Kunst vergänglich, denn auch die schönsten Make-Ups werden am Ende des Tages abgeschminkt. An seinem eigenen Körper mag er es lieber nachhaltig, wie man seinen vielen facebook Posts live aus dem Tattoo-Studio entnehmen kann.

EDITOR IN CHIEF Stefan Dongus dongus@eyewear-magazine.com m: +49.(0)151.14271817 EDITOR Jana Wenge wenge@eyewear-magazine.com GRAPHIC DESIGN Till Paukstat paukstat@eyewear-magazine.com Sebastian Wegerhoff Frédéric Wiegand Thomas Wirtz CONTRIBUTORS Dirk Vogel PHOTOGRAPHERS Martin Bauendahl Stefan Dongus Mert Dürümoglu Estelle Klawitter Joseph Ford Jun Kim Manuel Mittelpunkt Valentin Mühl Raphael Schmitz Tobias Schult Dirk Schumacher TRANSLATION ENGLISH vERSION Dirk Vogel PROOFREADING Franca Rainer ONLINE EDITOR Jana Wenge presse@eyewear-magazine.com PUBLISHER Monday Publishing GmbH Kamekestr. 20– 22 50672 Köln t: +49.(0)221.945267-11 f: +49.(0)221.945267-27 GESCHÄFTSFÜHRER Stefan Dongus Holger von Krosigk vERTRIEB DPV Network GmbH Postfach 570 412 22773 Hamburg www.dpv-network.de DRUCK F&W Mediencenter GmbH Holzhauser Feld 2 83361 Kienberg www.fw-medien.de

COvER PHOTO: Stefan Dongus STYLING: Rolf Buck HAIR & MAKE-UP: Yassa @ Team Weidemann with Weidemann Make-Up Products MODEL: Dana Söhngen @ Model Pool RETOUCH: Matthias Gabriel GLASSES: Ørgreen „Jones“ EYEWEAR erscheint drei Mal im Jahr.

Diese Zeitschrift und alle in ihr enthaltenen Beiträge dürfen ohne vorherige schriftliche Erlaubnis des Verlags in keiner Weise weiter ver wertet oder in elektronische Datenbanken aufgenommen werden. Ein Antrag auf Genehmigung für die Verwendung des urheberrechtlich geschützten Materials sowie für die Reproduktion von Auszügen in anderen Werken muss beim Verlag gestellt werden. Die hier abgedruckten Ansichten entsprechen nicht unbedingt denen des Herausgebers. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

Paperart: Ollanski

Photo: Caroline Wimmer

EDITORIAL

weLcOme TO The LOVe Issue

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Love... One of mankind’s enduring mysteries, love has inspired millions of poems and songs. It’s a never-ending story, full of the highest highs and the lowest lows; the most delicate of pleasures, the worst kinds of pain. Love knows no half-stepping – it’s a superlative, the strongest kind of attraction possible between one person and another. And love is ever so modest. Even unreciprocated, love can live on, sometimes in secret; which can be far from pleasant – but that’s how it goes.

When we’re in love, we’re looking at the world through rose-tinted glasses. Everything seems to follow our wishes, reality is finally returning our advances. Rose-tinted glasses also deserve a special place in our Love Issue. And we trusted our friend, passionate paper artist Ollanksi, to come up with his own version of cupid’s own eyewear. What do you say – lovely, right?

We also followed 1990s singer Haddaway’s lead and put out the question, “What is Love?” to 24 shining personalities in the eyewear business, from newcomer Suzy Glam to icons the stature of a Henrik Lindberg. To our surprise, nobody mentioned A Night at the Roxbury – if you haven’t seen it, go YouTube the dance floor scene – while responses and insights into this whole L.O.V.E. thing were even more surprising. From the poetic to the dialectic to the cryptic, the answers could not have been any more diverse. Yet they all have one thing to say: Love is important. It not only makes things work out easier, but better.

EDITORIAL

Love is what’s driving all the creatives behind this issue. In search of love, Janina Cüpper and Dirk Schumacher went on not one, but two expeditions. The first trip took them down memory lane, into the 1960s and the proverbial Summer of Love, the other all the way to South Africa where the weather is hot – and so are people’s passions. Our other professionals behind the lens also went exploring the meaning of love.

While Estelle Klawitter focuses on anatomy, Valentin Mühl’s models only love themselves. Tobias Schult interprets love as the many passions and past times that make life worth living (and loving). And since we are living in a material world, we’re also showing love for material things: Eyewear is the object of affection when Manuel Mittelpunkt confesses his love with flowers, while Raphael Schmitz delicately wraps his “Symbols of Love” in paper.

Because after all, that’s the kind of love EYEWEAR Magazine is here to celebrate with its tenth issue: Our ongoing love affair with eyewear – and it’s far from platonic (or monogamous). Just the opposite, we want to feel the latest glasses on our body – all of them – until we melt together, no telling where one ends and the other begins. And there can never be just one, with too many delicious glasses finding their way into our studio every day. So we have no choice, but share the love.

SD

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NEWS

HOUSE OF HARLOW PENNY Started in 2009, House of Harlow, the brainchild of L.A. style girl Nicole Richie has been turning heads with equally stylish and unconventional designs with a high-end finish. The upcoming label’s new Penny sunglasses model is no exception: Replacing rounded frames with an eleven-pointed polygon design, the tortoise shades with their purple lenses are bound to be an eye-catcher at every Hollywood party – or your next walk to the local grocery store. Available at urbanoutfitters.com

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10-11-12 JANUARY 2014 FAIRGROUND MESSE MÜNCHEN

HALL C4 / BOOTH 425 www.jfrey.fr

NEWS

ESCADA SES315S Some women respond to major life changes by switching up their hairstyle, or by getting a new pair of sunglasses. For a great investment, look no further than the new Escada shades featuring a crystal-plated, elegantly curved metal top bar. The cat eye frame is delicately crafted from acetate for a stylish vintage feel and a sophisticated, lady-like appearance.

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Blac - Original & Authentic. Meet us at OPTI - C4 321 www.blac.dk

ANDERNE YOU CAN’T HURRY LOVE The best thing about fashion trade shows? Learning about all the new, cool labels you didn’t even know existed! Like upcoming Germany-based label Anderne, which we discovered at Silmo 2013 in Paris. Anderne has a knack for naming their sunglasses styles after popular song titles. For instance, the “You Can’t Hurry Love” model gives a nod to the famous Supremes song. And although the lyrics are a constant reminder of the fact that love really can’t be forced in this world, we’ve already fallen for these shades. They had us at “hello!”

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Text: Jana Wenge

NEWS

NEWS

CUTLER & GROSS X ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATION As Elton John once sang, “You should never take more than you give.” And to give back to those in need, Sir Elton John has sworn to spend the rest of his life fighting the AIDS pandemic. In 1992, the singer and songwriter started the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which has been offering AIDS education and funding research through numerous charitable projects. Now the Foundation is joining forces with eyewear label Cutler & Gross for a limited edition line of glasses, with proceeds going to numerous initiatives. Causes range from medical support for rape victims as well as AIDS education in Third World countries. The models of the “Love Is In My Blood” collection are available in a blood-red colorway with a golden logo and serve a great cause. We applaud you, Sir Elton.

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BEASTIN X CAZAL Get it while you can! Munich-based fashion brand Beastin has teamed up with iconic eyewear label Cazal for a unique collaboration: Introducing the limited edition “163 Beast” model! Available in a Black Camouflage colorway with a matted front, the Beast is based on the classic Cazal163 model from their popular Legends collection. These Beastin X Cazal shades are as rare as they come: Only 40 pairs will be available exclusively at the recently opened BSTN Store in Munich’s trendy Maxvorstadt district. Fun fact: Beastin is the first label ever to be featured with visible co-branding on a pair of Cazal shades. Save a pair for us!

NEWS

MYKITA MYLON

SPORTS GOGGLES The Mykita Mylon sports goggles offer a unique blend of state-of-the-art technology and avant-garde design. The ANSELME and SYLVAIN models are true examples of forward-thinking product concepts, while the windprotecting side clips give a nod to their leather predecessors from the 1950s.

As a major improvement over the vintage design, the new clips can easily be dismounted, making the switch from function to fashion – or ski to Après-ski – an easy one. Heralded by Mykita as “The Future Look of Sports,” these progressive models will lend a new aesthetic to fashion-forward skiers and snowboarders – especially up in the resort town of Zermatt, where Mykita opened a flagship store in late 2013 – as well as their city-dwelling counterparts from New York to Berlin this winter.

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KAIBOSH It’s 2014! A new year for a fresh start – and the perfect time to load up with brand-new eyewear styles. Here at EYEWEAR Magazine, we’ll continue doing our best to showcase the latest styles and brands that are hot this season.

For starters, how about our latest discovery – KaiBosh from Norway with a fresh array of styles including the shiny yellow “About a Round,” the leopardprinted “Right Angle” or the two-colored “Shut Up & Keep Talking” models? Pretty stylish – pretty cool, right?! And when it comes to being unisex, these glasses are on a whole new level. We already know what we want: more!

Vom Deutschen Designer Club prämiert: StradaRead – die flachste Lesebrille der Welt von Prof. Octavio K. Nüsse, Vorsitzender der DDC-Jury Produkt

Weniger ist mehr – so sagte unsere Jury. Für ihre einzigartige und sinnvolle Formgebung gaben wir der StradaRead die Auszeichnung „Silber“ im DDCWettbewerb „Gute Gestaltung 14“. Was uns in der Jury gleich gefiel: Die patentierten Bügel aus hochwertigem Federstahl reagieren auf sanften Druck mit dem Daumen und springen mit einem Klick um.

Legen sich nach innen flach an die Gläser an. Die Brille schmiegt sich richtig an. In der Hemdentasche beult nichts aus. Und auch ans geöffnete Hemd oder die Bluse gesteckt, trägt nichts auf. Das ist eine Alleinstellung, die dem Benutzer wirklich praktische Vorteile bringt. Auch den Tragekomfort haben wir bewertet: Die StradaRead ist ja eine Halb-Lese-

brille. Das bedeutet, sie ermöglicht dem Nutzer jederzeit auch den Blick über die Brille. Eine solche Brille wird oft hin und her gerückt. Aufgesetzt – abgesetzt – zum Lesen wieder etwas höher geschoben. Strada del Sole hat daher bei dieser Lesebrille auf die sonst meist üblichen Nasenpads verzichtet und eine neue Gleitauflage konstruiert. Das einzigartige System (StradaBridge™) hält den Kontakt zwischen Brille und der Nase über eine ergonomisch geformte Silikonauflage. Wir haben es an zwei Jurytagen ausprobiert: Durch die größere Auflagefläche reduziert sich die Druckverteilung und die Brille ist – natürlich auch durch ihr geringes Gewicht – wirklich besonders leicht und angenehm zu tragen.

www.stradadelsole.ch

B y J un K im Photos: Jun Kim | Hair & Mak-Up: Elke Kim Models: Soso, Sebastian, Tara, Amir, Constantin, Victoria @ Eiengroup Pauline @ Modeldistrict | Anna @ Aquamarine

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Ralph Vaessen „Bastiaan“

Rolf „Aurelia 42“

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Rolf „Hornet 56“

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Reiz „Amsel“

Makellos „ME 5008 “

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Ralph Lauren „RL 8112“

Police „S 1910“

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Police „Skyline“

symbOLs Of L Ve

BY R A pH A El S CHMI T Z

STRAdA dEl SolE „073“

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STRAdA dEl SolE „074“

STRAdA dEl SolE „072“

STRAdA dEl SolE „076“

BollÉ „ViBE“

BollÉ „ClinT“

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SEREngETi „giUSTinA“

SEREngETi „nUnzio“

MAyBACH „THE MonARCH iii“

MAyBACH „THE diPloMAT iii“

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MAyBACH „THE BARon ii“

MAyBACH „THE BARonESS i“

l.g.R. „CAlABAR“

l.g.R. „MAldini“

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w w w. m a k e l l o s - p o t s d a m . d e

Opti München 10. – 12. Januar 2014 .

Halle 4 C4 . 602

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jacOb kILsgaaRd roCK ’ n ’ rol l PA SSion & A luMinuM Jacob Kilsgaard is among the most striking personalities in the eyewear universe. Which may be due to his unconventional approach. Or the way he got into the business: Ever since a career change brought Kilsgaard into the industry, his perspective on eyewear and the surrounding commercial structures has always remained unique.  Kilsgaard eyewear stands out from the rest, not only because of the consistent focus on aluminum as the main material, but also its clear design language. The latest collection stays true to this tradition, as you can see by the select styles showcased by our model, Constanze, in a very entertaining photo shoot. And here’s the – equally entertaining – Mr. Kilsgaard in his own words.

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Hello Jacob, you seem like one of the rockstars of the eyewear business to me. Is that correct?

urgent because it needed to be printed

I am? Well, here at Kilsgaard, we set

“recognizable.” And thus, the Pilot

out to do things a bit differently than

Mosquito was born and it really

others. We like to relax, lean back and

lived up to what we needed.

everywhere – and we had nothing. I put out two key criteria: “silly” and

do business with people on the same

quality products with a high level of

You put a lot of emphasis on ideas and concepts. What is your educational background and why did you become an eyewear head?

service. We embed our concept in a

I “studied” at the business school of

universe that we think is unique and

Aarhus for three years and to this day,

stands out from all our colleagues. Call

I only need one final exam to complete

it a rockstar attitude, call it coolness –

my Bachelor’s degree in International

it’s okay as long as our business

Business Communication in French

partners like what we do and enjoy

and English. But it has been eight years

eye-level, so to speak. What we’re running is a very serious business and we put great effort into providing top-

hanging out with us.

Let’s talk about the brand. First of all, why is your logo a fly?

I would really love to have a super cool story to answer that, but I don’t. We were finishing up the final drawings for our first collection while drinking wine and having a small celebration at [our designer] Bønnelycke’s studio. Then it dawned on me: “Hey, what about the logo!?” And all of a sudden, it became

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since I left school, so I don’t presume

ting the crisis, fighting time – every-

I still have professors waiting for me

thing was a challenge.

there. For some years I owned a with a good friend for some time when

Was there a turning point while you were establishing the brand?

a couple of family friends, opticians,

I would say that we didn’t really gain a

asked if I wanted to join them to go to

foothold until Jakob Roepstorff

SILMO to see what eyewear was about.

entered the company in 2010. That set

Next thing you know, I was a

free some new energy, good

distributor for Chloë, Karl Lagerfeld

karma visited and gave us all a hug.

and several other brands. That’s how I

Jakob just ran with sales and sold a

became an eyewear head and the urge

shitload of frames and opened some

to create my own thing grew from

serious doors around Scandi-navia.

there.

Suddenly my hands were free to spend

catering company. Then I sold watches

my entire time attending the corner

When did you start Kilsgaard and what were the biggest challenges in the beginning?

stones of our product, which weren’t

We launched the company in 2006 but

What exactly was the problem?

didn’t have anything to show before

In the beginning the product had some

the Drommesyn Show in Copenhagen

serious teething troubles: the nose

in March 2008. We shipped to the first

pad arms. They simply fell off just by

stores in September 2008. The biggest

looking at them. All of them. On

challenges in the beginning?

every production! So we were faced

Everything! Fighting to change the

with 10,000 defective units that we

optician’s views on aluminum,

HAD to sell to survive – and replace

fighting to stay afloat financially, figh-

them as we moved along.

finished.

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> Running your own business often means you need to attend to many small tasks.<

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Ouch... that’s an honest assessment. Were you aware of these challenges when you decided on aluminum as a material?

Then came the acetate temples that suddenly allowed for more adjustment options.

Aluminum had been the black sheep in

So you were able to win over opticians? They can be skeptical...

the business for many years, long

Once we made it through the first

before we entered. But I didn’t know…

three years, we had overcome the

I just had some good ideas design-wise

primary reasons [for opticians] to

and never really paid attention when

dislike aluminum. Now we can say

the factories asked me what material

with confidence: “Yes, we know

we wanted to use. When they said:

aluminum is challenging, but our

“Hey, what about aluminum?” I asked

solutions work. You have to use 5–10

what it could do and they answered:

more minutes adjusting the frames,

“Well, it’s half the weight of titanium,

but then you never need to adjust

it’s strong as hell and you can color it

again, unless you stepped on them

by ano-dization. The colors will live

by accident. You have to change a few

forever.” But they forgot to add what it

processes when grinding lenses or

couldn’t do. Over time we worked

scanning the rim for glazing, but it

around it, though. A former

still works 110%. Aluminum now fully

employee did a great thing before

works as a frame material and we like

leaving. He dropped by my home out

to think that we were one of the few

of the blue the night before Christmas

pioneers that kept going until it got

and said: “Hey, look! I thought of a

there.

new nose pad system!” And then we

Sounds like it was a team effort.

How do you and your partner

had a pad arm with no screws that was fixed with epoxy [resin] inside the rim.

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> The biggest challenges in the beginning?

Everything!< 66

divide responsibilities?

Jakob knows sales the old-fashioned way. He is a networker and just the coolest guy you can meet. He becomes friends with our business partners before we do business with them. I find that extremely likable. If the chemistry is there, good business will come to join the party at one point. We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t use titles in our company but if we have to, Jakob Roepstorff is our Sales Director and I am the CEO. But in real life, I help clean the office and pack the goods when times are stressful and we all set up the booth at international shows. Running your own business often means you need to attend to many small tasks, otherwise I fear things will get out of hand.

How many people work in your company right now and what are your criteria for choosing employees?

Currently we employ: the two Jac/kobs, Michael the Moneyman, Pernille the Office-Squid, Emilie the Marketing Wizz, Gianni the Sardinian

Graphics-Don and Peter the ShowPrince. So a total of seven souls and then of course our international team of reps and distributors, bringing us up to about 35 in total. When picking colleagues, we first do a chemistrycheck; can we enjoy having lunch and coffee? Then we look at their skills; is he or she any good at the job we need help for?

Well, you seem to be having fun working together as a team. What do you find particularly motivating about your own job?

I find it extremely motivating to see our baby growing up. And it makes us all super happy when our customers are satisfied with our products and do great business selling something we make.

And where do you find inspiration?

Everywhere! I love blogs. I follow a hundred different Tumblr blogs about everything; fashion, food, architecture, cars, artâ&#x20AC;Ś I see our product as an urban lifestyle product.

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equals choosing a certain lifestyle. Of

Which labels do you like outside the eyewear industry and why?

course maybe this is just in our

Oh, I hate to name the obvious, but

imagination, because our customers

Apple products really float my boat.

are from all corners of society.

They rock my world, beautiful. Audi

Choosing one of our frames, to me,

and Porsche offer great design and fan-

Kilsgaard is one of many really well-known, high-quality Danish eyewear brands. How come there are so many eyewear labels in Denmark?

tastic engineering. And for some stran-

We have a world-renowned design

to the core values of the original brand.

heritage in Denmark. Architecture,

Understated elegance and damn fine

furniture design, car design, food

craftsmanship.

ge reason I have to mention Rolex.

They have been through a transition over the last ten years, where the brand – at least in my opinion – has gone back

design and also eyewear. In my companies all share one thing:

Compared to other brands, what’s special about Kilsgaard?

Lindberg, Orgreen, Bellinger,

That we don’t cannibalize on other

Kilsgaard etc. – we make solid,

brands. We don’t look like something

functional, well-designed eyewear

others do. We may target the very

products. We all respect the

same customers but in terms of our

importance of comfort, of serving a

look, we stand alone. We try to add

function and at the same time

an edge to our campaigns as well. Be

providing first-class design. The same

different. Stand out in a good way. We

way our forefathers designed the

use design elements from the Danish

furniture classics... comfort first, then

fashion industry and translate them to

design.

fit into the more conservative eyewear

opinion, the Danish eyewear

industry.

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Speaking of design elements, what is your process from initial idea to final design?

Personally, I couldn’t draw a straight line if my life depended on it. But I know a commercially viable shape that

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fits our concept when I see one. My job is to put this data into the minds of our design team at Bønnelycke MDD studio. Then they eat my data, process it, spit out a first draft – and we go from there. When we feel we nailed it, we print the design on our very cool 3D-printer. Within an hour, we can hold our very own prototype in our hands and try it on. If it works out, the next step is production in Italy, where they prototype in aluminum. Before going into pro-duction, we head over to Italy to work over the last details. It may sound like a long process, but in real life it “only” takes between four to five months from the initial idea to having the finished production run ready to be delivered.

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You started with prescription frames only. How important are sunglasses frames for Kilsgaard today?

Panto or the Lennon or the

Well, they are important. But as a

triangular shapes or flower patterns.

Clubmaster or the whatever – it has been done. Work from them instead of trying to revolutionize by adding

brand from Scandinavia, where hours

sunwear world to choose a frame three

That’s a no bullshit approach.

And which model is your personal favorite?

times the price of a frame by Brand X.

The MODEL 59 from our latest line.

We make sunglasses because our

It’s a Panto shape at its finest and the

designs look fantastic when adding

aluminum material makes the overall

thickness and the Certified by ZEISS

look very new.

of sunlight are very limited, it’s hard to convince this Luxoticca-dominated

lenses. It’s just a unique offering and limited. Also it’s a way to get

What kinds of optical stores sell Kilsgaard?

celebrities to wear our product.

The cool ones (laughs). It may sound

we have to do it, even if business is

arrogant, but fortunately it’s true,

That’s always great advertisement.

Which styles do you expect to be in high demand over the next few years?

more or less. We really try to

Keywords we believe in for the future

cities, we go for ones who like our

are: smaller, “correct” sizes – no more

product and attract the right

oversized, “big-is-fun” bullshit. And

customer base. They often provide a

“classic” looks are still and will always

great sales crew that really finds mo-

be popular. No need to reinvent the

tivation in a uniquely designed pro-

handpick the stores and we are a lways located in the AA+-stores in major cities worldwide. In smaller

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duct like ours – and then just goes out

together a lot every year because of the

killing for it. Some of our best retailers

many shows and all, so after work it’s

are in smaller towns.

all about rebooting and charging up the batteries. Oh, and I just sold my

What’s the funnest part of your job?

apartment and bought a new house

Our “Naked Tuesdays” at the office –

place for 12 years so it feels strange to

just kidding! That happens on Fridays

begin a new chapter of my life while

(laughs). But really: Succeeding is the

being busy with my daughter Smilla

most satisfying part of the job.

and running the business and moving

Spending months and months

house.

near the beach. I had lived in that

pondering on some strange idea and then carrying it out successfully feels

58.5/1

awesome.

What does Jacob Kilsgaard like to do after his workday?

He is a recently divorced guy with a five-year-old daughter and a new girlfriend with two kids. So Jacob Kilsgaard spends time playing, bicycling, baking cookies and reading Winnie the Poo. Other than that, he loves to cook and drink wine, run, travel and spend time with friends.

My business partner Jakob and I travel

72

Moving house is a big deal. Where do you see Kilsgaard moving over the next ten years... speaking for the brand and the man behind it?

We will focus on finishing the product.

Making it better and better, while maintaining the not-so-common-

Well, Jacob, not sure if a closed tradeshow booth makes that much of a difference when the pictures are published in the magazine afterwards? But thanks for the interview and looking forward to seeing you in Munich.

atmosphere surrounding the company as a concept. We will add a new line soon... in a new – at least for us – material. It will be so cool. Hold your breath for it! And as for myself, I will be right here. Doing the same job as I do now.

Sticking my fingers in everybody’s business and stating my opinion about small things and annoying people.

And finally: You were kidding about “Naked Tuesdays” at the office, but you’ve now announced twice you would be down for a nude photo shoot? Is that finally going to happen at opti tradeshow in Munich?

If you find a closed booth and get Shane Baum to do it with me, definitely yes!

> Succeeding is the most satisfying part of the job.<

INT E RV IEW

Movie

Eyes Wide Shut, Blood Diamond, Drive

Jack Reacher with Tom Cruise

Book

A Short History of Nearly Everything

A written version of some episodes of Beverly Hills 90210

Musician

Justin Timberlake.

He is gifted.

Depeche Mode

Song

“Hit me Baby “Happy Birthday” and “F*** her Gently” One more Time.”

by Tenacious D

Sport

Skiing.

Soccer, I suck at it and it sucks watching.

Food

All kinds, especially Mediterranean.

Indian food and oysters.

Wine

Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc.

Thick heavy reds…

Clothing Brand

Rugger by Gant, well done. Retro as retro should be.

The ones I don’t wear.

Glasses

Take a wild guess?

Also Lindberg, Orgreen, Leisure Society and Mykita.

No comment.

Photos: Stefan Dongus All Kilsgaard styles presented by Constanze Witzel Agentur: Munich Models www.constanzewitzel.de Hair & Make-Up: Sonia Tamburo www.soniatamburo.com 74

ST YLE CHECK

G-STAR RAW „BRONSON“

76

G-STAR RAW „FAT GARBER“

ST YLE CHECK

STRAIGHT CUT: THE ATTAC AND ALL OTHER G-STAR MODELS ARE SHAPED IN THE STYLE OF VINTAGE MILITARY EYEWEAR WITH A FLAT FRONT. 78

After almost 25 years in the business, iconic fashion label G-Star Raw will be releasing its first eyewear collection in late 2013. The pieces of the line for men and women reflect the company ethos: “Just the Product.” As the most striking feature, the lenses of the sunglasses and prescription eyewear feature a straight-cut front section. Licensee Marchon is also proving a sure hand in adapting additional signature G-Star apparel stylistics into the eyewear collection. Here’s a first look.

Text: Stefan Dongus

I

Photo: Raphael Schmitz

n the late 1990s, only one certain

men and women. Make no mistake:

brand of jeans would be allowed

This step has been a long time in the

into my closet. Or to be more precise,

making. After all, the denim pioneers

only one single style from that brand

took a sweet 25 years before releasing

– but in allimaginable kinds of colors

eyewear considered worthy of bearing

and washes: the G-Star Elwood model.

the iconic G-Star logo.

At the time, this entirely new cut of jeans offered the perfect blend of cool

The G-Star design ethic, “Just the

style and comfort in a way people had

Product” also applies in the brand’s

never seen before. I single-handedly

approach to eyewear: Many features of

donated all my other jeans to charity

the new eyewear collection are clearly

– and I wasn’t the only one. As a quick

based on the fashion heritage of the

stroll down the street revealed: The

storied denim label, including

Elwood had become an ubiquitous

references to iconic G-Star colors and

fashion staple!

styles in the names of eyewear models. This allows G-Star to

Starting at the end of this year, G-Star

consistently position the brand in the

will broaden its offering beyond

eyewear segment while keeping the

fashionable garments with a series

brand’s image 100% intact.

of prescription glasses and shades for

ST YLE CHECK

INDUSTRIAL CODES AND PERFORATED TEMPLE TIPS.

80

G-Star’s industrial stylistics are clearly

iconic logo wrapped around the

reflected in the details of the glasses:

sides of the frames over the

Whereas other brands usually

temples offers a subtle but

conceal the screws on the hinges of

unmistakable way to identify

the frames, G-Star opted for

these glasses as true G-Star

exposed, highly visible screws, while

originals in the street. Let’s wait

the temples feature industrial

and see if these glasses can

stamping of style codes on the out-

manage to become as ubiquitous

side. Meanwhile, the temple tips

as the Elwood jean. G-Star

are perforated, reminiscent of zipper

Eyewear – it’s been a long time

pulls and in-line with the brand’s

coming...

apparel roots.

The most striking feature at the core of the entire collection is clearly the straight cut of the lenses. Every single one of the 16 sunglasses and 22 prescription models of the collection features lenses with a straight front, reminiscent of early 20th century military-issue eyewear – a really unique stand-out feature in today’s almost infinite eyewear universe. Next to the characteristic lens placement, the

VISIBLE, BUT DISCREET LOGO PLACEMENT.

Estelle Klawitter

CoBlEnS „30028 ASPHAlTdECKE “

82

From lef t to right Body: Luna | Shoes: Iris van Herpen Bra & Slip: Marlies Dekkers | Bracelet: A Cuckoo Moment Bra: Epure | Pants: Antigel by Lise Charmel | Bag & Ring: A Cuckoo Moment

Coblens „30026 Weissborstengürteltier“

Coblens „30033 Anden flamingo“

Fleye „Logmar“

Fleye „Dang“

84

From lef t to right Top: Ma x Mara | Pants: Triumph | Bracelet: A Cuckoo Moment Shorts: American Apparel Body: Spanx

flEyE „dAng“

Ørgreen „May Day“

Ørgreen „Sugar Kane“

86

From lef t to right Bra: Antigel by Lise Charmel | Pants: Triumph | Ring: A Cuckoo Moment Bra & Slip: Marlies Dekkers Pants: Calvin Klein | Bracelet: A Cuckoo Moment

ØRgREEn „HUgHES “

From left to right Pants: Calvin Klein Shirt: Wolford | Bra: Antigel by Lise Charmel | Necklace: A Cuckoo Moment

KilSgAARd „59. 7“

KilSgAARd „58. 5/1“

88

Kilsgaard „60.0/1“

From left to right Shirt: Wolford Shirt: Wolford | Bra: Antigel by Lise Charmel

Body: Maidenform

Blac „+24“

Blac „Bombora “

90

From lef t to right Body: Maidenform Pants: Calvin Klein

BEllingER „SHiny MATT – 2“

CARloTTA’S VillAgE „HAVAnnA“

From lef t to right Shorts: American Apparel Body: Eres Shorts: American Apparel

CARloTTA’S VillAgE „HolA“

CARloTTA’S VillAgE „HoMBRE“

Photos: Estelle Klawitter > estelleklawitter.de | represented by: kombinatrotweiss.de Styling & Production: Marcel graul > top-agence.de | Make-Up: Anja Schweihoff > ligawest.com | Hairs: Milko grieger > milko-grieger.de Models: Christina Krumbach > modelwerk.de | greta & Marcel > tune-models.com | dorothee > tfmmodels.com > david | aquamarinemodels.com Special thanks to: Claudia Rüdinger dessous, düsseldorf

ray-ban.com

Text: Jana Wenge

Photo: Raphael Schmitz

NEW IN TOWN

94

RolF s P e C TAC l e s PURE HORN

What was the hottest eyewear design trend in the year 2013? Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy: wooden frames! And what was the brand to set the tone in this segment?

Also an easy one: ROLF Spectacles from Tyrol! From its humble beginnings in 2007 in abasement with a bunch motorbike brakes, a milking machine and some old top hats, ROLF has become an international success story practically over night. While the wooden frames trend will most certainly continue this season, ROLF is branching out into real horn. Every single pair from their new collection is an unmistakable one-of-a-kind piece crafted from water buffalo horn with its own distinct coloring, grain and spotting. No two pairs are the same!

And as can be expected from ROLF Spectacles, the new Pure HORN frames also feature the signature ROLF wooden core, without the use of metals or any other additional materials.

COLLAB OF THE ISSUE

Text: Jana Wenge

Photo: Raphael Schmitz

Co n n e X I o n

ConnEXion „fEEl“

96

Dare, Connect, Invent and Feel – these illustrious names for four new eyewear styles also serve well to describe the characteristics it took the people behind two independent German eyewear labels to start a new business together. For their new joint venture, Connexion, Martin Lehmann of Martin & Martin and Thomas Bischoff of Whiteout & Glare contributed their unique design styles to create a new direction. The two spent an entire year fine-tuning their concepts and working on the designs. The result: A new collection crafted from the novel, high-end polymer material Mineralion, which in a white colorway could easily be mistaken for ivory with its characteristic touch and feel. Held against the light, Mineralion also exhibits slightly fluorescent properties – a shining example of what can happen when great minds connect, and well worthy of being our Collab of the Issue.

ConnEXion „inVEnT“

CIT Y CHECK

Photo: Stefan Dongus

L.G.R. „Nile“

Rome

Luca Gnecchi Ruscone 98

Luca, the Bishop of Rome in Personal Do you have a favorite restaurant?

Union is…

For traditional Roman cuisine I like to eat Pope Francis. at Nino in Via Borgognona.

Right. In 330 A.D. more than one milWhere is your favorite club? lion residents lived in ‘The Eternal I don’t really go clubbing, however my City.’ Within 700 years the population friends in Rome often go to a club called dwindled down to 20,000. Now it’s up to Vicious.

2.7 million again and you’re one of them.

Do you have a favorite store to shop for Why? clothing?

This is the city where I was born and Schostal in Via del Corso. A historical which is home to me. shop that was opened in the 1800s where How often do you visit the vatican?

I go for classic Italian menswear.

I go at least once a year when I have friends Which optical shop do you like the most? from abroad that come to visit.

Astrologo Ottica in Via Fontanella What makes your city so special?

Borghese.

The light of the sky and the way it alters the What are the three things you have to do colors of the city at different hours of the in Rome? day.

1. Eat freshly made ice cream from What about the tourists? Stimulatory or Gelateria del Teatro in Via dei Coronari. rather awkward?

2. Take a bicycle ride through Villa Although the city is bursting with tourists, Borghese. they somehow do not seem to play a role 3. Try a slice of fresh pizza in Trastevere in my daily Roman life. from La Boccaccia.

What is your favorite ancient spot in What, in your opinion, is the best thing Rome? about Rome?

La Bocca della Verità. It is a large face Quality of life in terms of food, weather, carved from marble that is located in the and the easy-going, joking nature of church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin.

Romans. The city is in a perfect location, Legend has it that if someone was 20 minutes from the beach and one hour perceived to be lying about something, away from the Tuscan countryside. then they simply would have to place their And what is the worst thing, on the other hand inside the mouth and if they were hand? not telling the truth it would be bitten off.

Public transportation.

What is your favorite insider spot in Which eyewear label would you like to Rome no tourist knows about? sink in the Tiber?

Pastificio Cerere. It used to be an old pasta Hahaha… factory on the outskirts of Rome and Free quote! today is a cool spot where friends and “If one does not know to which port one is artists gather. The building houses apartsailing, no wind is favourable.” ments that are only rented to all types of [Seneca] artists and there is a great restaurant and exhibition center inside.

W H AT ‘ S LOV E

whaT’s

LOVe?

100

Love is a strange game. Love blurs the lines between pleasure and pain, emotional upheaval and serenity, order and chaos. But above all, love is one thing: subjective. Love can never be measured with a yardstick or refractometer. Love is elusive, hard to put a finger on, and maybe thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why there are countless songs, books and magazine stories dedicated to this major part of human existence. We here at EyEWEAR Magazine wanted to add another chapter to the never-ending story of love: For this feature, we went to Paris â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the proverbial City of Love â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and talked to 24 eyewear heads about their personal take on the big L.O.v.E. What does love mean to them, both in their business and private lives? The answers, ranging from the dialectic to the poetically inspired, could hardly have been any more diverse. But ultimately, they all have one underlying message in common: Love makes everything worthwhile, not only in our personal relationships, but also in our daily work lives. Here are 24 answers to the big question: What is love?

Photos: Stefan Dongus

W H AT ‘ S LOV E

Fabrice Aeberhard, Sire

Sire “S.34”

I consider my passion for what I do as a privilege. It satisfies my longing to express myself creatively and at times challenges my need to keep in mind all the aspect of the process. That is why I appreciate to have a design partner with whom I can share. The relationships with my craft, my profession, and ultimately my products are as real and as genuine as the ones with the people that are close to me. I maintain all of them with enthusiasm, dedication and affection.

102

Love to me means a very strong attraction to another person. This connection can in no way be rationalized, it knows no limits and surpasses everything else.

It’s the feeling of returning home after a long business trip and looking my great love into the eyes and knowing that I’ve arrived. Love can also be found in the details, in art or the genesis of an idea.

It is also the highest principle of being because it leads us to an understanding of life. That’s love!

Andreas Malathounis, iBrands Europe

Massada “Sun Persona”

W H AT ‘ S LOV E

What’s love? Most say love is the opposite of egoism. But is it? In my opinion love means that you take account of the welfare/happiness of the other. And you do because the other is important to you, important to fulfill your needs. Then love is egoism, but also dependency. And vice versa. Is love the opposite of narcissism?

Or is it just that? As through the other you love yourself? And is love the opposite of hate? Or is hate just an extreme expression of love? Whatever love is, or what it is not, I argue the religious approach, which preach sacrifice, unconditional and one direction love.

I valued it as a concept, as an ideology.

However knowing that it is unattainable it’s an inspiration though. As Michael Douglas said in Wall Street: “Greed is good!” I say: “Love is good!” Whatever love is (after all) and for whatever reason you love, others benefit from it.

Ralph Vaessen, Ralph Vaessen

Ralph Vaessen “Bastian” 104

Malene & Claus Bellinger, Bellinger House

Left: Blac “+4 Limited Show Edition”

We have important values that Malene and I have always worked by and that has now become our company values: PASSION - JOY - PRIDE - RESPECT. To me these values translates into LOVE. I absolutely love what I do and it colors everything I do, the relationships I have and the way I work. My passion for designing fantastic eyewear burns through everything, the joy of being able to work with something I LOVE, the pride when I see somebody wearing a frame I designed, the respect I have for my work, for our very valuable customers and the people I work with. In every relationship that I have, both between me and Malene, with my colleagues at Bellinger House and in everything I do… Love is important.

Right: Blac “+3”

W H AT ‘ S LOV E

In 1992, as part of a conceptual project by the Spanish artist Miralda, Barbara McReynolds and I were asked to make a pair of glasses for the iconic Statue of Liberty... to scale! As part of our design, the brow of the frame featured the words “Ver Amor.”

Over the years—and very much like the nature of “love” itself—we've come to appreciate “Ver Amor” for its openness to interpretation: as an active state of being (“seeing love”), as a command (“see love!”), or, as our wish to those who read it (“to see love”).

Gai Gherardi, l.a.Eyeworks 106

l.a. Eyeworks “Garza”

Harvey & Zach Moscot, Moscot

Left: Moscot “Frankie”

Right: Moscot “Lemtosh”

As a fifth generation business, MOSCOT has transmitted love not only through its individual family members but through the family principles that have enabled our NYC shops to exude their warmth and encourage our customers to return. The MOSCOT love starts in the home by paying attention to core family values. At our MOSCOT shops, we bring these values of love along with an attention to detail and create memorable shop experiences and emotional designs. With the combination of nearly 100 years of history, memories, and neighborhood tales we hope that our frames capture this rich heritage and sensibility – and is felt when worn. Our frames and their designs are created to provide the wearer with security and reliability through fit, comfort and love... When one puts on a MOSCOT frame, they are putting on nearly a 100 years of family pride and history, hard work, and, of course, downtown New York City culture. A MOSCOT frame provides more than an aesthetic on one’s face, but also a connection to the past – a past filled with love, and the kind of family warmth that guides and comforts you into the future.

W H AT ‘ S LOV E

Claire Goldsmith, Claire Goldsmith

Oliver Goldsmith “Piero”

The purest form of love I feel is for my family. It’s a love that defines me as a person. It’s all accepting and all forgiving. It makes you vulnerable. It can take you out. But it can also inf late you and build you up when you feel hopeless. The other love I have in my life is for what I do and who I do it with. The moment I no longer feel love for the job I do, I will make a change. Love for your work allows you to produce work of a quality you cannot achieve when working for any other reason.

108

Sven Götti, götti

götti “Phil”

What’s love got to do with it? That’s a great question to pull you out of your hectic everyday life and ponder on.

Without love, our world would not be worth living in. Not in the greater sense, or the smallest. As an eyewear designer I can make a small contribution by developing glasses with lots of love and initiative and by being a company that treats customers respectfully. I believe that you can see it in the products, how they were created and where they are from – and that helps them “ find” the right customers.

W H AT ‘ S LOV E

Martin Lehmann, Martin & Martin

Connexion “Invent”

What’s Love? For me it’s mainly one thing: Laden with clichés, and pretty heavily at that. Maybe it doesn’t sound too sexy or romantic, but: everyone is longing for love. Companies like Rama, Ford and Provinzial are telling us what love really is and once we return home, we’ll vent our anger, especially at our loved ones! Really not the easiest subject, it seems some kind of basic white noise of the soul. To me it’s a mode of being, a special state that is often far away but also close-by at times, which is when something good ultimately always comes from it; love interferes with the creative process, words, ideas, images, movement, touch and also into the products. And somehow most of the people that are close to me will find themselves in my glasses... in the shapes, colors or their names.

110

Love is the ultimate experience, I wish for all, that they will fall in love minimum once in there life.

Falling in love gives you butterf lies in your stomach, it makes you dizzy, it makes you unfocused, it throws you off guard, it makes you do stupid things, it makes you feel alive. Loving someone gives you a deeper purpose in life, it gives you an everyday meaning, it gives you safety and comfort, it can give you a partner to share your life with – I hope, it gives you someone to trust, love is the ultimate and I would not be without it. True Love for me is something I have for people, not things. My love for eyewear is not the same as love for my girlfriend. Eyewear and design are a passion, but a big passion that fills up my present life and this is very different from love,

Henrik Ørgreen, Ørgreen

Ørgreen “Alpha”

but in a good way!

W H AT ‘ S LOV E

What’s Love? Everything! I think there’s definitely something addictive about the first moments when we fall in love. Like the first time a lover stays, you wake to smell their hair as it falls from their pillow into your face and you’re so happy you haven’t woken alone. That feeling you get when you hear them say, “oh here she/he is!” when you arrive. It’s all those first incredible moments that make us come back to a game, that when after we’ve had our hearts broken we promise we’ll never play again.

Simon, AM Eyewear

AM Eyewear “Ava”

112

We’ve always shared a love for the sensibility of a time lost, think back to the late 1950s. A time when people were more stylized and paid attention to every detail, especially the quality of how things were made and their personal style. I guess it’s this “love” that compels us to continue designing eyewear after 18 years in the business. We love making people feel good and come alive when they put their eyewear on. Icons like Jackie O., JFK and Steve McQueen were synonymous with eyewear. It completed their persona and made them larger than life. This love affair with quality and helping people express themselves is what we live for.

Jeff Solorio und John Juniper, DITA Eyewear Left: Dita “Statesman” Right: “Mach-One”

W H AT ‘ S LOV E

1. Love is when design and function gel perfectly – when we’ve all done everything we can to craft something unique.

2. Love is when I meet opticians who really “get” what we’re trying to do, and the philosophy behind LINDBERG products.

3. Love of our design profession lies in the pleasure and exuberance in creating something different – and recognizably better.

4. Love is reveling in each moment we spend in the world in which we live, and the many opportunities this gives us.

5. Love is the effort and passion that LINDBERG staff and consultants muster every day to keep on making LINDBERG even better, and make people even more satisfied.

6. When all these things merge into a greater force for good and for change – I’m falling in love.

Henrik Lindberg, LINDBERG

LINDBERG “n.o.w. model 6505”

114

John Dalia, John Dalia

Love is not a brand. Love is not a hashtag.

Love is not a commodity. Love was not invented by Don Draper to sell nylons (Mad Men).

Love is a law of nature, just like thermodynamics or gravity. To me, that’s exactly what falling in love feels or should feel like; like you are discovering a new dimension of reality you had no idea even existed yet was there all along.

Food suddenly tastes better, the air smells nicer and the colors look brighter. I know I could not have created John Dalia if I had not met my beautiful wife Camille.

John Dalia “Clint E”

W H AT ‘ S LOV E

Susanne Klemm, Suzy Glam

What’s Love? That’s not really a question for easy answers. To me there are various different kinds of love. It’s great to love your job and what you are doing. But is that really love? Or per fectionism? Or a love for detail? The personal kind of love you feel for your family is dif ferent altogether. That kind of love cannot be replaced with a different word. Through my children I get to experience everyday that children are able to love unconditionally. That is the strongest kind of love to me, nothing can compare to it.

116

Suzy Glam “faces the face”

For me love can be in everything. I put lots of love in relationships but in work as well. Love for me means to be totally devoted to what I’m making. It’s hard sometimes and it’s only working out because I feel so much love for it. When I’m creating a new pair of glasses, which I finish all by hand, I have doubts, feel frustration, insecurity and I need discipline.

I’m a perfectionist and think about the smallest detail.

The design is only finished when there are no open questions anymore. I do my work with love and passion, that’s why it cheers me up and gives me satisfaction. I’m sure that objects made with love are better objects. Beside that, I think that love in relationships is the most important thing in life.

Markus Temming, Markus T

Markus T “M3.327 X”

W H AT ‘ S LOV E

Er geht grad so ahnungslos durch seine Wiesen, liegt plötzlich ’ne Brille grad vor seinen Füßen. Wer die wohl verloren hat? – denkt sich der Mann, gedankenversunken hängt er sie sodann an einen Ast seines Kirschbaums, damit Verlierer der Brille sie leicht wieder find’t.

Der Winter kam dann aber gar bald darauf, auf Bäumen und Wiesen lag Schnee zuhauf. Im Frühjahr taut ihn dann die Sonn’ wieder weg – da hängt doch die Brille noch am selben Fleck! Er nimmt sie zur Hand und dann setzt er sie auf, er schaut in die Ferne und kommt freudig drauf: „Damit seh’ ich alles viel klarer, viel besser! Ich nehm’ sie mir selber, die Augengläser!“ Thomas Oberegger, Woodone

118

Woodone “Cameron”

Is love anything for entrepreneurs and management? For our business? I fear it is! Love is powerful. Love is magic. Whatever we love, we do with passion. And whatever we like will come easier and without the ever painful peek at the clock. After all, we’re in love.

We’re enjoying the full dosage of motivation at peak level. We’re inspired to give our utmost... and we’re inclined to believe that love will lead the way. That’s what I personally experienced at Strada del Sole. Love – for a uniquely patented Swiss quality product – for enthusiastic and dedicated colleagues and followers – for ever new ideas, innovations and the likes. Love has led: all the way to Strada del Sole ... and, it should lead you, too.

Peter B. Arnold, Strada del Sole

Strada del Sole “065A”

W H AT ‘ S LOV E

Love is like a disease, like a virus. Ever present, but sometimes undetectable. Some people are immune, others easily fall for it. Once you have it, you’ll never get rid of it. Sometimes love is chronic and sometimes it will vanish altogether – but it always comes back.

I wake up in the morning thinking about eyewear. I head over to the workshop and think about eyewear and how to achieve a variety of things with our existing machinery or our bare hands.

I share my ideas. Of course they are about eyewear. I spend my entire day surrounded by eyewear. Everything revolves around eyewear... with a passion. I even dream about eyewear. We’ve caught the eyewear virus.

120

Dieter Funk, Funk Eyewear

Sashee Schuster “Albert”

AND WE LOVE IT!

Love hurts Love, Liebe, Amore. One of the key functions of human beings. Love creates desire, desire creates sex! And sex (women and men being inside each other somehow) creates babies (sometimes), in other words: new life.

And the opposite of life is death, the other important thing. This is not new, but I’d say: love and death, are the only important things in life. All the rest, even glasses, are a more or less useful or useless decoration.

Love counts, kids counts, death counts.

Amen and “auf Wiedersehen!” Or: Good Bye, I’m gonna be dead soon... maybe and: for sure!

P.S.: “Love hurts,” but that is higher philosophy...

Ralph Anderl, ic! berlin

ic! berlin “Günther N.”

W H AT ‘ S LOV E

Love should be airy, weightless, carefree but caring, nothing you can force, a gift, a present. But now that I am supposed to find words to describe my love for people, for my work and everything in general, it becomes heavy and clumsy, full of drama.

Fabian Hofmann, Coblens

The question about love becomes a burden. That’s the dilemma, maybe that’s its nature, don’t talk about it.

Never look for it.

It finds you, love, it always does. I can feel it.

122

Coblens “10001 Sicherheitshinweis”

What’s love? My very first thought was, “that’s easy: love is life!” I’ve had it tumbling in the back of my head for some days. “It can’t be that simple,” I thought. Going down various different paths I wound up at the same spot. I decided to trust my initial gut feeling and the below is what came out of it. I hope you like it.

Charlotte Dokkedal Leth, Calotta’s Village

LIFE is LOVE LOVE is space LOVE is fragile LOVE is a rock CHOCOLATE is lovable LOVE is greater LOVE is universal LOVE is LIFE

Calotta’s Village “Haat”

W H AT ‘ S LOV E

Love moves the world. Our project is challenge, professionalism, art, color and of course, is love. You share experiences with the people you work with, effort, success, failures. To build a good team you have to offer them more than a salary.

Our cooperation with artists is more than a single trade; after a time sharing experiences with them you just get more than you’ve requested, you get a personal involvement; we end sharing a feeling.

Impossible living without love. If the heart is empty, the head doesn’t work. Like this song, “If you’re not with the one you love, love the one you’re with.”

David Pellicer, Etnia Barcelona

124

Etnia Barcelona “Toronto”

Love and passion to me are everything. I love spreading love – in a non-hippieWoodstock-sense. I really don’t want to sound like Britney Spears but nevertheless, here it goes: Family: Love for your children, wife or girlfriend, family and friends and the love you get in return is what makes your world. Or at least it should be, in my opinion.

The love you find in a home, your port and your base are essential for me to live.

Work: Why get up everyday and do something, just because you are programmed to do so? Well, I guess it is easy for me to argue this. I started my own company and pursued an old dream of being a free spirit and doing a project that made me happy before it made me money. I was not particularly in love with eyewear when I started in the industry, but simply ended up here by coincidence.

But over the years it has become a beautiful dance where love for design, love for changing things and challenging myself and the business has been gathered in a great mix of having fun with what we do. Love and passion for our concept is what me and Jakob, my business partner, insist on passing on every day.

Jacob Kilsgaard, Kilsgaard

Kilsgaard “59.1/3”

BRAND PROFILE

adR Ian maRwITZ What on Earth possesses a man to start his own eyewear brand and market his goods to optical stores by simply showing up without an appointment or prior notice? As it turns out, the man behind the new â&#x20AC;&#x153;Urban

Strangersâ&#x20AC;?collection

who

chose the town of Munich as a new home was moved by a dramatic event that changed the course of his life.

Find out more in our exclusive EyEWEAR interview.

126

Text: Jana Wenge Portrait: Stefan Dongus Stills: Raphael Schmitz

BRAND PROFILE

Adrian Marwitz Stranger 3 + Stranger 1

128

Hello Adrian, how come you’re wearing a frame without any lenses?

To me, glasses are a medical product and a fashion accessory all at the same time. Since I don’t need corrective lenses, I use it as the latter. Plus it’s also pretty cool to be able to scratch your eye with your fi nger right through the frames.

Tell us a bit about the eyewear family dynasty you come from.

My father is the founder and owner of Conquistador from Berlin, while my grandfather was a co-founder in Marwitz & Hauser in Stuttgart. Both companies have been – and still are – successful eyewear companies. But I just want to do things differently and follow my own philosophy.

Did your forefathers have it easier in the eyewear business?

No, that’s not really the case. One of their advantages was the smaller number of competitors on the market.

But at the same time, there weren’t as many international trade shows or industry magazines back then.

Nowadays it’s a much faster process, in

my opinion, for a brand to reach a certain degree of recognition.

Where did you learn the trade?

What influenced you?

I trained as an optician at an eyewear workshop in Berlin. They offered excellent training in terms of craftsmanship which I mostly owe to the owner, Klaus Meier. Thank you Klaus!

Additionally, I also earned my degree in marketing.

BRAND PROFILE

At the age of 28 you’re pretty young

and got us back on solid ground safely.

to have your own eyewear label.

And as for me, I went and started

When did you decide to take the

my own business.

leap into starting your own business? There was a special

What makes your glasses stand out?

occasion, right?

My eyewear collection, currently

Yes, that’s true. A couple of years ago

consisting of 15 models in four colors,

I was on a fl ight from Berlin to

is entirely “handmade in Germany.”

Munich. There was a terrible storm

That is a seal of quality increasingly

that night. Our plane kept hitting

popular with opticians as well as

turbulence the entire way there and

customers. The glasses are pretty plain,

when we landed, the plane briefly

but also have a small colored stripe on

touched down and instantly launched

the hinges and the insides. The shapes

back up at a steep angle. All the

are quite modern but still highly

overhead compartments popped

marketable. Due to the fact that they

open, the luggage fell out, the oxygen

are crafted from block titanium, they

masks dropped from the ceiling. I was

appear very upscale and our high-

certain that I was going to die right

quality fi nishing process is the fi nal

then and there, and I thought about

icing on the cake.

all the things I had missed out on in my life. That’s when I realized that if I

you’re from Berlin originally. About

should survive this situation, I

a year ago you moved to Munich.

needed to start my own business in

Where do you feel most at ease and

order to realize my own ideas

why?

according to my own philosophy.

These are two really different cities,

The end of the story is that the pilot

which makes the question hard to

turned out to be really well-trained

answer. Berlin is trendy, international 130

and loud; a real global metropolis.

Munich on the other hand is very much defi ned by economic factors; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s well-organized and many national and inter national companies are based here.

I enjoy being in both cities. Munich might be better for your health since youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll end up heading to the mountains on the weekends instead of going to Berghain [club].

BRAND PROFILE

What’s something you can do in

stores without making an

Berlin that’s missing in Munich?

appointment or giving prior notice.

Go shop at the late-night convenience

How are you able to succeed this

store and eat a legitimate Doner

way?

sandwich.

At first I only sold at our first trade show in Munich, with pretty good

And what’s happening in Munich

numbers for my company’s size at the

that Berlin can’t offer?

time. I hardly had to generate any leads

Skiing and going for a swim in the Isar

since I was busy fulfi lling existing

River.

orders. Now for the last few weeks I’ve started visiting some opticians around

you have a great number of

Germany. I want to meet them on-site

customers abroad. What makes

to make sure that the stores are a good

Adrian Marwitz eyewear

fit for the brand. That’s why I don’t

attractive for opticians on an

make appointments and drop by the

international level?

store out of the blue. So far I’ve never

In the high-end segment the glasses are

been kicked out or treated in an

in line with the overall trend towards

unfriendly manner. Most of the time,

metal and away from plastics.

the stores need to decide to drop an

Retailers right now are selling more

existing brand in order to make room

and more metal again, for instance in

for a new one. But some could be won

London, where my glasses are getting a

over instantly to place an order.

great response. you appear really calm and Finding new customers for you

collected. What pushes Adrian

means seeking out opticians in

Marwitz’s buttons?

different cities and convincing them

That’s all just for show. On the

of your glasses. you like to visit

inside, I’m like a volcano. What 132

really pushes my buttons is whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s happening in our world right now, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too much to get into; we could fi ll volumes with that.

Who would you like to see wearing Adrian Marwitz glasses?

My uncle, Otto.

Adrian Marwitz Stranger 6 + Stranger 9

BRAND PROFILE

you are specialized in titanium

My fi rst customer was Auerbach &

glasses. Is there a kind of eyewear

Steele in London. The fi rst in

that you simply cannot stand?

Denmark was Tonny Jepsen from

Regardless of the material, glasses

Silkeborg, in Switzerland we had

that aren’t representative of a

Stuber Optik from Wil, the fi rst in

philosophy.

Germany was Schwär Brillen from Freiburg and Bouffier Optik from

What were some of the most

Wiesbaden also joined in quite early

important milestones after starting

on.

your own company?

Naturally, the fi rst trade show

Which other labels do you

presentation in Munich and the

appreciate?

orders generated there. The second

Many. Reiz for instance is doing a great

milestone only happened recently

job.

with turning the business into a limited liability company and

What’s your biggest wish for the

launching the new collection, “Urban

future?

Strangers.” The third milestone will

For me personally: Being able to carry

be the upcoming trade show in Mu-

on like I have been so far. And for the

nich.

industry: That opticians are going to bank on independent labels even more.

Who were some of the opticians that did some pioneering work as the first ones to support your labels after your trade show premiere?

134

E

Y

E

W

E

A

R

MunicEyeWear „857“

136

BY DIRk SCHuMACHER

MUniCEyEWEAR „856“

Rebecca Minkoff X Shane Baum „Grand“

138

Leisure Society „La Maddelena“

Barton Perreira „Feldon“

140

Lindberg „8577“

ic! berlin „Luja“

142

KBL „All American Rocket“

Funk Royal „Mut“

144

Sky Eyes “SKSILO“

Serengeti „Sophia“

Photos: Dirk Schumacher Styling: Janina Cüpper c/o 21 Agency Düsseldorf Hair & Make-Up: Jenny Retzlaff c/o Gloss Artist Management Cape Town Production: Linzy Cilliers c/o North South Production Cape Town Post Production: Carsten Klask Postroom Models: Dilys Lambert c/o Full Circle Cape Town Chelsea le Roux c/o Ice Model Management Cape Town Alessandra Cirotto c/o Ice Model Management Cape Town

146

www.facebook.com/metropolitan.eyewear

OWP Brillen GmbH, www.metropolitan-eyewear.de

htp.de

COLLECTION CHECK

ØRgReen sun cOLLecTIOn By popular demand from their international customer base, Ørgreen expanded their sunglasses collection to seven models. In related news, all new models can now be outfitted with prescription lenses – and we found out the reason why in our interview with Tobias Wandrup, the upscale Danish label’s co-founder and designer. And since it’s the Collection Check of this issue, Tobias also shares his personal take on every single piece of the new Ørgreen line.

Here we go!

Portrait: Stefan Dongus Stills: Raphael Schmitz

148

Capote: Our version of the classic Panto shape with unique color combinations (front, lenses, and temples, seen as a whole), which makes it very modern.

Easy Rider: The most classic shape in the collection. Yet with a very contemporary touch due to the colors.

Tobias, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve increased the number of sunglasses in your collection. What was the motivation?

We started out as a sunglasses

conclude that there is a strong

company, and since day one

potential for an increase in sales within

sunglasses have had a very special

this category. Additionally, we also

place in our hearts. And they were also

hear from more and more opticians

the major catalyst that shaped us as a

that they have a growing number of

brand. For quite some time now, we

consumers asking for premium

have experienced agrowing demand

quality sun­glasses that can be used

from our optical retailers for a larger

with prescription lenses. In the past, we

sun collection, which also leads us to

put a lot of effort into creating thin and

COLLECTION CHECK

super lightweight sun­glasses from

How many models are there?

beta titanium, which were working fine

The new collection consists of seven

for consumers who wore contact lenses

new models – three female, three male

or had perfect eyesight. But the mate-

and one unisex.

rial did have its down­-sides and limitations in terms of using

Which materials are these seven

prescription lenses. Now, all models in

models crafted from?

the new collection are made from

All the new models are made from our

titanium with a base curve, which

signature block titanium with beta

makes it possible to easily mount even

titanium temples, handcrafted in Japan,

the strongest prescription lenses – all

as usual.

in an attempt to meet the demand of our end-consumers.

Please sum up the collection in just

Next to increasing the number of

one sentence.

models, we have also up­graded the

Understated, stylish, clean and cool,

sunglasses collection in terms of the

which can be seen both in the design

quality of the lenses. All new models

and in the calm and balanced color

feature Zeiss CR-39 lenses with several

combi­nations.

extra coatings. Our colored and gradient lenses are, of course,

What’s the difference between the

carefully chosen to compliment the

sun and optical collection? Are there

unique color combinations of the

any differences at all?

frames. As an extra touch, each model

When designing an optical collection

also has one SKU available with

you need to take into consideration

Polarized Zeiss lenses.

that these are frames which an end

150

Rebel: Takes you by surprise once you put it on.

North: Tightly curved lines in true Ă&#x2DC;rgreen style.

Tallulah: The Diva-look with an Ă&#x2DC;rgreen twist: A shape you will expect to see in acetate, but might not have seen in titanium before!

COLLECTION CHECK

consumer will have to wear each and every day, for several years maybe,

Which celebrity would you like to see

without tiring of them. This fact

wearing Ørgreen sunnies?

obviously gives you some limitations if

We prefer to see our sunnies on

you want to create a long-lasting design

whoever who will truly wear them

product that the consumer is going to

with style and a sense of pride, whether

love year after year. With sunglasses,

they are a celeb or not. If I must name

you can work more freely, maybe play

one: Javier Bardem. He’s got that “wild”

around a bit more.

look. He would certainly add something special to the frame!

Which colors are setting the tone in your collection right now?

And what’s your favorite model?

“Contrast” is the key word! Matte

Hard to pick one, but North is a style I

industrial hues – in the front – mixed

like a lot.

with sandblasted gold, palladium and white gold colors on the temples.

Why the North?

Calm, understated and almost Zen-

It’s clearly got the classic Ørgreen

like tones from a distant past, mixed

DNA, the lines are timeless and have

with modern designs to get that

been with us since 1997.

special Ørgreen look.

And finally, what’s the next step for Ørgreen?

Aiming for the moon!

152

Jones: The front and temples meet in unique asymmetry, the frame itself is like an ultra-feminine mask.

Florence: Elegance in a very cool and relaxed way.

COLOR F X

h O f f m a n n n a T u R a L e y e w e a R w O O d e n c

O

L

O

R

s

154

After a period marked by bright neon colors and harsh contrasts, colorways are becoming more calm this year. The new color palette adds to the overall appearance of the frames, but leaves the main focus on the wearerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eyes. New hues include warm and cool browns in spice and chocolate tones as well as denim blue and petrol. The insides of the frames can still feature bright red or lush green for contrast. To see these new stylistics executed with taste and reďŹ nement, look no further than the new Horn & Wood Delights series by Hoffmann Natural Eyewear. All models are available in either wood or horn versions.

MOODBOA R D

156

Co b l e n s from Ko b l e n z

MOODBOA R D

W

hen it comes to successful upcoming eyewear labels, look

no further than Germany-based brand Coblens. Created by Ralf Schmidt, Fabian Hofmann and Nils Kaesemann, Coblens gained solid footing on the market incredibly quick, to the point of making it seem as if the brand had always been around. This is mainly due to the fact that all the fundamentals have been in place right from the start: the logo artwork, the advertising campaigns, and the avant-garde trade show booths. There is an underlying harmony at work on every level of the brand.

158

Coblens eyewear appears natural where other brands try a bit too hard to be “retro” or deliver stylistics from a certain time period. There’s a warm, fuzzy feeling associated with Coblens; not cold, technical but easy-going and inviting thanks to their colorways and materials. Coblens puts an emphasis on the way the brand feels to the touch – from the packaging all the way to glasses.

MOODBOA R D

The models designed by Fabian Hofmann implement materials sourced from allover the globe. Coblens is constantly looking for the best-possible quality and all products are exclusively made by hand. And although the understated look of the frames may suggest otherwise, Coblens invests a lot of energy into developing new manufacturing processes and finishing methods. Through it all, Coblens frames offer a distinct signature style that is recognizable without looking forced.

160

The strength of the concept behind

With that being said, how about

Coblens truly shines at their flagship

letting the strong concepts and

store in their namesake town,

stylistics behind Coblens speak for

Koblenz in Germany.

them­selves? We’re introducing a new

Entering the state-of-the-art retail

feature in our magazine that’s easy on

space feels like entering a concept

the words, heavy on the images.

store for an interior design brand,

Presenting: Our first MOODBOARD

replete with brand-consistent color

segment, showcasing what Coblens

codes throughout the entire store:

has to offer under the motto, “talk

Consistent color­ways from Coblens

less – show more.”

advertising campaign visuals are reflected in the furniture, lamps and wall plates all the way to the floors and the typefaces used on the drawers holding the coveted frames.

Their first collab project, Coblens X HAW, once again proves their sure hand for high-end stylistics.

Designed by Hermann August Weizenegger, all models of the collection are stunning eye catchers.

And did we mention that Coblens is expanding their retail presence? In Spring 2014, Coblens will open a new store in Berlin’s Mitte district to showcase their own pieces, but also those of select international designer brands.

MOODBOA R D

162

R X D E TA I L S

LIndbeRg 1 24 6 AC E TA N I U M

Going through our current stock of

Furthermore, the reinforcement of the

glasses, one particular model caught our

bridge also serves as the foundation for

eye: the LINDBERG 1246. The main

the equally flexible and adjustable

kicker about the 1246 is that – much like

nose-pad arms. Next to its technical

all LINDBERG frames – it is the perfect

finesse and comfort, the LINDBERG

showcase for achieving a high level of

1246 offers an outstanding amount of

know-how for acetate processing with

lightness, flexibility and adjustability.

advanced titanium craftsmanship.

But let’s not get lost in all the technical

At first sight, the glasses may look like

features. We also like the retro-elegant

ordinary acetate eyewear, but as the

style of the 1246 in the AG03 colorway.

name suggests, LINDBERG Acetanium

The classical black acetate with fragments

is a combination of acetate and titanium.

of mother-of-pearl form a timelessly

The front of the frame and the temples

discreet pattern. We leaned in closely

are made from acetate, while titanium

with our macro photography lenses to

has been implemented for reinforcement

present: The LINDBERG 1246 – with

of the temples, bridge and lugs.

all its glorious RX Details.

164

Photos: Raphael Schmitz

g-STAR RAW „fAT TACoMA“

BY M A R T IN B AuENDA Hl 166

Entourage of 7 „Huey“

168

Hapter „A01S“

Freigeist „863004“

170

Freigeist „863005“

Adrian Marwitz „Stranger No. 5“

172

Whiteout & Glare „7065 Wainscott“

174

Paul Frank „infra-riot“

Moscot „Glick“

Kuboraum „Maske K10“

Photos: Martin Bauendahl Hair & Mak-Up: Sheila-Michelle Rieke c/o ballsaal Models: Marie ℅ M4 Models Luca ℅ M4 Models Alessandro Hasni + Nicolas Hasni ℅ Kult Models Photo Assistants: Julian Fichtl, Marius Uhlig Many thanks to Briese Studios Hamburg

176

B Y M an u e l M itte l p u n k t

Etnia Barcelona â&#x20AC;&#x17E;Naraâ&#x20AC;&#x153;

Chanel „3264-Q“

Lozza „VL4007“

Escada „VES297“

Rocco „RR 417“

Rocco „RR 315“

Metropolitan „8219“

Metropolitan „8218“

Metropolitan „8218“

Metropolitan „8021“

Boz „Via 3333“

FROM WORK TO SPORT AND BACK AGAIN, THE CROSSLINK® PRESCRIPTION FRAME KEEPS UP WITH EVERYTHING

OAKLEY PRESCRIPTION COLLECTION + MARK CAVENDISH | PRO CYCLIST

© 2013, Oakley Icon | OAKLEY.COM

D E TA I L S

R A L P H vA E S S E N

CON R AD Photos: Raphael Schmitz Text: Jana Wenge

WHEN A SKED IN AN INTERvIEW TO DESCRIBE HIS COLLECTION IN A MERE FIvE W O R D S , R A L P H vA E S S E N O F F E R E D : “ I N O N E WORD: SE X OR EPIC, IN FIvE WORDS: THE M O S T BE AUTIF U L C O L L EC TI O N E v E R . ”

186

D E TA I L S

Definitely not one to shy away from the spotlight, the designer has backed up his bold words with a solid track record. His career took him from government employee to eyewear designer. During water-coolerconversations at a drab government office building he would look his colleagues straight into the eyes – and maybe that’s where he discovered that the corrective eyewear segment offered much room for improvement when it comes to style. Something could be done to lead people from considering eyewear as a mere utility – and as a designeraccessory of the 21st century instead. Since starting his own label, the Dutch designer has been sourcing his eyewear from a German horn glasses manufacturer where every piece is handmade.

Celebrities such as Kate Moss and David Lynch are already part of his growing fan base. And looking at the Conrad model crafted from real buffalo horn with a wooden cut-out front panel, we can see why even wearers with perfect 20/20 vision would want one.

It’s all in the details...

188

M AT E R I A L W O R L D

sIngLe whITe femaLe, LIkes Red and meTaL... iC! BERlin „ClAREnCE“

MARKUS T „T 3“

190

göTTi „noRRiS“

Single White female, the title of the erotic thriller from the year 1992 also works well to headline this edition of “Material World.” We could also add “red” and “metal” as characteristics to this line of glasses that would surely look great on the movie’s protagonists, Bridget fonda and Jennifer Jason leigh. our featured selection offers the right models for all self-confident women with a penchant for delicate metal glasses, which are currently making a huge comeback. Since red is the proverbial color of love – and this is our love issue – we decided to focus on models in the red color spectrum, ranging from orange all the way to purple. These six glasses by götti, Markus T, Marc o’Polo, ic! Berlin, Ørgreen and Strenesse offer lightweight elegance in subtlecolorways. lovely!

Photo: Raphael Schmitz

STREnESSE „ST33“

ØRgREEn „RoSEMARy“

MARC o'Polo „502055“

R E TA I L P R O F I L E

aLpengLÜhn ZuRIch aLL ThaT gLITTeR, aLL ThaT gLOw

The word Alpenglühn (“alpenglow”) denotes a reddish light on the summits of snow-covered mountain peaks at sunset or sunrise. A golden glow covering the mountaintops and valleys, bringing to mind scenes from the popular animated series“Heidi, Girl of the Alps.”

Alpenglühn is also the name of a specialty optical store on Rüdenplatz square in Zurich, where the carefully chosen mix of products on the shelves adds its own kind of luster.

This is actually our second profile of a Swiss optical store in a row. Last issue, we visited the picturesque town of Bern, while this time we’re headed to cosmopolitan Zurich; a city known for bridging the gap between a laid-back historical atmosphere and the amenities of a globally connected metropolis. The Alpenglühn store can be found in the old town right across from St. Peter church, with its tower known for having the largest clock dial in all of Europe. Inside, the store led

by Kai Müller and Markus Moser offers a striking selection embedded in unique interior design. We spoke to Kai Müller about keeping the passion glowing after almost 20 years in the business.

192

Photos: Stefan Dongus

Kai M端ller on the Nor th face of the Alpengl端hn wall.

R E TA I L P R O F I L E

Hello Kai, how can you even get any work done in Zurich with all the activities, the mountains and the lake right on your doorstep to distract you?

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m one of those privileged people who perceive their work not as work, but as a

be nice â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but which one? Right at the

passion. I really enjoy working at

time, we had a family friend over for a

AlpenglĂźhn and it really enriches my

visit who was an optician, and he really

daily life. The beautifulsurroundings are

made the job sound attractive. After two

100% inspiring to me and I am grateful

internships it was a done deal for me and

to be working in such a place.

I went to look for an apprenticeship.

What led you into the eyewear

How did you end up owning a specialty

business?

optical shop?

It was this drive to leave school at age 16

My business partner and I studied op-

and to find a job in a new environment

tometry together at the University of

working with adults. I did not want to

Applied Sciences in Olten. During this

work at an office, so a handicraft would

time we had pretty intense discussions 194

The historical old town of zurich offers a nice contrast to the bright store interiors .

about what the ideal optical store would

Next to the amazing location, what’s

look like. We wanted to somehow

the special charm of Alpenglühn?

create a professional future for ourselves

Personal, warm-hearted, unconstrained,

that was different from what was offered

nice eyewear, competent service. Or as

at the time. So about seven months after

we sum it up in our slogan: “Alpenglühn

graduating we went out to search for a

opens your eyes and heart.”

suitable location and after some setbacks we discovered our current

The reason for your name instantly be-

retail space here in the heart of Zurich.

comes clear upon setting foot into the store. But what came first? your name, or the golden glowing wall?

We had the name first. The wall was created over a prolonged period of time, since all the individual layers of paint needed to dry before applying the next one. As the last step, we chose the color – “gold.”

R E TA I L P R O F I L E

Optical retail is not your only venture.

Then we asked the company whether we

You’ve branched out into running your

could get the import rights for

own distribution agency. What was the

Switzerland and they became our first

motivation?

product. A while later, we added the

We never planned on becoming a distri-

first frames collection and later also the

bution agency. We already had our hands

metal plate glasses made by three

full setting up our shop and building a

original characters in Berlin. Because of

customer base. Unfortunately, some of

these glasses we had to start the

the existing “top dogs” in our city’s

Alpenglühn Handels company, which

eye­­wear retail scene blocked our

now employs five people.

access to some popular brands we were

Do you and your partner deal with

familiar with, so our launch line-up of

both aspects or is there a clear divi-

brands was rather small. This made us

sion of responsibilities?

look for alternative ways of sourcing and

Naturally, we exchange ideas on the

during our search for exciting products we made lots of interesting connections.

segments independent of one another.

This way, everyone has a chance to

How about some examples?

identify with their work more.

At the New York tradeshow, Markus discovered a small, foldable clip which he brought back to the store. At the time, sun clips were a huge hit and I was really

regular. But we like to run both

After working together closely for such a long time, did the two of you develop behavior patterns reminis-

into the product. And since the company had no representation in Switzerland, we ordered lots of these clips to sell to our network of friends.

cent of a married couple... like, “in good and bad times?”

Yes, that’s definitely true. At least from my perspective. There’s a kind of 196

familiarity that helps us arrive at a

why the “meet & greet” aspect is just as

mutual understanding and have

important these days and really makes

complete trust in your partner. It also

every trade show visit a pleasant

helps us to never lose our true focus,

experience.

even when there’s a large disagreement. And we’re always

Did you find some new labels for your

keeping an open mind for sound advice.

line-up? Are there some groundbreaking new brands,

You are in charge of the store in

must-have items for 2014?

Zurich. It’s pretty safe to say that the

I’m pretty reserved when it comes to

town is rather rich. What are some of

giving advice. I think every­one should

the challenges for an optician in such

know for themselves what they want to

a city?

show their customers. But I really liked

I can only speak for myself. The

glasses by Suzy Glam. And wooden

customers are very demanding and they

glasses by ROLF were once again

want to be able to feel your authenticity,

technically refined, brilliant. Since I’m

honesty and passion.

looking for small companies with an authentic presentation, my approach

We recently met you at the Paris

was pretty selective, so I didn’t have

tradeshow. What attracts you to these

the time to look at many ven­dors in

events – the “meet & greet” aspect or

detail. Our “must-haves” are Reiz,

inspiration for new products?

Hervé Domar, ic! berlin, Retrospecs,

Pretty much both. I still get a sense of

Bevel, Lunor, l.a. Eyeworks, Blac,

curiosity when I visit trade shows. But I

Ursprung and natural horn glasses.

also know from experience that real surprises are actually quite rare. That’s

R E TA I L P R O F I L E

What’s the idea behind this selection

product in a personal atmosphere. And

of brands?

in many cases they are people who have

All of these brands have their own

to meet high standards in their

signature style and work in a very

workplace.

professional and dedicated manner. This is reflected in their quality, delivery

And how do you make sure that these

capabilities, consistency and their

customers will return to your store for

price-performance ratio.

their next eyewear purchase?

Our customer service is proactive,

Have you ever tried your hand at

competent and friendly. We provide our

eyewear design?

customers with an outstanding product

I design glasses at regular intervals,

that will give them joy on a daily basis for

which Dieter Wollenweber or Pascal Nüesch implement for me in natural horn. I’m currently working on a new model which we’ll showcase at Blickfang design trade show in Zurich. Most of the time, these are ideas I’ve had on my mind for a long time. It’s at a pretty manageable scale, so I’m still really familiar with each model even years later.

What kinds of customers does your store attract? Who are the “usual suspects?”

We attract customers who are looking for – and are able to appreciate – a great

198

a long time. Here and there we also invite

can have is during product counseling,

customers to one of our events.

handing over the glasses and during follow-up service. We’ll send customers

Aside from events, how do you

their info via text message or email. And

communicate with your customers?

we use postcards to send invites to our

More the old-school “catalogue and

events, while we make small booklets

birthday card” approach or the

for Blickfang trade show.

complete social media gambit?!

Neither one. I don’t have the time and motivation to go all out on social media, and I really can’t stand birthday cards.

The most intense communication you

What’s the most beautiful aspect of your work?

My personal interactions with diverse and interesting people as well as selling high-quality products.

What are some key areas independent opticians need to master in order to remain competitive against large retail chains?

You have to have a great interest in your market segment in order to be able to respond quickly and flexibly to changes on the market. For me it’s clearly about being an all-round talent, someone who has an idea about psychology, business economics, craftsmanship, customer empathy, sales, design and the tools of the trade.

R E TA I L P R O F I L E

Let’s assume Kai Müller has converted to Hinduism. What do you expect to be doing in your next life?

As a strategically thinking person I already spend all my days trying to live in the present moment, not tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. So I’m really

ALPENGLÜHN AM RÜDENPLATZ

not interested at all in what will come in

Nägelihof 1

the next life. For me it’s already enough

8001 Zürich

to know that it’ll happen!

Switzerland www.alpengluehn.ch

yes, that is already something.

Great seeing you!

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THE NE COLLECTIO URBA STRANGER

FIND US AT OPTI THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE SHOW FOR OPTICS & DESIGN, MUNICH 10.–12.01.2014 HALL C4 BOOTH 427 YES AREA

ADRIANMARWITZ.COM

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Text: Jana Wenge

Photo: Raphael Schmitz

T E C H TA L K

J . F. R e Y CO LO R B OX If black is your favorite color, you may be full of hidden depth, but also suppressed longings. At least that’s what color psychology says, which tends to be a rather cryptic kind of science. If you are looking to add some splashes of color to your wardrobe without going all out on brightly colored frames, you might want to give the ColorBOX glasses by J.F. Rey a try.

This new line features small color accents on the temples together with the new TitaBOX® titanium temple system. In previous years, the Marseille-based label already made a name for itself with elaborate metal frame constructions and now is also branching out into plastic frames.

We’re keeping an eye on them!

NARCISSISM

By VAlEnTin MüHl

Jacket: Costum National Dress: Hallhuber

MARKUS T „T2“

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MARKUS T „M3“

götti „Alley“

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Shirt: H&M Dress: Ivan Aiplatov

göTTi „AdEllE“

Coat: Zara Jacket: C’N’C

MARTin & MARTin „TRiSTAn“

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Martin & Martin „Thomas“

Jacket: Costum National Dress: Dilyana Hristova

i-SPAX „TRAViS“

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ic! berlin „Julius“

HAMBURg EyEWEAR „lASSE“

Dress: Sportma x Shirt: DAKS

HAMBURg EyEWEAR „nilS“

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Dress: Ivan Aiplatov

KBL „Diamond Rock“

Jacket: Zara

MAKElloS „ME 9000“

Photos: Valentin Mühl location: Planeroad Studios düsseldorf Styling: natalie Hellmann c/o Top Agence Key Hair & Make-Up: Holger Weins c/o 21 Agency with products from Makeup forever and M.A.C. Hair & Make-Up: Monika Mages Models: Sander K. c/o MgM Models Jil Marie c/o no Toys Mariya Mezentseva c/o Model Pool Sascha K. c/o no Toys Mandy-Kay Bart

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w w w. fle y e . d k

|

fleye@fleye.dk

|

+4 5 4 6 47 0 0 0 0

Rolf „MAJESTiC 45“

A SSIMI

Rolf „ESPAdA 05“

l ATION

By JoSEPH foRd

BURBERRy „B 4157“

dolCE gABBAnA „dg 4197“

CAzAl „607/3 lEATHER EdiTion“

CAzAl „607/3 lEATHER EdiTion“

RoCCo „RR 418“

HoffMAnn nATURAl EyEWEAR „V7729“

REiz „BiRKE“

Photos: Joseph Ford www.josephford.net Retoucher: Recom Farmhouse www.recomfarmhouse.com Hair & Make-up - Susa Piiroinen Assistants - Ella Bernhardt, Lewis Crutchley, Rosie Ashbourne Models: Eva-Marie Becker @ BMA Robert Tremain @ BMA Olivier Geraghty @ Nevs Thanks to Spencer and Ellie @ yellowave Beachsports, Madeira Drive, Brighton

FRIEDERIKE/FASHION DESIGNER/ WEARS MARKUS T 100% Handmade in Germany

InVu uLTR a pOL aR IZed

Photos: Raphael Schmitz

NEW IN TOWN

Let’s raise our glasses to welcome a new eyewear label to the industry. Skeptics may say, Do we really need another brand? To which we’d like to respond: How many labels with a clear focus are really out there? Not that many, right? And the new Swiss-based brand INVU is as on-point as it gets: Every pair of glasses from their inaugural collection features ultra polarized lenses with price points set in the “Impulse Price Segment” – perfect for a large consumer target group. As the brand from Zurich, whose production team includes former employees of Polaroid, says in its mission statement: “Polarized lenses for everyone!”

INVU T2 415B

INVU T2 407

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INVU B1407

INVU B1405

And what about the name? INVU is pronounced “in view” – pretty straightforward for an eyewear brand – while sounding out the letters I, N, V, U makes a bold statement: “I envy you.” We see what you did there. Once the glasses hit stores in Spring 2014, everyone is invited to “Discover Ultra Polarization.” For a first look at designs and to view INVU’s stylish introductory video feature, visit the official website www.invueyewear.com

NEW IN TOWN

Freigeist 863004

fR e I ge Is T

GERMAN EYEWEAR

Free your mind – and the rest will follow. For all independent thinkers with a penchant for sophisticated eyewear, the new German label Freigeist – a name that roughly translates into “free spirit” – has been offering its own independent take on eyewear design since Summer 2013. And as we speak, the rookie brand is already putting the finishing touches on their Spring 2014 offering. Freigeist – a name synonymous with German eyewear design for individual-minded eyewear heads. And speaking of heads, the new collection’s eight titanium and acetate frames and seven metal glasses are all sized for men with rather large noggins (sizes 57-62). Accordingly, let’ say the designs make rather generous use of materials.

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Freigeist 862006

The aesthetics are masculine, purist, no-frills and disciplined – an impression enhanced by the slim temples on the frames. The overall feel of the glasses is sturdy with a highly convenient fit. When it comes to colors, Freigeist likes to keep it plain, while offering a large variety of upscale surface finishes for that sophisticated overall look. So there you have it: Free-spirited eyewear for independent thinkers. As to when Freigeist will be releasing the first collection for female eyewear aficionados – we have no clue. Maybe it’s already in the works? They’re rather unpredictable, those free-thinking types...

NEW TECH

bL ac+

Photos: Raphael Schmitz

feaTuRIng 3d pRInTIng TechnOLOgy

Danish eyewear label Blac+ enjoys a reputation as a technically progressive brand, also thanks to their frames crafted from carbon.

Their two latest releases are upping the ante when it comes to state-of-the-art technology: The front segment of the Blac+28 and Blac+30

The Blac+28 is a strikingly masculine frame: strong and

frames have been crafted with a

self-confident but also highly comfortable. As the perfect

3D-laser printing method. This

feminine counterpart, the Blac+30 is softer, but makes an

new process, together with

equally strong fashion statement. One of the main features

temples crafted from carbon and

of the novel manufacturing method: Thanks to

front segments made from

3D-printing, glasses can be made in ultra small quantities,

polyamide P22, unlock an

opening up new levels of creative and individual product

incredible light weight for

design. On that note, dear folks at Blac+, how about creating

frames of this size.

an exclusive pair of glasses for EYEWEAR Magazine?

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Cazal 627 X Eyewear Magazine The Holidays came early this year for one of our Facebook friends: As a special surprise, Santa dropped off a pair of shades featuring an engraving of our magazine’s logo on the temples. This may not sound like enough to get savvy collectors fired up about this special gift, but there’s more: These shades, made by no other than legendary brand Cazal from the town of Passau, are unique in every way: This is a re-release of the 627 model in a green original leather application – and there is no second pair in the world like it.

Photos: Stefan Dongus

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Ever since the early days of hip hop, the 627 model has been a milestone in Cazal’s company history – and eyewear design as a whole. To no surprise, the 627 is back as part of the Cazal Legends collection, which today is attracting musicians and style aficionados from far beyond the hip hop genre (we could drop some names, but hey, that would be bragging).

Ultimately, this special collabo with Cazal ended up being more than just fun and games. There were bribes. By close friends. Which we all turned down. And there was lots of scrutiny regarding our criteria for picking the winner – which we decided on by entirely subjective standards (because we can). But for reasons of personal safety, we are unable to share the name of the new owner of the legendary Cazal shades. Having gangster rappers knocking on your door is never fun – even if they’re only after your 627s...

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Designers of limited edition frames for sunglasses and prescription eyewear

Face: Marina AbramoviÄ&#x2021;. Frame: Kitchen. Grooming: Sonia Lee for La Mer. Photographer: Greg Gorman. Šl.a.Eyeworks, 2013. www.laeyeworks.com

Photos: Tobias Schult c/o Hauser fotografen > www.tobiasschult.com Assistent: Johannes Husen | Styling: Rafael Wodynski | Hair and Make-Up: Claudia Runge

By To B i A S SC H U lT

pA SSION lindBERg „7401“

•dAVide riz zo – loVeS gl A SS•

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LINDBERG „8571“

Woodone „Cameron“

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WoodonE „ARTUS“

•Pe ter – loVeS be Au tiFul MotorC yCleS•

l.A. EyEWoRKS „dATE SHAKE“

•M r S . F r A n K i e S t e i n – l o V e S l At e x• 242

l.a.

Eyeworks „Bar Fedora“

Marc O‘Polo „505036 “

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MARC o‘Polo „503052 “

•K A r i M e l - b A r b A r i – l o V e S A r t•

oAKlEy „PAnEl “

•MArVin – loVeS boxing• 246

Oakley „Frogskins LX “

I p

n h

s O

T T

O

a c

g O

R n

T

a e

m s

T

For your viewing pleasure: Here’s an exclusive selection of quirky images from our latest Instagram Photo Contest! At the start of Silmo trade show, we asked our readers to follow our account and post an Instagram pic with the hashtag #EyewearContest. We wanted creativity without boundaries. Rise, Hudson or Walden – no matter what the filter, as long as it was fresh and unconventional. Well, your submissions exceeded our wildest expectations.

And best of all: The ten entries with the most likes will receive a cool pair of sunglasses!

Major thanks to our supporters: Anderne, Funk, cazal, götti, ic! berlin, KBL Eyewear, Le Specs, MunicEyeWear, Oakley, Police, Rebecca Minkoff, and Strenesse.

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EDITOR‘ S CHOICE

hap TeR c04L FROM THE TXTL00 1 COL LECT ION

Here at EYEWEAR Magazine, we never cease to be amazed by the amount of extraordinary glasses finding their way into our humble studio. Many of these glasses are stunningly beautiful, others may be a bit “too much,” while beauty is of course always in the eye of the beholder. But when it comes to choosing the most beautiful glasses for this issue, we’re going with the new glasses by Italian label Hapter. And here’s why: The most striking thing about the frames is Hapter’s so-called MonoConcept: Without the use of any hinges, the front and temples of the frames are crafted from one single piece of material, weighing a mere 12 grams. The second detail to catch the eye are the textile fibers implemented into the frame material. In terms of colors, the txtl001 collection is rather understated, giving a nod to Italian military-issue uniforms of the 1920s to 1940s. Far from

understated, the quality of the lenses is signaled by the clearly visible “Z”-logo etched into the sunglasses lenses. For the Editor’s Choice of this issue, we’re going with the C04L model in textile code CC005 from the current collection. What a stunning piece of eyewear! And we’re not the only fans: Next to the iF Product Design Award and being named the best Hall of Frames Newcomer, Hapter has also just added the German Design Award 2014 to their growing list of merits.

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XL2040 WG Charmant GmbH Europe charmant.de

LOOK BOOK

CA Z AL DIRECT R’ S CUT Some guys have all the luck... While other brands often find themselves hard-pressed in search of models for newmedia productions, the good folks at Cazal eyewear can take it easy – new models will go out of their way to find them. For their current 2014 Lookbook, the iconic brand enlisted no other than Spike Lee, who actually took the initiative: In the previous year, the legendary film director and auteur had dropped Cazal a casual email, complementing their 2013 Lookbook. One thing led to another, until Spike officially signed up for this year’s photo shoot – standing in front of the camera, not behind the lens for a change. For photographer Armen Djerrahian, shooting with Spike Lee came as an honor and a challenge all at the same time. To help move things forward, Spike took an entire day off from his current projects for the shoot and even volunteered a couple of his favorite locations in Downtown Brooklyn while modeling the latest styles from the upcoming Cazal collection.

Cazal + Spike Lee + Brooklyn = a match made in heaven, as all Cazal fans around the world will surely agree.

Photos: Armen Djerrahian

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Sparen Sie Zeit und Geld!

Kaufen Sie Ihr Ticket online: www.opti.de/tickets

Alles auf einen Blick: www.opti.de

Sehen, was kommt. Erleben, was inspiriert. Verstehen, was den Erfolg maximiert: Auf der opti 2014 trifft sich wieder die gesamte Optik-Branche, um die Zukunft in ihr Blickfeld zu r端cken. Lassen auch Sie sich vom dynamischen Flair dieser einzigartigen Messe begeistern!

ART COLLABO

It’s safe to say that the collaboration between eyewear label Etnia Barcelona and artist Yves Klein is unconventional, especially since the influential painter passed away more than half a century ago. As part of his creative work as a painter, sculptor and performance artist in the 1950s, Klein arrived at what he considered the perfect shade of blue, which he then proceeded to patent. The name of the rich ultramarine colorway lives on as part of his legacy: International Klein Blue.

Fast-forward to 2013: Etnia Barcelona is the first brand to receive official license for using the patent-protected shade of blue. The glasses of the International Klein Blue collection offer timeless chic with a strong vintage inspiration. Equally elegant and fashion-forward, all models feature high-grade mineral lenses made by Barberini with a slight mirror effect for that overall “retro” look.

eTnIa baRceLOna

Next to scoring high marks in the style department, the collaboration also offers an added benefit to society: Royalties from the collection will go to the non-profit organization Orphanaid to develop initiatives and projects to benefit children and families in Ghana, West Africa.

y Ves kLeIn Photos: Raphael Schmitz

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STRENESSE Eyewear by IVKO GmbH

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Germany

|

www.strenesse-eyewear.de

wILL

TeaR

us

a pa R T

agaIn

Joy Division already knew in 2001: Nothing lasts forever – not even love. In their timelessly melancholic emo anthem, the British band makes a case for how love will bring us together, only to tear us apart (again). When it came to choosing a photo model capable of expressing these mixed emotions on completely opposite sides of the spectrum – pleasure and pain – we found the perfect fit in Violetta, who lays it all on the line in front of the camera. So here it is: the final page of our Love Issue, tearing apart our love affair like a shot to the heart. Hurts, doesn’t it? But hey, life goes on, and our magazine will be back on 11 May 2014 with Issue 11. We hope that you enjoyed the current issue and get over the breakup really soon.

As another famous singer put it: “The first cut is the deepest”. But we’ll always be friends...

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iC! BERlin „ClAUdE“

Photo: Stefan Dongus Styling: Rolf Buck Hair & Make-Up: yassa @ Nicola Weidemann with Weidemann Make-Up Products Model: violetta Schurawlow

Follow your nature JeFF BrIDGeS www.marc-o-polo.com