100 Seasons Markus T – Freedom Through Experience

To celebrate their 25th anniversary, MARKUS T is deliberately doing things a bit differently than other brands usually do when it comes to marking their first quarter-century in the industry. Their campaign 100 SEASONS is stunning from both a visual and a design perspective. For the East Westphalian brand, however, it’s far more than just a campaign –it reflects a creed and offers a call to action. 100 seasons worth of experience have given MARKUS T the skills and confidence to flexibly and sustainably launch new designs and campaigns. We sat down with founder Markus Temming to learn how he makes it work without damaging the brand’s identity.

Hi Markus. First off, congratulations on your 100 SEASONS campaign. It was a great success! So, why didn’t you just celebrate your 25th anniversary?

The classic wreath of silver laurels just doesn’t really suit us. That’s how we came up with the idea of 100 SEASONS in our marketing: 25 times spring, summer, fall and winter gives us 100 seasons of MARKUS T.

What does 100 SEASONS mean to you?

What’s the core message of the campaign?

We don’t just want to celebrate our birthday on a single day, but rather throughout the entire anniversary year of 2023.

How?

Internally with discounts for our employees and externally with a special campaign – this year, we ourselves are the models for all of our marketing materials! No matter whether it’s on a trade fair booth, advertisements or PoS materials, the graphical frame combined with the strong character of the blackand-white portraits really sets the stage for our eyewear models.

Let’s start by looking back at your company’s 25 years of history. What were your major milestones?

There are really a lot of those… One highlight of the brand’s life was certainly its “birth” in 1998 with the development of DESIGN Classic – a collection that we still have in our portfolio today. Our collections, customer base, patents, design awards and employee count all grew steadily to the point where we needed more space. That made 2016 another major milestone: When we moved into the glass factory in GüterslohIsselhorst. It was a project with a lot of ups and downs and emotions – often at the edge of what was doable. In retrospect it was a very exciting time and resulted in something that we’re very proud of.

As you should be! Materials and technology always play an important role – what represents MARKUS T in that regard?

We rely on two materials: Titanium of the highest quality and our own proprietary light-weight plastic TMi. We specialize in both materials from the raw materials to the shaping process and coloring. We perfect every step in the production process until it works just the way we want it. That’s how we developed our

Perfection through reduction

– restrained designs by MARKUS T.

patented titanium coloring process MSC in 2014, for example. It’s a highly complex anodizing process that’s still astonishing to see for us and our visitors years later. You’ve also made a real impression with your designs.

Yes, that’s true. We want people to be able to recognize our glasses on sight –even if there is no label on the frame to reveal the brand. Often, we find out that MARKUS T wearers know each other. How do you pull that off?

Our frames speak for themselves. We don’t disguise the technology, instead, we actively work to feature it center stage. With this new campaign you’re also deviating a little bit from the classical MARKUS T style. What’s changing?

In 2023 we are purposely experimenting with designs that aren’t as subdued as would be typical for MARKUS T. Take our anniversary collection, which we are raffling off during trade fairs as part of a social media campaign, for example.

For our motto, we took inspiration from the four seasons. Titanium frames, delicately laser-cut – for example with flower detailing for the spring frame. That kind of creative experimentation is something we’ll carry on throughout the year, featuring spontaneous ideas that we deliberately didn’t plan out ahead of time. So that brand identity isn’t being fundamentally revamped?

No, this approach doesn’t mean we are turning our back on who we were! There are always new ideas at MARKUS T, but this year we are purposely choosing to be braver and more experimental than we were – to worry less about the “ifs and buts”. With 25 years of experience, we can afford to try switching our focus.

“Perfection through reduction” is still a part of your guiding principles, though. Right?

Absolutely. Even when it’s changing directions, a brand should always keep its DNA in mind – and our brand’s genes are coded with “Simple. Beautiful. Intelligent.” How would you describe your current status quo? Has MARKUS T already changed, and where is it heading?

Of course, we change all the time – that’s also a part of our DNA. That doesn’t mean we blindly follow every trend. Rather, it means that we respond to the needs of opticians. That kind of flexibility is only possible because we manufacture here in Germany, in Gütersloh-Isselhorst. As a result, we have direct control over the quality of our products right here.

You sent us three new models from the DOT Mono Collection for this interview. What’s special about these models?

What really makes our popular DOT Mono Collection special is its unique hinge technology. The three new models are part of the DOT Mono Collection, but they also stand alone in a way. The two-dimensional design of the fronts is something I just considered very cool in its simplicity. So cool that I’m wearing it myself. The tone of the rose gold 24 karat PVD finish really makes the design pop and gives the frames a kind of special and classy “golden glow”.

Why the focus on rose gold? Is this also playing on your 100 SEASONS campaign? Which season do the three models belong to?

This impression of a “golden glow” is inspired by the warmer days that we’re all wishing for right now, right? The subtle rose gold of the satiny titanium surface gives the otherwise technical DOT frame a softer character – and a suggestion of summer. markus-t.com

What are you going to surprise us with next this year? What do you have in your pipeline?

You could just as easily ask: What are you going to surprise yourself with this year? As I mentioned, this year is special because it purposely isn’t all planned out – our ideas are going to show us the way. Spontaneously, creatively, and flexibly. We’re moving ahead confidently and comfortably with new designs with the understanding of what our strengths are. We’re excited for it! Then, so are we.

Despite their minimalism, LOOL delivers designs that are full of depth and pleasantly understated.

Lool – Sustainable

Eyewear From Barcelona

Pushing Boundaries With Minimalistic Designs And Eco-friendly Materials

LOOL is a Barcelona-based independent brand under the umbrella of the Etnia Eyewear Culture Group and it has shaken up the industry with its focus on quality materials, innovative designs, and local craftsmanship. The brand’s philosophy is that minimalistic doesn’t mean simplistic, and they create boundary-pushing designs that are understated but boast complex technology and craftsmanship. All of LOOL’s frames are built in Barcelona and inspired by the city’s forms, concepts, and contemporary architecture. Even landmarks like Parc Güell or Sagrada Familia find expression in the eyewear concepts of LOOL looleyewear.com

Sustainability is one of LOOL’s key values, and the brand is constantly exploring new eco-friendly materials and technologies to create even more sustainable eyewear in the future. The brand’s minimalistic design is functional and lightweight, and their ultra-light glasses weigh in at just 4g. LOOL eyewear uses quality materials such as 11r51 steel, which is stainless, flexible, and robust. The brand offers three multi-faceted ranges with strong but distinct identities.

LOOL is committed to sustainability and has implemented energy-efficient processes in its production facilities, and uses minimal packaging. The brand has taken its commitment to sustainability a step further with its innovative screwless hinge design, which not only creates a sleek and seamless look for the frames but also makes them more durable and long-lasting.

»Schwertschlucker«

»Regenmacher«

Einstoffen

EINSTOFFEN is an independent eyewear and fashion label from Switzerland. Known for their love of natural materials and experimental designs, EINSTOFFEN creates for open-minded people with their own ideas. The new styles »Schnapsbrenner«, »Regenmacher« and »Schwertschlucker« prove the Swiss brand’s stylistic competence.

»Schnapsbrenner«