Creative spirits

Artisan Excellence – Derome Brenner

1st August 2012 Xavier Derome bounds into the Blois train station, and the first thing I notice are his sunglasses — quietly distinctive, effortlessly luxurious and exuding confident quality. Blois is situated in the Loire Valley – that sumptuous region of France with its beautiful river and amazing chateaux. This area is Derome’s professional and personal territory – he was raised here, and many family members live here too – close to the historical, magical chateaux, and where Derome creates his own spell with beautifully crafted eyewear.

We drive by one of the most famous Chateau – Chambord – and as I’ve never been, Xavier graciously stops so we can have coffee in the garden, while admiring the extravagant architectural dream of King François 1. What inspires you, I ask Xavier? He looks up from his coffee and surveys the magnificence around him. “All of this,” he responds, gesturing to the beauty of the green forest, the open spaces, the superb chateau, the Loire River. “I was born in this region; it’s in my blood.”

Studying history at La Sorbonne didn’t really prepare Derome for the eyewear world. However, his father was involved in the production of frames, and this is where the seeds for his future career were sown. “What I really wanted to do was go live in Vietnam, to move away from France.” However, he believes in fate, and began to become interested in eyewear. “But I knew,” says Xavier, “that if I wanted to do this, it would be a long road to design eyewear, and I needed the skills. I learnt production at the ‘grass roots’ and the new technology. Eyewear production is still very special, and I developed a fondess for acetate, because with acetate, I could make jewellery too.”

We move onto Derome’s production facilities in the small village of Bracieux, and Flo Flo, Xavier’s adorable little miniature dachshund, greets us with enthusiastic barking. When all ten employees of Derome Brenner are at work, the factory is a beehive of activity. “I love machines and all this fascinates me,” says Derome, “and these Italian machines are able to do many processes, which are all intricate.” Derome Brenner frames are acclaimed for their exceptional craftsmanship, and the distinctive multiple layering of acetate that gives the impression of volume, without ever being heavy. The acetate is polished in special tumblers filled with wood chips, and Xavier savours holding each piece in his hands to observe the polishing process. No detail is overlooked; as a result, quantities are very small. “We keep no stock, and many frames are made to order. Everything is finished by hand – there are over 60 different steps. Only hand finishing can produce superior quality,” notes Derome, “and this requires concentration and good eyes.”

Xavier’s concentration, determination, creativity, passion and perseverance won him a SILMO d’OR in 2009, and his frames are sold worldwide. Recently, he lanched jewellery, which has met with great success. “I’ve carved a nice in the market,” says Derome, “and I have my own production plant; I can travel; I love my work; I love my job.” And eyewear fans across the globe love his beautiful frames. www.deromebrenner.com JG

ic! berlin – Designer’s Universe

1st July 2012 Ralph Anderl is the creative force behind the international brand ic! berlin. With his unbridled enthusiasm and ‘tour de force’ approach to life, I’ve always found his desire to experiment, explore and push barriers an exciting part of his personality, and his avant-garde designs. Perpetually on the move, Eyestylist was able to track him down, and he shares his concepts on eyewear and design.

“We had an idea for ic! berlin – a vision – and when we started, we had no clue. So we learned, we improved, made mistakes, and learned some more. Finally, we are a company with approximately one hundred employees, a Monday morning choir, and our own production in Berlin. As a company, we are growing, getting bigger and  bigger, better and better. We might lose it all and close the company, if the world was to go under this year.  Who knows? Normally companies also die like human beings. Nothing is forever……how wise……

Your design philosophy? “Our design philosophy is simplicity and function. Fashion is out of fashion. It is about quality and the soul of the product – no cheap stuff. I’d love to work in sheet metal and acetate. I’d also like to work with cookies and ice cream – we tried…but it was very difficult……Also, the fact that human beings have just two eyes is very restrictive when designing eyewear – to be honest…..

What or who inspires your designs? “Jan Kleihues, one of the most important German architects inspires me a lot with his buildings, humour, and lifestyle. And the drawings I make inspire me. Our next collection will include designs from a picture I drew in 1989! Designing eyewear is a day by day challenge. You have to be very fresh and ‘munter’, strong, super intelligent, tall and brave to do that. I feel that responsibility day and night. Also for peace in the world and for animals, plants and the air – yes, I believe in the United States and Italy!”

ic! berlin launched the new rough. collection featuring 5 acetate frames and 3 colours in June 2012.

www.ic-berlin.de JG

The world of Ørgreen Optics

1st June 2012 Henrik Ørgreen is one of the most enthusiastic designers I have come across in the world of eyewear. When I first met him in 2001 –  the company was just 4 years old – he was as committed as anyone could be to create something different and fresh – and definitely provocative –  in eyewear design. Today, celebrating 15 years, Ørgreen Optics has become one of the leading innovators in creative spectacle and sunglass design.

“Since we started, the company has gradually grown up, matured if you like. Today, we pride ourselves on our design and the finish and quality….but we still retain our original hunger for new designs, innovation, colour concepts and colour and material combinations. We have become more professional, but we still have the edge and attitude from when we started.”

The design team today includes Henrik, Tobias Wandrup the chief designer, as well as Gregers Fastrup, sales director and joint owner, Olivia, assistant designer, and Sahra Lysell, a specialist in colour.

Asked to describe some of the traits of the S/S 12 collections Henrik explains: “This year we have focused on many details in the collections. We have new features like different hinges, and new colour, and we always like to keep ahead of the market in this area, it is definitely one of our unique characteristics. A lot of the designs are fashion focused…we are always looking at interesting ways to interpret fashion trends in titanium, which is our favourite material. Ørgreen is very good at making eyewear that is visible, and that is a strong message in the collections in this, our 15^th year. Then, coming up we have a few new lines to celebrate our Anniversary, you will see we have played with new materials…and, very exciting, we have a remake of our first original sunglass.”

Is Ørgreen for all personalities? “I believe people who wear Ørgreen are well educated, they like design and colours in fashion, they will be very appreciative of the quality of the finish too. I still also believe that it depends on what the optician recommends, though; there are plenty of people who will appreciate our frames without having a great awareness of what it actually is, and the work that has gone in to it.”

Is comfort important? “I do not believe in designing a frame that does not feel comfortable and I suppose when I first started designing I was concentrating more on the frame looking good. Today comfort is an area we are always working on.

Are your Danish roots significant? “Yes of course. The Danish design tradition advocates simplicity and where we are working with technical elements our instinct is to hide it or make it invisible. This is different in other design disciplines in other countries where technical features are visible. We are very proud to be part of the Danish design tradition, and there has been a great deal of focus on Copenhagen in the last years which is fantastic. But we are also accustomed to look outside our own country and heritage, and I think this is important for the recognition of our brand beyond home. I am very influenced by industrial design trends in other countries like Italy and Japan.”

What are your favourite things about working with eyewear? “Seeing the creation of a design…this is what I live and breathe for. I am always anticipating what people will like about it. We’re doing this, at the end of the day, to make people happy.

A suggestion for buying spectacles? “Always find a frame that fits your face. So often I see people wearing frames that do not fit. So look at the frames, try them on, make sure they are not too wide or too high, and not too angled…and make sure you try different materials. Never be afraid to change and try a new direction, which is often easy, if you make sure you are with someone in the shop who can offer some good guidance and ideas of what works for you.” CN

www.orgreen.dk

RockOptika

1st May 2012 On Thursday I visited Hastings, not so far from home, and a place that is full of surprises, from great food to vintage stores to art… I was visiting designer Tom Herrington at his optical shop by the sea! I love this little place and before I knew that it was Tom’s shop, the vintage vespa in the window had already caught my eye…

Tom greets me in ’60s French beret, black polo neck and his oversized Antibes sunglasses. First we take a look around the store which stocks collections you might not expect to find down here out of London, from Oliver Goldsmith to Kirk Originals, and people travel to find him…he loves to break the mould in his choices which is always refreshing.

A similar uniqueness is there at the heart of his own label, RockOptika, which he launched in Paris last September, after 15 years working with other independent eyewear labels in London. The present collection includes 10 very classy designs, 5 for girls and 5 for guys, including punk tortoiseshells (so cool!) and a favourite for me, a small round shape that fits beautifully on my narrow face. I also love the elegant and distinctive French lace.

Tom explains: “My frames are very nicely put together, produced in Italian acetate, and made in one of the traditional workshops in the Jura region of France. I go out there to see them being made, to check on every detail, from the width of the bridge to the final finish. The  collection is strong on design, and I work for hours sketching from my imagination….I like the inspiration I get from the 1960s, sci-fi..I wanted strong retro but with a really modern feel. I use a lot of architectural angles which means the frames are quite flat, I think that’s interesting. ”

And the colours? “Well with very strong angles and very strong shapes, I have used classic colours…and that’s where I am trying to carve my niche. I like bordeaux and olive for guys who tend to be quite conservative in their colour choices. And I enjoy tortoisehell which is everywhere, but I think it works and has a lovely classic look, it is so stylish.

Do you follow trends? “There is a fine balance between following trends and doing something that is interesting. So I have classic tortoiseshell but I have added a punk tortoise; and I’ve used lace because it is trendy, but I’ve not used a predictable lace, it’s this incredible blue and gold, it’s wicked. In eyewear, you have to keep an eye on fashion because it drives the industry forward, but I like to do this with my own take on it.”

Asked to comment on what is coming up for next season, Tom tells me about his plans for a new campaign, some very special limited materials he has put away in preparation for the collection, and he alludes to some unique colour combinations…I am hoping for a preview myself in September!

RockOptika sunglasses and spectacles are available at Wolf & Badger, Notting Hill, London (www.wolfandbadger.com), McClintock, Covent Garden, London (www.mcclintock-eyewear.co.uk) and The Optical Lounge, Hastings.  CN www.rockoptika.co.uk

Swedish Style Setter and Romanticist

1st April 2012 She radiates the Swedish image – tall, blond, beautiful and talented. Anna-Karin Karlsson is a relative newcomer on the eyewear scene, and in a short period of time, her amazing frames have received international acclaim. We meet at Tranoï, where Anna-Karin is presenting her collection, and she graciously shares her approach to eyewear. “My designs are inspired by beauty and love. My sister will always be an influence on my work, but for my next collection, my great-great grandmother’s art will be part of the designs. The women in my family were real pioneers, and it’s important for me to carry on with that philosophy. I like things graphic and strong – I need to make a story, and it has to have meaning. People want things with a heart – with thought and depth – and I want my designs to live a beautiful, romantic life.

“I know this sounds bizarre, but I’ve actually slept with my acetates, so I can get the feel of them. I don’t like to feel limited, so I dream about what I will do. I work at the pace of five people, and I don’t look at other people’s designs. I have many new ideas, but they are not yet formulated.” When Anna-Karin’s frames arrived at Les Plus Belles Lunettes in Paris, they sold out in a week. Milan, Beverly Hills, and London are also among the stock lists. Music stars love her frames, and Anna-Karin says: “I love the spirit of those girls – girls with dancing hearts. I strive to find beauty, and let it be, let it be. I don’t do trends for people who are scared or don’t know better. I want the designs to live for a long time, not to be disposable, and to make dreams come true!” www.annakarinkarlsson.com JG