Trained as an industrial designer, Martin Guentert is the Head of Design at Ørgreen Optics. With over 16 years of industry-defining experience, including pioneering laser-sintering techniques, Guentert is one of the optical industry’s foremost product designers. We asked him about his current approach to design in his work at Ørgreen Optics, Denmark’s premium eyewear brand.
When you joined the Ørgreen team in 2024, you talked about wanting to make the brand “future-proof” through even more innovation. Could you explain in a little more detail your production direction at Ørgreen so far? When I joined, Ørgreen already stood for great competence in colour and design and for highest quality in product and service. And while our titanium lines are still what we are most known for, since then, products like our ACETATE CUT collection with its flex hinge, and fresh shapes and a more sculptural approach to the QUANTUM HIGH collection – with models like MEGAHERTZ – have widened the horizon.
Last autumn, we launched a new family of frames called NYHAVN. Because they are made of stainless steel and with a simple monocolour concept, we were able to develop and add a feature hinge to the package and still keep an entry price level. It speaks to a slightly younger audience and opens up new clients to Ørgreen. Generally we try to sharpen our product identity along with a brand overhaul, which you are starting to see in everything we do.
And we won’t stop there. A stronger emphasis on sunglasses will help shape our brand in the near future and we will have more exciting titanium news this year. So watch this space… Above: portrait of Martin Guentert, Ørgreen Optics.
What do you feel are key directions in eyewear in 2026, and how does this apply to the Ørgreen Optics’ collections? Honestly I don’t spend much time on trend research. I mostly trust my intuition, my team and our own statistics. On the Ørgreen side of things you are going to see that we lean into more sculptural details across sheet titanium, acetate and 3D printing. Well-placed chamfers and surface details can really enhance a great cut. On the other hand, in NYHAVN we are also trying to simplify and offer something that is reduced to outline and colour.
You have had an incredible career in eyewear design so far, first at MYKITA and now at Ørgreen. What did you originally train to be and how did you get into eyewear? I studied industrial design. I had done one eyewear project as a student, which was exhibited in Berlin and discovered by the MYKITA founders. They took me on board. I learned a tremendous amount and was able to specialise, experiment and grow with them. And after 16 years it was time for me to write a new chapter in a new city and I took the challenge to lead the design team at Ørgreen. Generally we try to sharpen our product identity along with a brand overhaul, which you are starting to see in everything we do. Although I was trained more as a generalist, I never wanted to return to classic industrial design. The longer I am in eyewear, the more interesting it gets.
What draws you to the eyewear product from a design point of view? We design fashion items, medical devices, lifestyle statements all at once. And we do it for the most sacred area on the human body, the eyes. To do this with the right respect for the wearer, expertise and brand awareness is no small feat. We’re not saving lives here, but we make everyday companions that enable our wearers to see better and express themselves. It’s a very intimate thing.
What are your favourite contemporary materials and where do you see the future of eyewear design headed? I love working with additive manufacturing. I had a chance to pioneer 3D printing in the eyewear world back in 2011 and I still learn new ways to use it. Although 3D printing has its limitations, this production method represents the most direct way for me to shape what’s in my head. And this is also a field where most incremental improvements are being made, almost every month. Smart eyewear is making some interesting developments, but is still far from ubiquitous or unobtrusive. The industry needs more R&D here to really interest large amounts of people.However, the general eyewear market will hopefully focus on issues of sustainability first, especially in the field of preconsumer waste. And forcing the big players to have better answers here is a task for every designer and every consumer.
Bright colours or a minimal palette (as they coexist in 2026) – what is your preference and how do you feel customers are now approaching colour in eyewear? There are no simple recipes here. It’s not about a certain palette, it’s about consumers understanding what you do and feeling a connection. What I am looking for is clarity and emotion. If the cut of a model is very austere and minimal, the emotion can be injected with colour, even if it’s just a small detail or on the inside of the frame. But a paint bucket is not a panacea for boring designs. Me personally… I’m a monocolour kind of guy.
When you are not working, what are your interests and do they somehow inform your work? I love great food and Copenhagen seems to be its capital. I like to make the act of eating a reward for myself and a joy to share with others. I like to always have a craft project going on. The one thing I keep coming back to with passion is costume making. I enjoy learning multiple techniques, from integrating electronics to sculpting with foam clay or classic sewing. I love the character design and people’s reactions to it. And yes, that absolutely informs my work.
When you look back at eyewear history, what product/products do you most admire or which eyewear designer do you look at as both original and inspirational? Of course there are seminal designs in eyewear, but the designer personalities I refer to are often generalists. If we only ever look at our own industry, the risk of generic and referential ideas is too high.Jasper Morrison has been an important influence for me as an industrial designer. And lately I have looked more at Danish designers like Finn Juhl or Grete Jalk to get a more nuanced understanding of the Danish design tradition, which we are a part of.
To find out more about the Danish eyewear brand Ørgreen Optics at www.orgreenoptics.com
This is an exclusive interview by Eyestylist.com. All rights reserved.
