Eyestylist

The eminent Japanese eyewear designer, Yoshinori Aoyama is well-known as the Founder of FACTORY900, a multiple award-winning Japanese eyewear label. He began the label in 2001 as Aoyama Optical’s ‘own brand’ and since that time he has been involved in all aspects of running the brand and developing its success in Japan and abroad. In 2023, Yoshinori Aoyama started his eponymous label, a collection that takes a new approach to titanium by exploring all its possibilities with depth, creativity and the innovative study of spatial design. Eyestylist.com was priveleged to find out more in a first interview exclusive about the launch of this distinguished eponymous collection.

Can you explain briefly your family connection in eyewear, and how eyewear design has become a focus in your life? I was born into a family that has been involved in eyewear making for three generations, starting with my grandfather. There was a factory right next to our home, so I grew up surrounded by the manufacturing environment and watching craftsmanship very closely in my childhood. Perhaps because of this, eyewear always felt like a natural option within my life.

When I was a child, the adults around me would often say, “Your father is a genius.” As I grew older and began helping out at my father’s factory, I came to truly understand the greatness of both my grandfather and my father, and the meaning behind those words. Anyone who has been involved in eyewear manufacturing can immediately recognize the excellence of what Aoyama Optical produces simply by holding one of our frames. It was at that time that I made the decision to work in the eyewear industry seriously as my chosen profession.

Your first own label was FACTORY900. How old is the brand and what is its focus today? Give us a little summary of how this brand has evolved? FACTORY900 celebrated its 25th anniversary last year. Since the brand’s founding, my constant goal has been to create “beautiful eyewear”.  Building upon the specialized acetate craftsmanship established by my grandfather and refined by my father, we manage every step of production in-house to bring our vision to life.

By making full use of acetate as a material and pushing its possibilities to the absolute limit, FACTORY900 is known for its sculptural and avant‑garde forms. The brand has received numerous international awards, including two Silmo d’Or prizes and an iF Design Award. At the same time, we have continued to evolve through active collaborations with brands such as theo, Lexus, and Undercover.

The new eponymous label YOSHINORI AOYAMA launched in Japan a few years ago. What is the concept and how did it come about? YOSHINORI AOYAMA made its debut at Silmo 2023 (A/W). The core concept is ambivalence. When it comes to FACTORY900, I spent many years focusing intensively on acetate as a material because of our family business.  At the same time, however, I had a strong desire to challenge myself with different kind of materials.

YOSHINORI AOYAMA is an all‑titanium collection. By working with titanium, I feel my design expression has expanded significantly. I found it extremely fascinating, and I am dedicating myself fully to exploring the possibilities of titanium.

What materials, special features and innovative techniques are used in the production of your Yoshinori Aoyama frames? YOSHINORI AOYAMA collections are primarily with titanium, as well as 18‑karat gold. While FACTORY900 is known for sculptural forms, YOSHINORI AOYAMA is defined by spatial design. Although their expression is different, the philosophy remains the same: to create beautiful eyewear.

By separating the frame from the lenses, we introduce free, three‑dimensional curves into space—an idea that challenges conventional metal‑frame design. Technically, this work is supported by the high level of craftsmanship in Sabae, Fukui, Japan. In our production meetings, they tell me the designs are  ‘too difficult’ or ‘take too much effort.’  But it is precisely this complexity that we overcome together, step by step, to bring YOSHINORI AOYAMA’s vision to life.

Do you already have optician stockists for this collection outside Japan? How are you working with partners in the rest of the world? The YOSHINORI AOYAMA collection is currently available in 14 countries across Asia, Europe, and the United States.  Depending on the country, we work either through local agents or, in regions without agents, directly with individual retailers. We collaborate with partners with flexibility according to the conditions of each market as we expand internationally.

 What is your priority with this collection and its positioning in the luxury segment? Creating beautiful eyewear is a central part of my design philosophy, and it is something I value highly. I aim to let this approach naturally shape how YOSHINORI AOYAMA is perceived within the luxury eyewear market and express a quiet, essential sense of luxury—something that resonates deeply with those who understand and connect with it.

What have you added in the collection since we first saw it in Japan in October 2023? This is my first time working with titanium, so I am currently spending a lot of time exploring and understanding it through my collection. I am not too influenced by the market, and am conducting various experiments to find out how far I can go with titanium as a material.

How would you define the reaction to the collection in Japan so far? Overall, the response in Japan has been very positive. I know that preferences differ depending on the retailer, and the end user, and those differences become even more pronounced in a global market. That said, I don’t believe it is realistic—or even necessary—to create something that appeals to everyone.

What matters more to me is whether the collection can introduce a new perspective beyond existing values and conventions. Seen from my current standpoint, I feel the feedback we have received has been very encouraging, and I am satisfied with those responses.

Yoshinori Aoyama will exhibit at Eyecon Show in New York from 6th to 8th March 2026.

Find out more about Yoshinori Aoyama at https://yoshinoriaoyama.jp

This is an excluisve feature by Clodagh Norton at Eyestylist.com, published on 3rd March 2026 (AI has not been used). All rights reserved.