Eyestylist

A Visit to Linz Headquarters

22nd November 2013 For many year I’ve written about Silhouette eyewear, and heard about the outstanding production of the iconic frames that takes place in Linz Austria. So it was a pleasure to finally visit the hub of activity and see Silhouette in action. On a visit to Austria, on a sun-drenched morning, the taxi pulled up to the entrance of Silhouette Headquarters, and I entered the Silhouette universe that has been creating eyewear news for almost fifty years. The pristine white building is nestled off a main road in Linz, surrounded by lovely flowers and trees. It’s a serene setting for the multi-faceted activity that takes place inside.

Arnold Schmied and his wife Anneliese, started Silhouette in 1964, and in the intervening years, the company has grown into a global firm with worldwide distribution. Their success has been achieved by adhering to their founding principles. “The Silhouette experience is based  around lightness and style: we relate to lightness and authenticity,” says Christian Hafner, Brand Manager, “and Silhouette is not a fashion brand – we are classic and timeless with sophistication. From the very beginning, the Silhouette passion was to make great eyewear. Customers need the best glasses in the world in terms of quality, look, design and not hiding the personality. We have a deep understanding of what the customer wants.”

Man and machines blend harmoniously at Silhouette – the result of special training by the company, so employees know the correct handling of complex machinery. The personnel are highly skilled and the precision tools used in the process of creating the frames are all professionally cleaned, polished and cared for with meticulous upkeep. There are between 180 and 260 process steps that are part of each frame – depending on the design. Hand processes are an intricate part of the frame making, and each person responsible for the delicate manoeuvres necessary excel at their profession. Everything in the factory is eco-friendly with great care and consideration for the employees, as well as the materials with which they are working.

Next year, Silhouette will mark their 50th anniversary – celebration plans are under wraps at the moment, but no doubt they will be exciting, and move the company into a new era. Christian Hafner commented that royalty and many people in public life wear Silhouette, who know and demand quality and discreetness. The Silhouette story is a tribute to a global company who has embraced the technical and style evolutions through the years, and been able to retain the founding fathers concepts of quality and design. www.silhouette.com JG

19th November 2013 Caroline Groves produces shoes that you might have thought you could only dream of. But here they are, like something out of a fairytale, theatrical, beautifully formed, exquisitely embroidered, the ultimate in bespoke handcrafted designs.

I met Groves at a recent fashion event. “I produce bespoke orders – each one uniquely designed and handmade for the customer. I trained as a traditional bespoke shoemaker; I now work with many luxurious materials, vintage silks, velvet, calf and suede and some unusual ones.”

Typical of her creations are the Betty Boop platforms – Gypsy Rosie – created in smooth black velvet with roses and forget-me-nots embroidered by hand by Alice Archer. Every addition is carefully sourced, from the precious antique buckles on this style to the unexpected exotic Parakeet wings and vintage silks in “Turquoise Parakeet” (below).

For those wishing to commission a pair of these extraordinary handmade shoes for a loved one, Groves has created a new gift certificate – an elegantly crafted stiff black envelope – inspired by Victorian keepsakes –  with an embroidered toile design. Inside an embossed invitation card promises the bearer the ‘gift of a pair of couture shoes made for you by hand by Caroline Groves’.

From £2,500 the gift certificate will give the recipient an unparalleled service, explained the designer. It includes three one-on-one personal fittings. The result will be a pair of bespoke shoes made entirely by hand around a last that is made specifically for your foot’s shape. The perfect present? Find out more about bespoke commissions by Caroline Groves: [email protected]  www.carolinegroves.co.uk CN