Issue #69 November 23rd 2016

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Eleventy meets the murble

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Exaggeration becomes essentialPrada moves forward by constantly cultivating contrast

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Company CEO Gianni Vetrini explains why

Barberini bets on eyewear too

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| Issue #69 | November 23rd 2016

You were the optical glass pioneers, why did you decide to create a line of eyewear?Barberini has chosen optical glass ever since it began to manufacture sun lenses. We have upheld this initial choice over dozens of years to the present day. There have been many projects and some of them led to patents. We have developed polarized lenses, our top product, together with the in-house design and construction of the machinery required to make them. In addition to polarized lenses we also make photochromic lenses with the Hydrogen Firing technique, innovative coatings and lenses in special glass. An important turning point came when we acquired Schott’s optical division and combined a very long history as a glass foundry with all this company’s experience and research. Another development was the acquisition of the Korean company Triapex for manufacturing polarized film. In other words, the gradual progress in lens making cannot always be transferred to our industrial customers who, naturally, pursue their own development and commercial logic. So we thought that we were ready with all our developments to enter the market and tell consumers about eyewear that isn’t always on the market or is not properly described. Naturally, we try not to be competitive based on price and all the lenses in the Barberini eyewear collections are available for our customers: there are no exclusives.In what way are they different and innovative compared to other brands on the market?First and foremost, the lenses are real glass! We’ve called the collection Platinum Glass as a reminder that optical glass is made in special furnaces where large quantities of platinum are in close contact with the glass to purify it. This is why it is called “optical”. It’s the same glass that is used for making optical instruments (telescopes, cameras,

microscopes, etc.). All our lenses are made by gluing together two different lenses. A polarized film can be inserted in the middle but they can also be simply glued together to utilize the characteristics of both pieces of glass. In short, an array of characteristics that in the history of glass sun lens manufacturing have never been added together before. We have also paid a lot of attention to design: the frames have been created by a designer who put major emphasis on the lenses in a style that is tasteful and never extreme.What did the market think of this new product and what are your reference markets?Our company has a long history of making quality glass lenses and we are known for that above all, at least as far as eye care professionals are concerned. There have been requests for direct supplies for many years but we have never succumbed to this temptation. So when we announced that in the end we were oriented toward the direct production of a collection of eyewear, there was a certain amount of satisfaction among sector operators. At last eyewear that focuses totally on lenses, obviously without neglecting aesthetics and comfort. We have only just started selling our products and naturally they will be on the test bench of a demanding Italian market, but we have already laid the bases for sales inside and outside Europe. Not yet in the USA; we’ll go there when the company is better consolidated.How is the lens business doing?Very well. At last our lenses with rare earths are

mature, fully understood by our customers and many prestigious firms have made them their

top product. We mustn’t forget polarized lenses, where for many years we have represented the state-of-the-art in the sector. We’ve reached a level of sophistication that allows us to make polarized lenses 1.5-1.6 mm thick and

lenses with calottes of only 0.3 mm!

Barberini bets on eyewear tooIn less than a year, the company known for the production of glass lenses, has launched its first eyewear collection. We talked about it with CEO Gianni Vetrini.

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| Issue #69 | November 23rd 2016

Montblanc celebrates its 110th anniversary with the “Heritage Rouge et Noir” collection, revisiting the first series of “Fountain Pen” writing instruments introduced in 1909 and inspired by the novel by Stendhal. The cap of the writing instrument features a sinuous snake, one of the oldest mythological figures. It is from the restyling of the iconic writing instrument that the “Rouge & Noir Limited Edition” eyewear, an aviator shape frame with double bridge, draws its inspiration. Designed, produced and distributed by Marcolin, the frames is sold worldwide starting November at select eyewear retailers and Montblanc boutiques. The snake motif on the cap reappears in the gold plated metal reeded edge of the front, while the temple tips recall the shape of a snake’s head. The red and black chromatic combination of the writing implement appears again in the frame temples, reinterpreted in Mazzucchelli acetate exclusively for this special edition. Every frame is flawlessly finished by hand, numbered and dated “1906”, the year the Maison was established, with the words “Limited Edition” feature on the temples.

Freedom is a new business model launched by De Rigo whose key elements are: partnership with opticians aimed at selecting the eyewear most suited to their customers; setting up and customisation of a dedicated space in stores; an automated IT platform to replenish out-of-stock items in 48h throughout Europe. Internationally leaded by Francesco Morelli, Freedom aim is to improve De Rigo customers' assortment quality and store performance. Freedom does not merely concentrate on commercial aspects, but also touches on other areas of business such as logistics and marketing. The marketing department's involvement consists in laying down brand guidelines, identifying 'new' styles and devising dedicated projects. Currently, the project involves the house brands Police and Sting and a selection of licensed brands, but is expected to be extended to include other Group brands. The project has been operational since the start of 2016 in Italy, Spain, Germany, Singapore and Malaysia. In 2017, De Rigo expects to extend the service to France, England and a number of Far Eastern countries.

Rooted in both tradition and innovation, Prada moves forward by constantly cultivating contrast: the banal turns precious, basic is made brave and beautiful, exaggeration becomes essential. Minimal Baroque extends those principles to the realm of eyewear.Launched in 2011, these spirited sunglasses quickly gained iconic status and their bold curves are unmistakable in origin. 2016 collection gives new life to the flowers and foliage motifs that grew wild in the Baroque period. Stylized plant life — acanthus leaves, laurel branches, palm fronds — is abstracted into scrolling garlands that bud and branch into the defining curve of elegantly exaggerated sunglasses.

De Rigo introduces “Freedom” for opticians

Limited edition for 110th anniversay of Montblanc

Safilo reinforces its presence in Northern Europe

The group reinforces its presence in Northern Europe with the creation of a new business region

combining the UK and Ireland, with the Nordic countries of Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, the Baltics and Iceland. The new Northern Region will be led by Fréderic Laffort, adding to his responsibility as Safilo UK Country Manager and Global Departments Store Channel Leader. The establishment of the Northern Region represents a further step in Safilo’s 2020 Strategic Plan, which aims to broaden its geographic coverage through consistent, high quality commercial capabilities to approach the market successfully with its growing multi-segment broad portfolio.The company also announced the opening of the Stockholm showroom – one of the more than twenty worldwide.

Exaggeration becomes essential

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| Issue #69 | November 23rd 2016

Federico Ammannati General Manager AllegriNicolas Baretzki CEO MontblancGiovanni Carlino CEO Italia IndependentLeonardo Fasolo & Andrea Mazzanti Creative Directors AllegriMinsoo Kim General Manager AllegriAndrea Tessitore Vice President Italia IndependentAndrea Tessitore CEO Laps to Go HoldingAitor Throup Creative Director G-Star Raw

This holiday season, Guess eyewear is launching a Limited Edition Holiday 2016 Eyewear set. This exclusive cat-eye frame is embellished with fine crystal detailing on both the front and the temples next to the famous triangle logo. Sold with a shimmering silver case and packaged inside a beautiful Guess logo box, this sleek black acetate frame is produced and distributed by Marcolin. The limited edition holiday 2016 frame is available from November in all Guess stores and opticians.

This year, Vistatour (Vision Tour), the itinerant screening service offered free of charge by the non-profit organization CDV-Commissione Difesa Vista (Commission for Eye Health) that promotes the importance of prevention went to 9 Italian cities. Nearly 1200 people availed of its services, and an already negative trend was observed to have increased: 78% of the people in Italy neglect their eyesight care and fail to have regular check-ups. Screening data showed that 50% of the people between 40 and 65 years of age should see an ophthalmologist and 1 out of 4 should have their vision checked. A few people – primarily aged 65 or older - were advised to have their vision checked with urgency. Only one case of such urgency was recorded in the 0 to 14 year age bracket. The service was conducted in collaboration with AIMO, ANFAO, the National Association for Eyewear Manufacturers, Assogruppi Ottica - Assottica Gruppo Contattologia (Group of the Assottica association for contact lens' producers) and Federottica (National Association for Opticians and Optometry specialists).

Growth of Fedon retail in the first nine months of 2016

Holiday 2016 Limited Edition Eyewear for Guess

The Giorgio Fedon & Figli board of directors has announced the operating results for the first nine months of 2016. The turnover totaled 52.2 million euros, a falloff compared to the 53.4 million of the same period in 2015; mono-brand retail turnover increased by 32% to a total of 3.4 million (2.6 million at 9/30/2015). Sales in the Wholesale channel (optical stores and leather goods distribution circuit) stood at 8.7 million euros (8.9 million at September 30, 2015), sales from the OEM channel (large and small manufacturers of eyewear) totaled 40.1 million euros (41.9 million at September 30, 2015). EBITDA was 2.9 million (2.8 million a year ago). As to the number of stores, Fedon now has 19 mono-brands and

7 shops-in-shops in Italy and abroad; these include the new openings in the Yaohan Department Store, Shanghai, and the new flagship store opened on October 28 in the K11 shopping mall in Hong Kong. Another 2 openings are scheduled for Hong Kong airport and Mantova Outlet before end 2016.

The results of the Vistatour

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Design, fashion & lifestyle

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For its SS 2017 men’s and women’s collections, Eleventy has chosen the surreal scenario of Henraux’s Cervaiole marble quarry on Monte Altissimo in Tuscany. Eleventy’s choice was dictated by its desire to promote places and specialisations linked to our country’s traditional manufacturing sectors, those which express Italy’s value in today’s global context. Seventy-eight colour shots by photographer Stefano Guindani portray models who seem to materialise from the marble planes and, as though suspended in the lunar scenario of the quarries, recount the sophisticated elegance of the new Eleventy collections for men and women. The new campaign is accompanied by a short movie filmed by Andrea Piu under the creative supervision of Andrea Mauro.

| Issue #69 | November 23rd 2016

Aria, the latest sculpture of light designed by Zaha Hadid for Slamp, is one of the 8 contenders of the DesignEuropa award managed by EUIPO (the European Union Intellectual Property Office), to acknowledge design excellence amongst Registered Community Design holders. “She was inspired by her own architectural works, and without replicating them, created decorative suspensions that avoided traditional archetypes, opting for the placement of layers that followed rigorous mathematical design”, notes Cristina Morozzi, editor-in-chief of The Moodboarders Magazine. Aria Gold is made of 50 metalized polycarbonate layers, which radiate around a central Led source. Each of the chandelier’s 50 “arms” is different from the others, requiring that each piece is almost entirely constructed by hand. Slamp is one of four Italian companies that has been chosen as finalists (the others are Alessi, Caimi Brevetti and Ducati). The winners will be announced on November 30th in Milan.

Aria by Zaha Hadid nominated for a DesignEuropa award

Esprit du luxeHeld in the palm of the hand or swinging from a shoulder, the evening bags in

Longchamp’s Strass collection are small and precious objects made for special occasions.In a return of one of the atelier’s symbols, all models have the iconic bamboo-shaped clasp, this time studded with Swarovski crystals. The line includes two mini sizes: a rectangular clutch and a shoulder bag with an adjustable strap for multiple variations. The two accessories come in three different versions: gold leather with delicate reflections, optical-effect two-color fur, and black fabric embellished with shining details.

Eleventy meets the murble

Ermenegildo Zegna has opened its latest Global Store in London at New Bond Street - 605 square meters divided across four floors. It's the 19th Peter Marino Concept Store to open globally. Unique to this store is a stunning façade honoring English heritage and blending seamless with the historical architecture of the street. The façade’s use of red and grey marble in various shades provides a sense of depth, while the characteristic red bricks that line the upper part of the façade, the bow-windows facing New

Bond Street and the vintage bar from the 1950s come together in a heartfelt tribute to British culture. Metal strands are used in the two windows representing the warp and weft yarns of a loom, architectural sheep heads are placed on the window keystones and the bas-relief is inspired by the sheep heads at Villa Zegna in Trivero (Italy). As well as offering the full range of the brand's luxury collections, the New Bond Street Global Store is also home to artworks by Giovanni Caccamo, Frank Thiel and William Kentridge.

New Ermenegildo Zegna Global Store in London