Author: Newsroom

You write it “ic! berlin” but you pronounce it the English way. It’s the innovative eyewear brand created in 1996 by eclectic Ralph Anderl (a designer, singer, photographer and musician) together with a couple of friends in a garage in Berlin. A cult brand in the 2000s (worn by celebrities of the caliber of Madonna, Brad Pitt or Dub Inc), it has grown exponentially ever since and today it has joined the Marcolin family. What’s its secret to success? Its clean-cut design, attention to detail and, most of all, temple material: screwless and weld-free ultra-lightweight spring steel obtained from a carbon-chromium-nickel alloy thanks to an innovative hinge system of which ic! berlin has the exclusivity. In other words, eyewear that is easy to disassemble and reassemble. Lightweight but at the same time very strong.

Minimalist, elegant and Berlin understatement, ic! berlin eyewear today is exported all over the world (in addition to its headquarters in Berlin, the company has branches in Tokyo and New York City); therefore, products can no longer be manufactured in a small Berlin lab like in the early years. Hence the agreement with a company like Marcolin, which, true to the DNA of ic! berlin, translates the brand’s spirit into an attitude that enables people to express themselves and their style freely, without following trends.

It is precisely thanks to these strengths that, in addition to several international awards, ic! berlin earned the SILMO d’OR in 2008 and 2011. Today it showcases its collections including Classic, Custom Fit, Pure Elements, Silk and Silk Pure and Flexarbon (which uses aerospace technology) and some more designer capsules. Among them the brand also boasts a collaboration with Mercedes-Benz from 2020. All the frames are very much loved by free and creative spirits, eclectic and curious personalities, who know how to look at things from new perspectives. Just like the actor Daniel Brühl, brand ambassador announced for 2024, among the protagonists of the movie “All Quiet on the Western Front” which won 9 Oscar awards in 2023.

As customer expectations grow, so does customer focus. And customer and employee trust, loyalty and satisfaction become the new keywords. It’s the philosophy firmly embraced by Marcolin that, since 2021, has invested in a new Customer Experience Transformation program. This is the name of an ambitious process that introduces solutions that help learn more about customer needs: from the first time they get to know about Marcolin products to their path to purchase up to the support provided during the business relationship. A project that, after two years of hard work, reached its first milestone in 2023.

«We started off with digital transformation, by introducing a CRM system aimed at tracing and improving all the customer interactions» explained Lorenza Biasin, who is Customer Experience Manager at Marcolin. «As regards customer touchpoints, for instance, we created a new e-commerce platform: it’s more than just a shopping site, it’s a gateway on services available 24/7 to meet the real needs of our customers. From the opportunity to chat with our Customer Service in case of an emergency to that of receiving information about their purchases in real time, such as the delivery route or time or processing status. We also provided our Customer Service with a technology that enables them to reply to customers faster and more comprehensively».

A key project that, however, is even more ambitious and challenging for Marcolin. «Since all the markets on which Marcolin operates were involved from day one, a variety of different needs were identified» continued Lorenza Biasin. «There are, for example, customers who prefer communicating with the company by email, others by way of agents and others by phone. In 2024 we will start measuring user response and we will further update the system to improve our partners’ experience». Taking country-specific elements into account and listening to customers, therefore, continue to be a priority, today and tomorrow.

Uniformity or differentiation? It’s the eternal fashion dilemma. That, of course, also regards accessories: they stress the message conveyed by the clothes we wear, becoming (just like perfume) our unique, personal “identifying signature”. And eyewear plays a key role here. «Because it allows us to see – or protect the eyes – but also to be spotted by others right away» remarks Paola Pizza, a fashion psychologist, blogger (psicologiadellamoda.com) and author of several essays, the most recent being “Il colore indossato” (Franco Angeli), co-written with Valeria Viero. «Fierce or sober? Breezy or creative?  Frame shapes and colors help highlight the unique features of our personality and, due to their strategic positioning, become a very powerful identifying tool».

But you have to know what you want. «Some people want to stand out from the crowd with a unique design, a neon color or a precious detail, others want to feel part of a group. But the ensemble must be harmonious: if it’s inconsistent, we send the wrong message and lose our confidence. A classic black sheath dress worn with small, “good girl” style black sunglasses sends a totally different message than the same outfit paired with an eye-catching, colorful frame. It’s more or less like shoes: there’s a huge difference between flats and a pair of gold sandals. Eyewear, just like our hair and make-up (to stay focused on the face) should strike a balance with our whole look.  This is true for shoes, bags or hats, but all the more so for an accessory that is destined to last well beyond a season».

«In psychology we make a distinction between “high self-monitors”, i.e. individuals who are more aware of how others could judge them and are more likely to follow trends or be inspired by the look of their “role models”, and “low self-monitors”. The latter are more introspective, self-centered and less likely to be influenced by fashion. While the first type will tend to change glasses more often, based on their mood or outfit, the second will stick to a frame of higher quality that is made to last». What tribe do you belong to?

Introducing the TOM FORD Eyewear Archive Collection which pays homage to the iconic styles that have defined the brand’s illustrious 20-year history.  TOM FORD Eyewear, renowned for its iconic status, stands tall for its unmatched elegance, top-notch quality, and meticulous attention to detail. In the 2023-2024 collection, one of the most legendary eyewear models in history has been masterfully reimagined: the iconic Whitney model.

Worn by celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston, Madonna, Charlize Theron, Gwen Stefani, Kate Moss, Keira Knightley. The Whitney eyewear stands out for the unmistakable line of its “Infinity cross”, the crossing of the front which gives the look a butterfly effect that winks at the Seventies. In re-visiting The Whitney frame, the TOM FORD Archive Collection, debuts in four models with new shapes and identities, each easily recognizable, without giving up the magnetic element of a design with great visual impact: from the Nicoletta model, in titanium and limited edition, up to the Bettina, Fernanda and Jada models, with semi-transparent lenses and contrasting colored frames.

Innovate without betraying your roots. Here to lies the secret of the success of a luxury brand like TOM FORD. Which, not limiting itself to city glasses, on the eve of the ski season proposes Après Ski 2023, a collection of four different ski goggles with photochromic and interchangeable mirror lenses with different designs: from the Rellen model, which revisits the Seventies, up to the most high-tech masks, with magnetic lenses and a practical elastic band. To not give up style even in the snow.