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Isabelle Moes

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Isabelle, you were covering a management role for Marcolin Benelux subsidiary when the top management of companies was all male: can you tell us how it went?

So, I’ve never felt any discrimination for being a young woman, since I had just become a young mother, and I worked in a company that was mostly men. Everything was very normal. I didn’t feel any difference between me and my male colleagues. I think that Marcolin has always been a big family, and I felt right at home in the team.

Now that you also find yourself managing a very important and strategic market segment such as that of the central EMEA area (France and Benelux), can you tell us what the next challenges are for eyewear in these markets?

It’s rather unsettling to know what challenges the experts predicted we would face over the next few years, which is that there will increasingly be a certain structure in the market. The market will become more structured. Lots of independent companies are being bought or are merging, which means that as suppliers of frames for independent opticians, we will also need to become more and more professional. We will need to negotiate with them differently than before. Previously, I found the market very easy because our clients were opticians who only had two or three stores. Now, we are looking at a different scale, with opticians who have 100, 150 stores. So, it’s a different structure, a different approach.

“I think that is what is most important for the future: continuing to truly listen to our clients”

After many years in this Company, what are your thoughts on Marcolin’s strengths? And what are the new objectives instead, in a world that evolves so rapidly?

The company’s strength is our close relationship with our clients. This closeness means that people really appreciate the fact that we are by their side, we work closely with them, and they really think of us as a company that is international in scale, but still a small enterprise because we work closely with them. That is important to them because they feel like we really listen. I think that is what is most important for the future: continuing to truly listen to our clients. By being at their side, responding to their needs and doing so quickly, working with them rather than imposing things on them. And that is how we will succeed.

Eyewear for the festive season

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In Cortina

With its 66 ski runs and 34 lifts, the pearl of the Dolomites confirms itself as one of the most prestigious ski resorts, immersed as it is in the magical setting of these unique mountains. But Cortina is also all about glamour. Between lunch at the famous Chalet Tofane restaurant and dinner at a mountain refuge (choose from Dibona, Federa and Mietres), heading back to the hotel with a romantic night sleigh ride; shopping in the boutiques of Corso Italia, at the centre of which stands the symbol of Cortina, the Dolomite stone bell tower built in the mid-19th century; a gourmet snack in one of the two famous patisseries, or a pre-dinner drink at the Enoteca Baita Fraina (in the centre) or at the picturesque Masi Wine Bar, right in front of the famous Col Druscié ski run. So many unforgettable moments to admire from behind a pair of glasses from the GUESS Holiday ’23 Collection, the geometrically shaped cat-eye glasses created especially for this festive season, illuminated by a crystal set in the temples that reproduces the iconic triangular shape of the GUESS logo. Feminine, festive and full of character.

In Berlin

A classic tour ‘Unter den Linden’ in the borough of Mitte, in the rationalist city of Mies van der Rohe, or the hunt for alternative boutiques in young, vibrant areas such as Friedrichshanin, Landwehrkanal or up-and-coming Neukölln. Even at this time of year, Berlin offers the opportunity to immerse yourself in a variety of styles, from the past to the future, from historic buildings to new neighborhoods with alternative bookstores and the workshops of young designers. A city to be explored with the right outfit, warm and casual, perhaps accentuated by a special accessory such as a pair of Max Mara glasses, dedicated to the quintessential ‘It’ coat, the cosy Teddy bear coat, which is ten years old this year. A frame with character, created for the occasion, that embraces and protects the gaze, telling a story of precious details and modernity. And, after dinner in one of the little restaurants in the festively decorated Bergmannstrasse covered market, a stop at the Kreuzberg border is a must, to celebrate the New Year in a techno club like the iconic Berghain.

The perfect setting to shield yourself from the Florida sun with the fiery red-rimmed glasses from Pucci’s new eyewear collection.

In Miami

Relax at the tables of a small bar on South Beach or stroll through the hip Wynwood district, once the city’s industrial centre and now home to the much-anticipated Art Basel Miami Beach, which takes place every year at the beginning of December. It’s great to ring in the New Year among the colours, museums, murals and clubs of Miami. The perfect setting to shield yourself from the Florida sun with the fiery red-rimmed glasses from Pucci’s new eyewear collection. Elegant, sophisticated and embellished by the fishtail logo in which, inspired by the 1953 ‘Capri Sport’ label, two fish intertwine their silhouettes to form the letter ‘P’. A model that fully represents Pucci’s unique identity and personality. A style must-have for sunbathing on the rooftop of Astra, one of the most glamorous cocktail bars on the scene, exploring the Miami Design District, shopping in the Little Haiti markets or enjoying a pre-dinner drink on the rooftop terrace of the famous Area 31.

In the snow of the Dolomites

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A unique region

Magical all year round, the Dolomites, a Unesco World Heritage Site, are at their most beautiful in winter, when it’s cold and snowy. For anyone wanting to indulge in the pleasure of skiing on some of the most beautiful and famous slopes in the world, and for those who simply want to immerse themselves in the special atmosphere of the end-of-year festivities in San Candido, Brunico, Corvara, San Cassiano, San Martino di Castrozza, Madonna di Campiglio, Selva di Cadore… Surrounded by snow-capped peaks, small villages, Christmas markets, exhibitions and, of course, all the flavors of local food and wine.

Stop off in Cortina

When it comes to skiing, Cortina remains the most prestigious resort in the Dolomites. Already an official venue for World Cup races and a future venue for the 2026 Winter Olympics, it offers skiers magnificent slopes in at least three districts: Tofane, Faloria-Cristallo and Lagazuoi-5 Torri. But also the chance to try out new Fat Bike routes, surf the snow with a snow kite or learn how to drive a husky sled. But people also go to Cortina just for the glamour. It is no coincidence that GUESS, a global brand of clothing and accessories, kicked off this year’s Winter Experience project in Cortina, where the brand has opened a new boutique at Via Cesare Battisti 11 for the occasion. The project was created to combine shopping and winter activities in one of the coolest ski resorts in the world.

What to see

Getting off the beaten track is easy. For those travelling to the Dolomites at this time of year, there is also Andraz Castle on the Falzarego Pass or the famous wooden nativity scene in Tesero, in the heart of the Fiemme Valley. And then it’s nice to get lost among the small woodcarving shops in Ortisei, to go for a walk to Lake Braies, to Alpe di Fanes or to take a break in the warm waters of the Pejo thermal baths. There are various itineraries that will allow you to admire the ever-present trees decorated with the traditional star made of straw or bread dough, the frightening masks of the Krampus figures, the candles of Santa Lucia and the rituals of the little star singers who go from house to house singing Christmas carols in exchange for delicious Lebkuchen, the traditional freshly baked Tyrolean biscuits.

Marcolin: a history of over 60 years

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From the gold auctions

It was in 1961 that Marcolin was founded in Cadore (Belluno), in the heart of the Dolomiti area, which at that time was rapidly becoming the Italian eyewear district (one region, one vocation: celluloid frames were already being made there back in 1910). It was founded under the simple name of ‘Fabbrica artigiana’ and was inaugurated by entrepreneur Giovanni Coffen Marcolin, who started manufacturing gold laminated temples. This was just the beginning: three years later the company became ‘Marcolin occhiali doublé’, and in 1967 it expanded and moved premises. First to Vallesella di Cadore, then to Longarone, where its headquarters are still located.

To the fashion world

From the outset, Marcolin’s international vocation was clear: in 1968, it made its debut on the US market through a network of eight distributors, followed by France a few years later. But it is precisely from its origins, from this particular cultural and geographical context, the cradle of the best Italian manufacturing tradition, that we can truly understand Marcolin’s success. A company that, in just a few years, grasped the importance of combining the craftsmanship that is the envy of the world with advanced technologies and research into materials and design.

Through to the new numbers

This is the philosophy that allows Marcolin to continue to grow, transforming eyewear from a medical device into a must-have fashion accessory that changes the features of one’s face and defines one’s style. The first French subsidiary was followed by a branch in Switzerland and one in Germany: Marcolin grew from 80 to 200 employees and reached the milestone of one million frames produced in a year. That was the 1980s, and forty years later, with almost 2,000 employees worldwide and a prestigious and diversified brand portfolio, Marcolin still remains true to its roots. And to its history.

Akrame Benallal

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One of the most popular Parisian restaurants of the last year is yours, two Michelin star establishment between the Arc de Triomphe and Trocadero, where you can taste dishes with Berber, Moorish, Mediterranean and Arabic influences. And not only that, given your numerous experiences: how has your idea of cooking transformed today?

So, my cooking really hasn’t changed, but it has evolved. Using less sugar, less salt, and less fat means it is much lighter. But that doesn’t mean it’s tasteless. I believe in bold blends of flavors.In other words, when I cook, I like to find combinations of flavours that work well together. For example, right now we are preparing celeriac with coconut. I never would have guessed that coconut could pair well with celeriac. But these two worlds really come together if we try. Let’s say if we focus on depth of flavor, which is to say, trying to find the perfect balance and the perfect equation between celery and coconut.

 

The choice of a place with very sober furnishings and dominated by a non-colour like black is intriguing. Where does this choice come from?

The colour black came into my life thanks to an artist I really admire named Pierre Soulages. It’s now been nine years that we’ve been working with black, and for me, black is a colour that has never been as central in my cooking as it is now. That’s what I’ve been trying to do: emphasizing this colour as well my own black and white style.

You put your signature on Marcolin’s menu for the inauguration of the new showroom in Paris: can you tell us the inspiration behind the dishes prepared for this special occasion? What does inspire you about the Marcolin world?

For the opening of the new showroom in Paris, I created the dishes that reflect my interpretation of black and white and of Marcolin’s sublime craftsmanship linked to innovation. It was very interesting to create these combinations for such an important event.

Marcolin in Paris

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Where

Located in the heart of Paris, on the second floor of a historical building in Rue De Richelieu (a prestigious street that runs between the 1st and the 2nd arrondissement, where the National Library of France is also located), the new Marcolin showroom opened its doors on November 21. The showroom – designed by a Milan-based design studio and comprising a large exhibition space and offices – features an innovative concept yet stays true to Marcolin’s distinctive rigorously black-and-white essential elegance.

 

Who

The new showroom’s opening ceremony attracted a multitude of esteemed guests, including the French press, Celebrities, Customers, Partners and Institutions. At the event, Isabelle Moes, Head of Middle Europe at Marcolin, remarked that the new Marcolin space is the perfect place to stay connected to customers and distributors operating in France, but also in Benelux and on the German markets. So, it’s a strategic hub designed to promote growth in these markets and keep in line with the latest trends, since Paris is a true hotbed of change. It’s also a great source of inspiration for creatives and designers worldwide.

What

The new showroom’s opening ceremony attracted a multitude of esteemed guests, including the French press, Celebrities, Customers, Partners and Institutions. At the event, Isabelle Moes, Head of Middle Europe at Marcolin, remarked that the new Marcolin space is the perfect place to stay connected to customers and distributors operating in France, but also in Benelux and on the German markets. So, it’s a strategic hub designed to promote growth in these markets and keep in line with the latest trends, since Paris is a true hotbed of change. It’s also a great source of inspiration for creatives and designers worldwide.

Lorenzo Barberio

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In light of the very positive signs that, over the past two years, have characterized Asian markets in many sectors, there is growing interest in these markets also in the eyewear industry. For Marcolin, it’s an area with huge potential, and the positive performances delivered over the past few years are a testament to this. But what are the new challenges? Let’s discuss it with Lorenzo Barberio, General Manager and Head of Sales of the Asia-Pacific Region at the Singapore office, whom we contacted during the Hong Kong Optical Fair.

 

1

When we talk about “Asian markets” we’re referring to a huge part of the world that includes many different countries. In this scenario, how does Marcolin stand out?

«Marcolin has been operating in Asia since 1997 and has had its own office for ten years now, previously in Hong Kong, then in Singapore and Shanghai. Our new showroom in Singapore, in true Marcolin style, is a sort of observatory for us, as well as a reference point for our customers and partners from this part of the world: the meetings and new product launches that we organize a few times a year, also thanks to the breathtaking setting of the Marina Bay Financial Centre, always attract massive crowds. The Asian continent is extremely wide but it is also more uniform than you’d think. In countries like Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines and Korea, our brands, especially in the luxury and sport segments, are very much appreciated and loved. And don’t forget China, a country that is experiencing great change».

2

The world – and the markets – are changing rapidly: what are the new challenges in the eyewear industry in Asia today?

«The are many challenges, starting with those resulting from the strong presence of our competitors, especially in the luxury segment. But this drives us to do better in promoting our iconic brands, such as TOM FORD, by also relying on new channels, like what is happening today, for instance, with our latest collaboration with Estée Lauder. Even in times of market uncertainty, however, the world of eyewear, and especially brands like Zegna, Max Mara, Timberland and adidas, continue to deliver very positive figures. This happens both in store and online, thanks to our presence on TMall, a huge platform with 550 million Chinese users: today in China  40% of purchases are made online for many product categories. Lastly, there are also positive forecasts for optical frames, a growing segment due to the rising rates of myopia in young people and children».

“The are many challenges, starting with the strong presence of our competitors, especially in the luxury segment”.
3

Do some brands have greater potential than others in a vast country like China?

«Apart from seeing excellent opportunities for the TOM FORD collections, which is already a leading brand in Japan and Korea, today in China we are focusing on promoting brands like Zegna and Max Mara. And, due to the healthy lifestyle trend, we’re also seeing great positioning potential for adidas and Timberland collections, two brands that are closely connected with sports, running and the outdoor lifestyle. This is thanks to the campaigns promoting a healthier, active lifestyle that, over the past few years, have resulted in an ever-increasing number of runners and sports lovers also in China».

3 things you don’t know about WEB EYEWEAR

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Date of birth: 1930

WEB EYEWEAR were born overseas in the 1930s as pilot frames, close to the standards set by the American aviation and to the needs for resistance, flexibility and perfect vision that the first airplane pilots, women and men out of the ordinary and the schemes, authentic pioneers of the air such as Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart. Today, almost a century later, they still exist: they have lost weight, acquired new proportions, have been enriched with precious details but have always remained true to themselves. Starting from the unmistakable double screw bridge and celluloid temples.

The debut in the jet set

In 1994 the brand was acquired by Diego della Valle and Luca Cordero di Montezemolo: it was the moment of the great relaunch of this brand also on the European scene. A relaunch that takes place through new lines, colours and materials. It is no coincidence that WEB glasses end up on the covers of all the most important magazines, worn by various Italian celebrities and Hollywood stars, up to today, by the drivers of the Alfa Romeo F1 Team. Starting 2006, the brand was then acquired by Marcolin.

The new collection

Drop-shaped, round or mask-shaped (or just for vision): over the course of almost thirty years, WEB EYEWEAR models produced by Marcolin have been renewed, always respecting the quality of artisanal and sophisticated craftsmanship at the same time, one of the characteristics that distinguish a company like Marcolin. Like the latest new collection, which embodies transparency and contemporary design, reflecting the brand’s Italian DNA with passion and personality. The frames are characterized by vitrification and layering processes that enhance luminosity and colour and showcase intricate mechanisms and details within elegant structures. The iconic WEB torchon and diamond pins add functionality and aesthetics, satisfying the modern consumer’s quest for elegance and style. Confirming WEB as the perfect glasses for nomadic, explorer and indomitable souls. Even in everyday life where, often, more courage and creativity are needed than in a few hours of flight.

 

 

New leaderships

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In our rapidly evolving world, with unstable scenarios and ever-changing markets, upgrading one’s professional skills is becoming increasingly important, a requirement that can really make a difference when working in an innovation-oriented environment.  This is why on November 8 Marcolin kicked off the “Leadership Academy”, a training project dedicated to the company’s talents and future leaders that was launched in 2021 and that is now at its third run. And that this year featured a session fully dedicated to women’s leadership. An issue that is a top priority for a company where 57% of its employees are women (43% of whom are senior managers). So much so that Marcolin earned the recognition “Best Employers for Women 2022” from the German ITQF Quality Institute, which rewarded the top 360 companies in Italy.

The project, including ten meetings and running until February 2024, focuses on four key values on which Marcolin’s Leadership model is based: openness to change, practicality, responsibility and sense of belonging. The final goal? Providing a select group of its people with all the tools needed to look to the future with awareness and an open mind. Because there are many new, ever-changing challenges facing us today. From an increasingly closer connection between the physical and digital worlds to corporate social and environmental responsibility up to the competitive scenario among European, Chinese and North-American development platforms. A real obstacle course that, to be navigated effectively, requires agile thinking and the change-oriented mindset of conscious and qualified leaders.

 

There are many new, ever-changing challenges facing us today

The first day of the event, set against the welcoming backdrop of La Calcina hotel in Venice, just a few steps away from the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute and Punta della Dogana, hosted a team of speakers who, through six theoretical and practical steps, talked about the new leadership. No longer viewed in general as the ability to “encourage others to do better” but as a real driver of personal growth and independence for all, as well as the ability to enhance positive resources and especially, to identify and unleash hidden talent within each and every person. An intense working day that ended with a visit to the Icons exhibition at Punta della Dogana; a show that, with 80 works of contemporary art from the Pinault Collection (by names of the caliber of David Hammons, Agnes Martin, Kimsooja, Chen Zhen, and Rudolf Stingel) and site-specific installations by 30 artists belonging to different generations, gave food for thought and an opportunity to discuss the issue and role of icons and images in contemporary culture.

 

Marcolin’s Leadership Academy project thus provides an effective, complete and helpful way to boost productivity and in-house performances, starting from good relationship building skills. How? Through attitudes and behavior that can positively influence others, stimulating their personal growth. A valuable ingredient that – as confirmed by the latest research in the industry – is the real “raw material” of a modern, competitive and future-oriented company.

Federico Garcea

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Since 2021, Marcolin has worked together with Treedom, the digital platform that enables companies and businesses to plant trees and help “re-green” our planet, thus ensuring that tons of Co2 are absorbed. To learn more about it, we met Treedom founder and CEO Federico Garcea, who was recently hosted at the first Marcolin Talk at the Milan showroom.

1

From financial consultant to sustainable startupper: what was your life-changing moment?

In 2006, after many jobs, I ended up working in a bank in Barcelona. A job that I found boring, however. Every day was exactly the same, I felt like I wasn’t making a contribution to the world. One day, though, I got a phone call from a group of ambitious environmental engineers whom I had met in Copenhagen: they wished to implement renewable energy projects in Africa and so, suddenly, I quit my banking job and embraced the environmental cause. We soon came to terms with the big illegal deforestation issue in Africa: farmers earned their living by selling off hectares of forest land, where trees were being cut down. And that’s when we got the idea of creating a project that could support farmers to plant rather than cut down trees. At the time, moreover, I often played an online game that allowed you to build virtual farms, so I used to buy trees to adorn my virtual farm. In the end, we joined the dots and thought of creating an online platform where people could buy real trees, an idea which we thought could work. And that’s what happened. Today, by combining sustainability with the digital world, more than 4 million trees have been planted across the world thanks to Treedom».

“Today, by combining sustainability with the digital world, more than 4 million trees have been planted across the world thanks to Treedom”.
2

What companies do you mostly work with? How did your collaboration with Marcolin start and how did it evolve?

«Treedom today works with over 10,000 companies in Italy and around the world, companies spanning across all sectors, basically. And while in the beginning we were being contacted by energy-intensive companies for the most part, today we are happy to work with businesses that have already started going green, so it’s a lot easier and more natural for us to connect and find common ground with them. It’s all about the numbers: an ever-increasing number of businesses have embraced sustainability, not only by planting trees. Our collaboration with Marcolin, for instance, started thanks to our collaboration with one of their license brands, Timberland Eyewear, and then extended to the whole Group and became part of their corporate strategy. The initial goal was to plant 10,000 trees, now we’ve reached more than 15,000. The idea is to continue this collaboration over the next years, planting forests all over the world and thus supporting the local communities».

3

Today, is it possible to think that the net zero emissions target could become a reality 20 to 30 years from now?

«Even though the signs we’re getting from the planet are far from encouraging, a lot has changed over the past 15 years. Ten years ago, just 1 business out of 10 used to embrace sustainability, today it’s the opposite and the only business that hasn’t put the issue on its agenda is more than likely destined to shut down. It’s a positive message, promoted by the whole Fridays for Future movement, which changed the rules of the game. Sustainability today is imperative if you want to make your business survive, grow and prosper in the market and I think that this upward movement is an extremely powerful and positive message that can really make a difference, along with technology, which must also do its part to achieve the net zero emissions target».