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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».

 

Three frames for three fall destinations

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In the Douro Valley

A popular summer destination like Portugal surprises us at this time of the year with a cascade of bright colored fall leaves reflecting onto the water.  To admire this view, all you need to do is drive through the Douro Valley, a one hour drive from the town of Porto, and set off along the paths winding through the hilly landscape dotted with ancient terraced vineyards, villages, churches and castles.  Magic places worth exploring also by boat, going on a peaceful cruise along the river to the heart of this valley that has been a Unesco heritage site since 2001; a region where vines have been cultivated with patience for 2000 years and that, along with breathtaking views, also offers fragments of history and the opportunity to enjoy an amazing food-and-wine experience, tasting Porto wines of different alcohol content and delicious salt cod dishes.  Among the many can’t miss attractions, worth visiting are the Numao Castle, Peso da Régua with the Douro Museum, and Pinhao with its old train station decorated with azulejo tiles depicting the grape harvest.

“A popular summer destination like Portugal surprises us at this time”

In Oasi Zegna

There are three different routes in Oasi Zegna, a magic place nestled in the heart of the Biellese Alps, that at this time of the year allow visitors to take a stroll in the beech and chestnut forests to breathe in the crispy mountain air, surrounded by the leaves’ vibrant yellow and red hues. They are called Bosco del Sorriso (the most popular route in the Oasi), Sentiero delle More and Cammino di San Bernardo.  Three routes accessible to all by foot, by mountain bike or on horseback that are located in a protected area that was established in 1991 thanks to the Zegna Foundation, which thus embraced and continued the ambitious project conceived by its founder Ermenegildo Zegna over a century ago to connect the company with the land.  These forests are ideal for practicing Forest Bathing (i.e. Shirin Yoku for the purists), a form of active meditation immersed in nature that helps reduce stress.  The foliage around here, though, also features a tasty side, thanks to the many fruits of the land worth tasting in the lodges located just a few steps away, where you can enjoy traditional chestnut, mushroom, pumpkin and polenta-based dishes.

“Oasi Zegna, a magic place nestled in the heart of the Biellese Alps”

In New York City

The perfect movie setting?  NYC in the dark yellow light of fall.  Time flies when you’re in New York, visiting museums, going shopping and taking a stroll in Central Park that, with its 340 hectares of land and 500,000 trees, offers unforgettable views.  We suggest that you access Central Park from Conservatory Water, located between Fifth Avenue and 72nd Street, and take the walkway lined by 150 American elm trees known as The Mall and leading up to Bow Bridge, the most photographed location in the Park, and Bethesda Fountain, the Angel of the Waters.  Otherwise, you can wander along The Ramble paths, the “wild garden” of Central Park, and walk up to Belvedere Castle and the Turtle Pond, where many different turtle species live.  However, to really enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of one the oldest parks in NYC, Battery Park is the right place for you, where you can take a leisurely stroll surrounded by luxury buildings and food trucks.

 

“The perfect movie setting? NYC in the dark yellow light of fall”

Giuseppe Stigliano

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1

Giuseppe, you’re one of the greatest marketers worldwide. On your latest TED Talk you said we all are, after all. Can you tell us how the worlds of communication and marketing have changed?

«Marketing has always existed, because every time we talk about ourselves and try to show our best side, we are actually trying to talk ourselves up to impress others. With the evolution of our species, we’ve started doing so also through the products, accessories, and garments we wear or buy, and every time we do so we are revealing something about ourselves, to ourselves or others».

2

You have guided many businesses and brands on their positioning paths. Today you are embracing a new marketing vision, a sustainable approach to this discipline. How do you reconcile sustainability and marketing today?

«There’s this play on words in English: “making people want things”. But the marketing vision that I prefer is the opposite: rather than “making people want things” it’s more like “making things people want”. According to this vision, marketing is not just about promoting things that already exist, it’s about inferring products, services and experiences. In a nutshell: it means shifting from push to pull, where marketing is necessary to define the right products or services, the price people are willing to pay and the one that enables companies to maximize profit. How do we communicate a brand? How do we pick the best sales channels for a brand? If we do our job well enough, then we’ll choose to only make those products that are likely to sell more. It means less waste, less stock items, less useless products. It also means making targeted products, services, experiences and communication messages, which reduce background noise. It’s a natively sustainable approach».

3

The eyewear that we make, we like to see it as a tool to “see” beyond things, frames representing a void to fill with new perspectives. How do you see the future of marketing and of the “behind the lens” business?

«Eyeglasses are a beautiful metaphor: they are lenses that enable us to see the world in a different way. And if there’s one thing, we’ve learned over the past few years it’s that we can’t go on this way.  So, a kind of marketing that continues to push us to buy more and more has little future. A kind of marketing that, instead, allows us to tune into demand, make the right products, make profit to invest in research and development and express the meaning of these products, making us feel better, that’s a good kind of marketing, which can support companies in their innovation processes. The father of management, Peter Drucker, said that the business enterprise has only two basic functions: marketing and innovation. All the rest are costs. On my recent TED talk, I mentioned the word harmony, Harmonia was the daughter of the god of war and the goddess of love, who therefore reconciled two opposites. That’s what marketing should do: help businesses reconcile the many opposites between ethics and profit, long and short term, product duration, there are many opposites to reconcile. It’s not by chance the TED Talk was called: How to become a marketing superhero».

Marcolin Talk

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What values today guide our path to the future? What are the cultural, economic and social perspectives? To answer these and other topical questions, looking into tomorrow and touching on topics such as training, the society, labor and economy, Marcolin invited three opinion leaders at its Milan showroom on October 19. What for? To have a chat with a small group of journalists, customers and partners. Marcolin Talks thus made its debut wishing to give food – in Italy and abroad – for thought and an opportunity to talk with authoritative speakers about innovation and Made in Italy excellence. This first run is titled Visions.

Three illustrious guests

To guide the first meeting come the “visions” of three big names in the world of business and communication: Stefania Lazzaroni, General Manager of the Altagamma Foundation, which brings together 114 Made in Italy brands; Federico Garcea, CEO & Founder of Treedom, an e-commerce platform founded in 2010 to offset carbon emissions by planting trees all over the world; Francesco Oggiano, a journalist and content writer for the Will Media community. Three illustrious guests who, after introducing themselves, immediately delved into what awaits us. And, more importantly, how to get there.

The world of luxury and Made in Italy

«In the fashion and luxury industry, the future speaks a language of sustainable innovation, of course. It’s not a slogan but a global challenge, that our country can also combine with beauty. This is possible thanks to its ecosystem comprising small and medium enterprises and an unparalleled craftsmanship that can’t be replicated elsewhere. In the meantime, it is important to invest in youth training and continuing professional development» said Stefania Lazzaroni, also touching on the need to combat counterfeits, which plague the industry.

The future is, of course, green

Green spirit

According to Federico Garcea – who with his startup since 2010 has planted almost 4 million trees in 17 countries across the world (15,000 of which comprise the “Marcolin Forest”, thanks to the collaboration started in 2021 between Treedom and Marcolin) – the future is, of course, green. «Just 1 business out of 10 doesn’t consider sustainability and for this reason it is destined to close. The others are working on reducing and compensating emissions by planting trees. Rather than greenwashing, it’s a commitment for everybody that goes well beyond business: it looks straight into the future».

Information tomorrow

And in the coming years such commitment will also look to information, of course, which today is facing the challenge of artificial intelligence. «Change started in 2019, then the lockdown and stay-at-home policies did the rest. So the challenge today is to be able to use all the existing tools while maintaining quality and rigor» journalist Francesco Oggiano remarked. «And if it’s true that in a few years’ time we will be reading totally synthetic news and articles, written using artificial intelligence, media professionals will in any case be responsible for providing a starting point and an analysis».

Marcolin at ApritiModa

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A growing event

Twenty-thousand visitors for 100 laboratories, companies, manufacturers and ateliers located across the country. These are the figures for ApritiModa, an event that, now at its seventh run, was held last weekend, between October 21-22. Created by journalist Cinzia Sasso and sponsored by the Ministry for Business and Made in Italy, the Town of Milan, Fai Fondo per l’Ambiente Italiano and the Altagamma Foundation, Apriti Moda is an event that, since 2017, has offered the audience a sneak peek of the behind-the-scenes of the world of Italian fashion and luxury. A world that is usually reserved to insiders only. Marcolin, for the third year in a row, participated in the initiative by welcoming visitors at its Longarone headquarters.

 

«opening the doors also means transferring the craftsmanship behind a product»

Marcolin’s point of view

«Three years ago, when we have been invited to attend ApritiModa, we joined with enthusiasm and today the idea of opening the doors to the public continues to excite us. Glasses are thought to be simple, easy products, but this is not the case» said Sabrina Paulon, Marcolin Group HR Director. «A frame, instead, is the result of a long process that includes 50 to 67 phases, and opening the doors also means transferring the craftsmanship behind a product. Some manufacturing steps have been automated but the savoir faire and experience still matter a lot for us. The human value at Marcolin is crucial». About fifty visitors, including students, curious viewers and enthusiasts, had the chance to step into the Design and Style department, a place that is at the heart of Marcolin’s creativity, where every new frame is conceived from the very beginning; they had the opportunity to personally touch the materials in the lab where prototypes are made and to see firsthand a part of the eyewear manufacturing and finishing process.

 

A path worth learning more about

Manufacturing steps that, from the design to the final product phase, require 18 to 24 months of work. Combining tradition with innovation is key, without forgetting the indications provided by the designers of the fashion brand whose frame are being created. «Every frame is a unique, one-of-a-kind piece, so nothing is left to chance» concluded Sabrina Paulon. Before hitting the market, every frame manufactured daily at Marcolin must undergo rigorous quality controls and gain official certification. That’s something to remember every time you wear your glasses.