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Marzia Viel

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Marcolin has been present in this part of the world for many years now: what are the winning marketing strategies in such an ever-evolving and varied area from a linguistic and cultural standpoint?

«The variety of our brand portfolio requires specific marketing investments: in addition to this very diversified context, and specifically in the case of APAC, the region’s heterogeneous nature plays a key role and is the reason behind its great linguistic and cultural variety. Nonetheless, communication trends are pretty similar and are influenced by three key trends in luxury buying. China, South Korea, and Japan are the countries with the highest luxury spending in Asia: although their growth rates differ, they set the key trends in terms of culture and style. China, in particular, since 2017 has been the country with the highest online spending as percentage of total GDP globally. Especially regarding our luxury brands, such as TOM FORD, ZEGNA, and Max Mara, thanks to our close collaboration with our HQ, and, therefore, to the great synergy that we have built with Fashion Houses, we can integrate our online and offline communication to drive and enhance our customer experience. We increased our above-the-line investments in the digital sector with magazines but also product seeding. If we shine the spotlight on Marcolin APAC, market performances over the past two years in China show how competitive this part of the world is. We are investing and gaining market share here. In 2024, the premium sector is still considered a potential safe harbor by customers in the Far East. Specifically in Southeast Asia, with Singapore and Malaysia in the forefront. The sport category is undoubtedly the most heterogeneous one in a scenario where global players collaborate with famous athletes and sponsor local events».

Who are your target customers and what channels do you use?

Ours is a B2B business, so Marcolin’s marketing strategy mostly focuses on supporting trade customers in order to implement a kind of distribution that enhances the brand equity of all the brands in our portfolio. When we build brand presence across each brand category in the different regions, we look for partners who can represent it in the most effective or unique way, so as to unlock new opportunities. We visit APAC countries on a regular basis to verify existing trends, develop communication and visibility synergy plans, and create training moments, which at Marcolin basically means sharing skills: new brand and product insights on the one hand, and market perception on the other hand. Trade magazines and conventions are certainly key moments to enrich our customer portfolio in markets where our presence needs to grow organically and constantly through branching. To further strengthen the collaboration with our customers, we are also implementing the Marcolin CX system in APAC, which will help us locally to become the “best and preferred partner”.

Lastly, let me ask you to sum up the first six months of the year and share some insights with us: what are the challenges ahead for the next few months?

2024 started on a positive note in APAC, even though there are a few markets in the region that appear to be slowing down or seeing consumers delaying purchases. On the opportunities side, Japan is an absolute certainty in APAC for Marcolin thanks to a growing trend experienced in 2023 due to tourists flocking in the market to take advantage of the weak yen and, of course, to enjoy the legendary Japanese hospitality. The biggest challenge is China, because Chinese consumers are travelling more and more outside China, thus affecting purchasing power in the domestic market.

We are closely monitoring all the potential opportunities in the market, thanks to collaborations that will kick off soon, such as the first MCM Eyewear collection by Marcolin that will be presented in June in Singapore for SEA and in Hainan, China, for North APAC and China.

Of course, talking about relevant opportunities, the development plan for ic! berlin in APAC is also worth mentioning: an ongoing plan that is already giving its first results in 2024.

The new eyewear for sports enthusiasts

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Movement and Strength

Dunamis is the word that best expresses the Greek concept of strength associated with movement, power and individual ability, perfect values to indicate the new adidas Sport Eyewear model produced by Marcolin. The result of thorough research on materials to meet the needs of those who do outdoor sports, Dunamis is the right adventure companion for athletes who need to protect their eyes with a model having a light and perfectly stable frame, with lenses that can guarantee broad and precise vision in all weather conditions.

«Dunamis is the right adventure companion for athletes»

A unique eyewear model

Created using a Marcolin mold, Dunamis is the product of scrupulous research and production techniques aimed at extreme performance. The result is a unique sports eyewear model boasting incredible lightness and a perfectly aerodynamic line. Two decisive aspects when being outdoors.

Design and attention to detail

The result? A model with an enveloping line, with scratchproof, dustproof, and hydro-oleophobic treated lenses, featuring the inevitable and iconic adidas Performance logo. The temples, the result of a new slim and aerodynamic design, greatly increase the comfort and fit of the eyewear during use. Dunamis is the eyewear model that perfectly meets the three basic needs of those who regularly do outdoor sports: shield the eyes from UVA and UVB rays, protect them from trauma or falls and be able to rely on a good breadth of the field of vision.

Regina Marques

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Since the 1970s, Marcolin has established relations with Brazil and inaugurated its showroom in São Paulo: a meeting that immediately sparked the interest of the Brazilian public in Italian-made eyewear. You, on the contrary, have brought Brazilian cinema to Italy. Is this the confirmation of a mutual interest at all levels?

«It was 2003 and in Italy there was a lot of talk about Brazil. The world’s attention was on the Amazon, Lula had just been elected and the city of São Paulo (twinned with Milan) was celebrating the 450th anniversary of its foundation, so it was the right opportunity to organize an event with São Paulo films and directors. The success motivated us to continue and, little by little, we turned into a real Festival. With one goal: to go beyond clichés and bring to Italy a selection of contemporary films that is as varied and representative as possible of today’s Brazil. An immense, young country in great cultural, economic and artistic ferment».

Speaking of eyewear, the question must be asked: what is the look that distinguishes Brazilian cinema?

«Brazil is a vast and complex country, and its cinema reflects this complexity. They range from favela movies to docufilms on the 60 years of military dictatorship; from family stories that talk about patriarchy to indigenous and environmental issues, which are extremely felt in my country, to films more related to the themes of music and dance, because bodily expressiveness is a fundamental part of the Brazilian way of looking at reality. In general, I would say that ours is a young, curious, physical and sensitive look to environmental issues».

From your artistic point of view, what points are in common with Europe and especially with Italy?

«Considering the European and Italian origins of many Brazilians, there are many points of contact between our views. Starting from the love for art, design and fashion. And then, after all, there is a special bond that unites Italy to Brazilian cinema. It was an Italian, Vittorio di Maio, who made the first «Lumière-style» films on the streets of Rio at the end of the nineteenth century, offering Brazilians the opportunity to look at themselves with an outside eye. Not a game of mirrors, but of different gazes that are really interested in getting to know each other better».

Timberland Experience

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Direction: Southwest

By day, it offers all possible shades ranging from ocher to purple, and by night, the skies are crowded with extremely bright stars. A red-rock oasis, this Canyon Rim Plateau is just minutes away from the Grand Staircase and Lone Rock Beach. Within a few kilometers of Lake Powell stands a unique luxury-outdoor resort, Under Canvas, the perfect starting point for many excursions on the mesas and long canoe trips on Lake Powell. The ideal place to discover the splendor of the American Southwest.

Green Comfort

The Under Canvas Resort is an elegant, comfortable and, above all, green glamping. 100% solar powered, it is the first in the world to have obtained a DarkSky certification, awarded to structures that combat light pollution to restore the natural nocturnal environment. It is no coincidence that on the occasion of Earth Day, Timberland chose to bring together a selection of outdoor and accessories journalists for three days of activities in the desert and on the lake. It was an opportunity to submerge themselves into nature and these unique outdoor activities to really put to the test Timberland Eyewear’s sunglasses from the latest collection.

For sports souls

April is one of the best times to visit the Southwest region in terms of temperatures (the maximum is around 28°C). It is also one month and one day after the spring equinox, which we celebrate Earth Day (April 22nd) in support for environmental protection of our planet. It is a particularly meaningful day for Timberland as an eco-conscious brand which dedicates many of their efforts in protecting the natural environments and planet. To fully immerse in Timberland’s brand ethos, this experience was only fitting in one of nature’s most beautiful, untouched settings – Grand Staircase – Escalante.

Sabrina Paulon

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1

The European Diversity Month is an opportunity to talk about inclusion within companies and workplace. The general panorama, according to data, still has many critical issues, except for some companies, such as Marcolin which this year obtained the Gender Equality Certification. In summary, what were the corporate initiatives that made possible to achieve this result?

This year we obtained the gender equality certification, a very important acknowledgement for Marcolin, because it rewards the efforts made over the past few years, by introducing a number of initiatives aimed at promoting corporate welfare, supporting parenting and work-life balance and introducing the smart working, even before the pandemic, when smart working was only marginal. In terms of education and training, we introduced the Leadership Academy, which is a course for the leaders of tomorrow, and during the last year we focused on a specific session dedicated to women. Still on the issue of parenting, we introduced Focus Groups, as well as additional paternity leave allowances.

2

What are, in your opinion, the useful practical solutions that a company should implement or strengthen to create a truly inclusive working environment today?

For us “Inclusion” means accepting and embracing diversity, because we believe that every person is unique, and this should be a corporate value. So that it wasn’t an extemporaneous initiative linked to the management of today’s managers, three years ago we wrote the Diversity & Inclusion Charter which we followed up with a whole series of policies aimed at the inclusion of all people who work at Marcolin. In addition to the inclusive policies and tools already implemented in the Company, today we want to create an inclusive culture. And to do so, we want to start from the language, which should be a proper, respectful, and welcoming language that celebrates diversity.

 

3

In addition to inclusion, what are the tools carried out by Marcolin to be able to break down the glass ceiling of managerial positions and to bridge the gender gap which, unfortunately, still exists in terms of salaries?

Gender equality and women’s empowerment also mean equal pay. At Marcolin today, in the January-October period, women accounted for 60% of the total workforce, 40% of whom is manager, and 50% covers executive roles. It is a program that we have implemented over time and that today includes a Gender Equality Committee and a Gender Equality Manager who makes sure that, every year, there is no gender gap within compensation packages and benefits. We are very proud of how far we have come, but we know that we still have a long way to pursue.

ic! berlin and Mercedes-AMG

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Success story

Two young engineers, Hans-Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher, and a little town, Grossaspach, located in the heart of Baden-Württemberg. These are the names that make up the acronym AMG, the performance and sports car brand of the iconic firm Mercedes-Benz. A story of hard work, passion, and success. The new ic! berlin eyewear collection was conceived with the values of AMG in mind – great attention to detail and a passion for high technology: four new frames designed and produced by the German brand, which was able to combine, once again, design and material research with skillful craftsmanship.

Unexpected Affinity

The collaboration between Mercedes-AMG and ic! berlin has brought together, since 2020, two globally recognized but very different German brands: a performance luxury brand like Mercedes-AMG and a brand that dominates the alternative scene in Berlin like ic! berlin. It could have been a bet, but it was a success: the great attention to design, artistic research, and high craftsmanship that the two brands have in common laid the foundations for three successful collections.

«For spring 2024, ic! berlin and Mercedes-AMG Eyewear introduce four unisex designs»

Unisex Collection

For spring 2024, ic! berlin and Mercedes-AMG Eyewear introduce four unisex designs, including both sunglasses and optical frames and featuring a very strong personality. The merit goes to the unique volumes, colorful details, and accurate selection of materials – from graphite to acetate, laminated steel and titanium.

Loreen Hinz

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1

Your creations are always striking for the strength of the images and a certain Dadaist spirit, which overturns the meaning of things: is this what made you appreciated by magazines such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Vanity Fair?

«First, I have to say I started totally different. I started doing modelling pictures and I had nothing to do with still life or something like that. But then 2020 came and everything changed in the world. This was the best I could imagine because this brought me to still life and I never thought that this would be such a passion. And I explored that I really love working with objects because in my little heart I am an artist and if I would ever have the patience, I would be a painter. Instead of oil colour or pencils, I use my camera and my settings which are built often by my own to create my own paintings. I try to produce the unexpected».

2

How do you manage to combine the love for Renaissance painters, or poetic themes such as the body and its transformations, with the communication of a product?

«I have to say in the former part of my life, I studied economics and marketing, and I worked several years in a big advertising agency here in Germany and in the art buying department and I also worked several times as creative director in my own shooting. So, I know these businesses in all aspects and because I know these marketing hard facts that you must generate attention first, that you have to be unique and that you have to catch the viewer’s eye. So, I always have these in mind and so it makes easier for me to combine these marketing hard facts with my aesthetic point of view. I do not see objects as they are, I treat them like my models».

“I do not see objects as they are, I treat them like my models”
3

It is impossible not to ask an artist who works with the eyes: what is the heart of the aesthetic and spiritual vision that guides your work, and which was also triggered in this project to create these shots for Marcolin?

«The starting point for this project for Marcolin was a discussion about the presentation of the human being and times of augmented reality and AI and how we could ensure the human presentation if even the artificial intelligence can copy a human being so perfectly. And so, I started studying the ideas of Constructivism and also Art Nouveau in the beginning of the 20th century, because these movements were also like an answer on the technical project in that times because we all have this collective memory of forms and pictures. And this was very interesting working with and using the body parts and head and combining them with the glasses».

California Dreamin’

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Hit the Sonora stage with us!

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival – that, for over 20 years, has attracted thousands of visitors (750,000 in 2023) on the grounds of the Empire Polo Club in Indio, Southern California – is a lot more than the typical summer festival, it’s a truly global event. And the reason is clear: it’s a two-weekend immersive journey into music with some of the biggest names on the international music scene and a symbol of the Californian lifestyle. Because “Coachella”, that this year will be held between April 12 and 21, is not just about music. With bucket hats and multicolored visors, sneakers and cowboy boots, denim mini skirts, micro-tops and glitter belt bags, it’s also the place to go to spot the latest fashion trends. Sunglasses included.

A mix of music, art and fashion

It’s not by chance that a leading brand like GUESS, founded in California by four French brothers – Georges, Armand, Maurice and Jacqueline Marciano – and based in Los Angeles, feels perfectly at ease on this global stage. In harmony with the youthful, informal and all-Californian atmosphere of the Festival, where music meets fashion, art and culture.

Styling detail: eyewear

Accessories are the real must-have: when you watch a concert, ride the Ferris Wheel (the typical selfie background), chill out in the relaxation area or admire the installations by starchitects and ephemeral artwork under the scorching sun of the Sonoran desert, you just can’t do without your sunglasses. All the better if they are colorful, playful, unique and unconventional like the sunglasses from the GUESS Eyewear collection. An accessory to always carry with you, because you never know: during Coachella, Palm Springs is always buzzing with cocktail parties, pool parties and exclusive DJ sets.

Made in Italy Day on April 15: Save the date!

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A Symbolic Date

Upon request from Altagamma – that Marcolin joined this year – and the National Chamber for Italian Fashion, the first “National Made in Italy Day” will kick off on April 15th, a special occasion to celebrate Italian creativity and excellence. The date was not chosen by chance, it is a tribute to Leonardo da Vinci, who was born on April 15th, 1452: a genius, a scientist, an inventor and an artist who embodied the “universal talent” celebrated in the Renaissance, thus becoming a universal symbol of Italian creativity worldwide.

«The perfect occasion to find out the many interesting training and work opportunities”

Attention to Young People

A variety of initiatives will be held on Made in Italy Day: a roundtable, live experiences at companies and networking events with schools and universities.  The perfect occasion for young people to find out the many interesting training and work opportunities offered by the Italian high-end industry, which plays a key role in the country’s economy, employing almost 2 million people and representing a sector of excellence that is admired globally. An industry that, in light of future challenges, looks to the younger generations.

An Ever-Evolving World

The day dedicated to our brand identity will also be an occasion for many to find out that Italy is more than just a breathtaking tourist destination (boasting 51 UNESCO heritage sites), it is also a country with a flourishing manufacturing industry. An industry that, in a variety of different sectors – ranging from food to high-tech and mechanics up to design and home interior – brings together passion, culture of beauty and investment in innovation. Three keywords that characterize Made in Italy products and that have always been a part of Marcolin’s DNA, which is one of the major promoters of Made in Italy Day. No vanity or self-celebration then, just another occasion to introduce our excellent manufacturing heritage to the public at large.

The New MCM Collection

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A Happy Encounter

As a precious new addition to the Marcolin portfolio, MCM – the luxury travel leather goods and apparel brand established in Munich in 1976 (MCM stands for Modern Creation München) – makes its debut with a new, much-awaited eyewear collection. A range of optical frames and sunglasses that blend together the creativity of the German brand, loved by millennials for its bags, backpacks – which have become a symbol of the brand’s history – and leather accessories characterized by the celebrated monogram, with the technical and innovative heritage that has made the Longarone company recognized globally. The result? A glamorous, casual and versatile eyewear line perfect for travel and city wear and designed for creative minds, nomads and mavericks.

Inspiration

The first MCM Eyewear collection comprises a line of metal and acetate frames that speak a genderless universal language, characterized by a contemporary and functional design, colorful silhouettes and futuristic lines. The perfect choice for digital natives, the brand’s greatest fans who, in terms of apparel and accessories, prefer functional and, most importantly, gender-neutral layered looks.

«The first MCM Eyewear collection speak a genderless universal language»

Details

The frames from the new collection produced by Marcolin feature iconic elements inspired by the world of travel leather goods. Turning into distinctive details, such as metal pins and angular inserts, these elements blend together with a new take on the brand’s signature logos to add the typical ironic and effortless touch of streetwear to these luxury frames: another way to redefine the travel theme according to the vision of digital natives. Available in over 650 MCM stores located in 39 countries, mostly in Asia, the collection will hit optician stores starting October 2024.