Curtains up for the newcomers! Once again, selected young designers and eyewear start-ups gather in the opti BOXES in Hall C2 at opti 2020 this year. opti starts today in Munich, Germany, launching the winter trade show season.
This year, 14 selected newcomers from France, Germany, the Netherlands, Israel, Great Britain, Italy, Belgium, and China will exhibit their work in a special area or opti, Hall C2. A highlight for the opti BOXES is the chance to win the BLOGGER SPECTACLE Award, which is awarded to the best newcomer in the industry. Who wins the coveted award is decided by 20 international trade bloggers, who will get to know the exhibitors in the opti BOXES in a type of speed dating on Saturday, 11 January 2020. The award ceremony takes place on the same day at 12.30 p.m. in the opti FORUM (Hall C4).
Annu GmbH (Hall C2.BOX1)
“WeareAnnu” was founded by international designers, thinkers, and doers who have come together to create a unique design. The eyewear label Annu from Nuremberg is a creative, up-and-coming brand that makes the wearer stand out. Annu glasses only weigh 4 grams – and less material means less waste.
Covrt Project Limited (Hall C2.BOX 2)
The young brand Covrt Project was founded in June 2018 and stands for streetwear made in London. The brand emphasizes the idea of glasses as a fashion accessory and combines new technologies, advanced materials, and the most modern details. The first collection consists of four sunglass designs made of light, milled steel and three models made of high-quality Mazzucchelli acetate, designed by Marcello Martino.
Leinz Eyewear (Hall C2.BOX3)
The German brand LEINZ Eyewear was founded by glasses designer Beate Heinz. Behind the theme of her collection “Contrasts and Hybrids” is the position of combining the old with the new and bringing the familiar into the future. The “you and me” collection sets strong graphic accents that frame the eye distinctively. The designer relies on sturdy, recycled leather scraps for the matching eyewear case.
Unsuikyo (Hall C2.BOX4)
The models of the Chinese naturalist brand Unsuikyo are shaped by stone patterns and textures that give the wearer a calm feeling of being in touch with nature. Every visual experience becomes a pleasure with spectacular landscapes and breath-taking moments that are worth capturing. The Mixed Clip collection mainly consists of glasses with attachable lenses made of natural materials such as stone and wood. The versatile eyeglass frame can be seamlessly transformed into a sunglass frame, whereby its practical and light features break up the traditional designs of clip-on sunglasses.
BRETT Eyewear (Hall C2.BOX5)
The collection of the French brand BRETT stands for masculine, timelessly stylish frames for both gentlemen and bad boys. The eyeglass frames are lasered from a single block of titanium and are assembled after machining processing and then brushed by hand. BRETT offers four collections that focus on the interplay of elegance and masculinity with the contrast of narrow and wide areas – a contrast that has become the trademark of the brand.
Eque.M (Hall C2.BOX6)
For the Eque.M designer, water is the inspiration for and theme of the new 2020 spring/summer collection. The design of water droplets is used in the “Water Collection”, which is unique and looks as if many small raindrops are falling onto the floor. The interesting thing about water is its versatility: sometimes the drops are curved, sometimes skewed, sometimes scattered. This means that no design is like the other. The collection includes six sunglasses and seven prescription glasses. All the models are made by hand in Japan.
CAZO ORIGINES (Hall C2.BOX7)
The French eyewear brand CAZO ORIGINES dedicates its collection to Pierre-Hyacinthe Caseaux, who produced the first eyeglass frame made of steel wire in Morez at the end of the 18th century. The CAZO ORIGINES collection consists of metal, acetate, and mixed materials. The glasses are “Origin France Garantie” and are made by hand in Morbier. The production takes between 150 and 200 working steps, completed by hand.
LIGHTBIRD SRL (Hall C2.BOX9)
LIGHTBIRD is an Italian start-up founded by designer Corrado Rosson in the historic eyewear district in Belluno. At opti, LIGHTBIRD will present its first Light MATTER collection, which is made from Italian acetate and a high-tech aluminium alloy. The models are extremely light and strong. The collection consists of three models for women – Flower, Snake, Baobab – and one model for men.
O-CCX Eyewear (Hall C2.BOX10)
The concept of O-CCX Eyewear will be presented at opti 2020 for the very first time. Master optician Peter Meyer is behind the brand. He has created a collection for the specialist trade that can be branded with the logo of the respective optician as an individual label, and also as its own webstore. The first collection consists of eleven glasses and sunglasses, each available in five different colors. A program was specially designed for client consultations to digitize the client’s face in order to find the perfect glasses for the wearer.
LAURENCE D’ARI bvba (Hall C2.BOX11)
The LAURENCE D’ARI brand, by the founder and creative director Laurence Bourguignon, combines Belgian design with Italian premium quality. The collection, consisting of eight models in three different colors, is designed in the Belgian fashion capital of Antwerp and is manufactured with excellent craftmanship in Italy. LAURENCE D’ARI wants to thrill women with a luxury line that is strong, charismatic, and elegant. The models are inspired by vintage features.
ALF (Hall C2.BOX12)
Founded by two brothers, ALF is a French family-run company that is inspired by the timeless silhouettes of the 1920s to 1950s. For the new collection, which was designed in Paris and manufactured in Normandy, Japanese acetate and anti-reflective photochromic mineral glasses are used. Hereby, models are created that emphasize elegance, simplicity, and style.
Tough Character Eyewear (Hall C2.BOX13)
The Israeli eyewear brand Tough Character, which was founded in 2017 by designer Zohar Azuz in Tel Aviv, stands for robust glasses with character. The collection is handmade in small-scale production from the finest Japanese materials. Each of the sunglasses produced by the start-up reflects the philosophy of freedom, urbanity, and happiness – with a hint of cheekiness.
LookAdd (C2.BOX14)
A new look every single day. The Dutch brand LookAdd ensconces the idea of ultra-light glasses that change their design every single day by means of a magnetic cover. The basis is formed by nine titanium and black frames with over 150 different attachments, which are produced in Italy. The simple application enables a quick look & feel characteristic that can be adjusted depending on your mood and the occasion.
UDM (Hall C2.BOX15)
UniqueDesignMilano is a young company that was founded by two friends during their studies. UDM produces and sells frames that are exclusively hand-made in Italy and do not conform to any norms. Through the angular design, the classic nerd glasses are reinterpreted in a timeless manner. The designs are particularly popular with celebrities and influencers such as Sofia Richie, Jessica Alba, Xenia Adonts, Jamie Chung, and Eva Chen.
