OCCHIALERIA ARTIGIANA. A HAND-MADE IN ITALY STORY

Glasses as a synonym for uniqueness. In a world where the trend is increasingly omologation and to be “logged” is very cool, there are excellence made in Italy brands that promote to just be yourself and – as a result – the pursuit of your own taste, style . One of these is Occhialeria Artigiana. Born in Basilicata, the brand has arrived with the new model Fausta the XXI Trienniale di Milano in the exhibition New Craft at the Fabbrica del Vapore (until 12 September 2016, ed).

Interview with Fausta Padula the creative team Occhialeria Artigiana.

Fausta, with what intentions was born Occhialeria Artigiana?

Occhialeria Artigiana believes in the strength and value of craftsmanship and made in Italy. And it is born with the aim of bringing the Italian handicraft value in the world through attention to detail and meticulous manufacturing proposing a collection of classic eyewear lines but innovative and original in detail and finishing.

What are those values that differentiate your glasses from those of the other brands?

Each piece of our collections tell a story, our story. Creativity, passion and know-how both artisanal and digital are the ingredients that distinguish Occhialeria Artigiana that is certified 100% made in Italy. Each model and color are made in limited editions to satisfy the desire for exclusivity of our target customers, who do not follow the trends of the mass market but pursuing their own conception of beauty and enhancement of their personality and taste through accessories. The high quality of products and their attractive lines make them timeless models and out of the contemporary “fast-fashion” logic, without sacrificing the pleasure that a piece of design conveys.

Maybe that’s why you’re staying with your model Fausta at New Craft exposition to the Fabbrica del Vapore in Milan. What is the history of this glass?

New Craft was created to promote the virtuous combination of manufacturing excellence and digital innovations. For Occhialeria Artigiana the digital manufacturing is a critical step in the production process, especially in the prototyping model, and that’s why the Triennale di Milano has chosen us. The art transcends time and trends: our every piece is the result of well-seventy-processing steps that transform a sheet of acetate in a perfect eyewear. Through 3D design software sketches take shape making it more practical design ideas, scanners and 3D printers are then used to produce the first prototypes to optimize upstream production. Fausta was designed and manufactured specifically for the Triennale di Milano as a preview of the collection coming out in September. The aim was to question the concept of “classic glasses” so dear to the brand, experimenting in form and finish, recombining of the hallmarks of the must have “round and square”, the flagship model of the previous line, in a eyewear that fuses inside the opposites: the square that mixes with the circle, the clarity that fades scratched in effect, innovation and tradition; the yin and yang of our style fruit of a collaboration between a new design generation and knowledge of older workers.

What is the value attributed to the glasses and crafts?

The eyewear is the instrument through which we filter the surrounding reality, or we take protection behind dark lenses. It’s a great-looking ornament, an integral part of the look, is not to “pass” as a purse, it’s a life partner worn everyday. Unlike apparel or accessories industry, who designs and manufactures glasses can not forget the ergonomics and functionality of the product. Often designers tend to give precedence to the artistic aspect or cloning looks seen on influencers on the web at the expense of its (pass me the social media term) “user experience”. In eye-wear limits in forms and functions are a further incentive to seek a creativity less impact but more original. The craftsmanship is what turns the abstraction and the idea in practice, is for us an inherent feature of the brand, is its soul. The first thing that struck me entering Occhialeria Artigiana was the presence of all the processing steps in a single location and follow their “birth”, from cutting to tumbling, this is the inexhaustible source of inspiration and experience in the era of relocation is now difficult to obtain. After all, a work of art is not realized with ideas, but with his hands (Cent clés pour Picasso, ed).

What are your plans for the future?

Occhialeria Artigiana is a small company that develops its models entirely inside thanks to its craftsmen. The goal is not to leave the craft process and continue to always raise more quality instead of producing large volumes. The brand wants to remain a niche brand, a secret for connoisseurs who appreciate the values and design. In short, in October, we will focus on participation in the Rome Maker Faire to confirm the vocation of digital artisans. Our presence is related to the Botteghe Digitali project curated by Stefano Micelli and supported by Banca IFIS. The challenge that we are implementing is also communicative: the goal to let us know online is taking shape through the social channels of the brand, in a strategy aimed at hitting the user potentially affected not only the product but the lifestyle eyewear Artisan. With this we do not want to increase production but the quality perceived by the consumer through continuous research of experimental materials, unexplored lines, abstract models with an eye to technological innovation and tight hands on artisan manufacturing tradition.

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