Sunglasses are pretty much a necessity when it comes to any stylish look, whether you’re young, old, female, male, skinny or wide. With that being said, Glassing is certainly a brand to look out for. These days there are so many brands, shapes and styles on offer, that to truly stand out, your going to have to produce something pretty out there, we’re pretty sure glassing have done just that. We speak to founders Alessandro Forte and Stefano Ottone about their move to the Middle Eastern market, what makes a sunglasses brand ‘cool’ and their inspiration.
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ESQ: What’s the inspiration behind your pieces?
We draw inspiration from trends and then revisit the idea and adapt it according to our vision. With every collection we always try to do more than what we did with the previous one.
What is your production process like? Predominantly by hand or by machines?
Part of the production process is done by machinery, so things like eyewear shaping, metal folds and the cuts of different lenses. On the quality control side of things, it’s all done by hand.
Who is the ideal Glassing customer?
Someone who is fashion conscious, loves travelling and relishes different cultures.
Who have you seen wearing your product?
There are a few celebrities such as, Kourtney Kardashian, Chris Brown and Cristiano Ronaldo who we have seen wearing our sunglasses, which is amazing! The customer we were most surprised about though was Giorgio Armani, we received a call from our store manager a while back who told us that he was at our store purchasing sunglasses!
What made you want to come to Dubai?
Dubai is one of most important fashion destinations globally, alongside Paris, New York, London and Milan. The majority of fashion brands have already established a presence here, so we thought it was essential.
How is your customer here in the Middle East different to other markets?
Dubai is not actually that different to the other places where we have stores, it’s a very multicultural and diverse city, people are trendy here, just like any other place.
What are your key markets internationally?
We have a great presence across Italy, which is of course our home country. However we’ve now established ourselves in markets across Europe and America, especially with our listings at Saks Fifth Avenue in the US. We’re fairly new to Dubai but the brand has already been really well received and it’s a great market for us with year round sunshine!
How successful has the pop-up store at JBR been?
Well the location is great and we’ve received a lot of positive press and great feedback on the style of the store. In terms of the product itself, people have also been complimenting the design and quality of the glasses. It’s the first time our product has been available in Dubai and its going great, we love the energy and mixture of cultures the city has.
Roughly, how many pairs of glasses have you lost over the years?
We’ve lost thousands of pairs on our travels through events and nightlife.
What makes a sunglasses brand ‘cool’?
Cool is a result of fusion between the style of eyewear and the person who wears it.
More information on Glassing products and its Dubai pop-up stores can be found here
