My Silhouette: Brix Start-Smith

The finest and most luxurious items in the world are made by hand. After all, only individually made, hand-finished items can be bespoke. Silhouette’s iconic rimless glasses, which have always been made by a combination of high-tech machinery and careful hand finishing, are now offered as bespoke, made to the highest and most exacting design specifications: yours. But you have to be one of the chosen few invited to create their own “My Silhouette.”

Nothing says more about us than our eyewear. As humans, we instinctively seek out the eyes in others before we acknowledge anything else about them. Our eyes express a great deal about who we are and so those of us who wear glasses spend a lot of time and care choosing the right eyewear in an attempt to express our individuality. But how can we do that while choosing from an existing, often uniform range? Far better would be to design something bespoke, something unique, something that allows our individual character to shine through. Silhouette’s trademark rimless design allows unique freedom to create an individual lens shape. Whatever size, shape, colour, finish or even decoration is desired, the rimless construction means Silhouette can create the perfect pair of glasses for the individual.

Silhouette has invited key leaders from the design and creative industries, each with their own signature style, to work with Silhouette’s designers and style experts to create their own Titan Minimal Art. The results are as beautiful as they are eclectic as they have each designed eyewear that is as distinctive and unique as they are.

Becoming an eyewear designer for a day has allowed our team to design their own Titan Minimal Art. The personalized lens shapes, colours and sizes are unique; they have created their very own “My Silhouette”. And “My Silhouette” will be available to all in the future.

The process uses portrait photography and state-of-the-art software to create the perfect shape for the face: the lens is tailored to the eye zone. But of course there is never just one answer so the process allows for endless inputs and changes to allow the personality of the wearer to come through. They can chose from the virtually endless possibilities of lens shapes and tints until they find exactly what they are looking for. “The experience of working with creative people from different areas is very inspiring, exciting and thrilling for us, too,” says Silhouette’s head designer Roland Keplinger, who is especially pleased that “most of our guests decided on more than just one piece of individual eyewear because the variety was simply so much fun.”

The complete PR-Text is in the Silhouette Mediabox and available for download.

Silhouette Material Story SPX+

Minimalism is an important fundamental principle of design. Not a dictate of fashion, but the absolute timeless consciousness of what seems essential to us. The secret of minimalistic design and the unsurpassed wearing comfort of Silhouette eyewear lies, among other things, in the SPX®+ polymer composite, whose ground-breaking potential revolutionized the lightness of Silhouette’s eyewear design. The secret behind SPX®+? S stands for Silhouette, P for polyamide, X for the design-related choice of materials.

The vision: eyewear made of SPX®+ that can be combined with other high-quality materials such as high-tech titanium – formal, puristic, slim, flowing and dynamic, with no sharp edges, a soft feel and super-flexible temples, with no screws, no hinges. With passion, patience, perfection and the specially developed polymer composite SPX®+, this vision became reality.

“SPX®+ is the result of many years of experience. We analyze every millimeter of the eyewear and recognize the different material requirements that we can fulfill exactly by injection molding with up to eight polymer composites: lightness, feel, precise detail, flexibility and strength – something different at each point.” The materials and components of a Silhouette are geared to each other. The nose bridge and the side parts must have the necessary stability. For optimal fit and maximum wearing comfort, the temples are merged from more durable material on the temple edge to a more flexible in the adjustment area. “Overall, SPX®+ makes the greatest functionality possible that lies behind minimalistic eyewear,” explains Rupert Spindelbalker, head of the Research and Development at Silhouette.

The power of innovation
During Silhouette’s history of almost 50 years, the individual wishes and needs of people who wear spectacles have been at the core of its thinking and creating. A Silhouette is a masterpiece of minimalism, the epitome of tangible lightness and utmost wearing comfort. To make this vision become reality, Silhouette began the search in the 1980s for a material that made the promise of the brand palpable and visible in an incomparable way. The choice went to special polyamides – highly complex thermoplastics, that together with suppliers was developed into SPX®+ , the most innovative eyewear plastic to date.

In 1983, Silhouette began producing eyewear made of this high-tech plastic with the innovative injection molding technique. The advantage was and is obvious: hardly any other material, hardly any other technique, had such great potential for possibilities and outstanding properties with regard to formal as well as colour design, functionality and wearing comfort. The wish for improved functionality and unlimited design possibilities moved the Research and Development team to continuously optimize and search for new material compounds. Today up to eight different polymer composites are used in the various eyewear components; they are synonymous for SPX®+ and for the incomparable design and wearing comfort of a true Silhouette.

The complete PR-Text is in the Silhouette Mediabox and available for download.

Silhouette Collection: Day-LITE

Every day can be a delight, as long as you face it with the right eyewear. Eyewear such as Silhouette’s Day-LITE, whose design is a byword for stylish minimalism. This is where an appreciation of perfect form and beauty melds with the highest demands for comfort and quality materials.

Ensuing from the values that have always made Silhouette eyewear something special, the new Day-LITE Collection reinterprets the essence of full-frame eyewear: State-of-the-art technology and a clever combination of materials coupled with the particular advantages of maximum minimalism. The result is the utmost in wearing comfort with tactile lightness. A lightness, whose impact on making the day is visualized by designer Gerhard Fuchs in the soft, fine lines of the rims and the imposing interplay of matte and shining surfaces. The shiny titanium temple– five colours are available to choose from – comes in a matte transparent overprint with an impressive glossy edge.

But design is more than just aesthetic form and surfaces. It is the equivalent of the creation of innovation, whereby the materials used play a crucial role. Day-LITE, with its very fine rims of SPX polymer and the high-tech titanium temple, is striking, while being especially light and comfortable. “We incorporated the high-performance plastic SPX and extremely flexible high-tech titanium in Day-LITE’s design. They are ideally suited for the varying requirements of the individual frame components,” reflected Gerhard Fuchs when talking about the high proportion of research and development. Because of the flexibility of the intelligent materials, a minimum amount is needed for making the eyewear.

The hinge is embedded in the rim, whereby the temple is optimally inclined, allowing for adjustment to the shape of the head and face. A fact that is just as decisive for comfort as is the smooth soft-touch of the SPX polymer on the tips. Additional comfort is provided by another conspicuous Day-LITE detail: Bridge pad arms with nose pads. Gerhard Fuchs is not only a designer, but a trained toolmaker, as well. He thus understands both languages, so to speak – that of the designer, and that of an expert Silhouette technician, “which is of immense importance in the workmanship and utilization of our materials.”
In a process involving more than 200 steps, with 80 percent being carried out by hand, Silhouette Day-LITE fulfils the demands of discerning wearers.

The complete PR-Text is in the Silhouette Mediabox and available for download.

LITE-Touch: Various Models

Highly comfortable jewelry for the eyes, discreet, yet noticeable. That is the clear message of the design of the new rimless Silhouette LITE Touch Collection. And it is noticeable that one feature of the LITE Touch is just a bit more extraordinary: The decorative element made of the SPX polymer compound on the front part of the temple. The magical aspect reminds you of an exquisite intarsia with high-tech titanium and SPX appearing to blend into each other. Silhouette designer Angela Strecker was inspired by this unique art form, a magnificent play of light and shadow creating an illusion.

Traditional techniques, such as the inlaid work of intarsia, are discovered by designers time and again. The influential Swiss architect duo Trix and Robert Haussmann, with their “Seven Codes” wardrobe, belongs to this avantgarde, as do the design studio Front, with its “Inlay” chest of drawers and Marcel Wanders, who did not only the parquet flooring, but an entire apartment in beautiful inlay. It is one of the great challenges in design, to take the great art of traditional intarsia with its absolute precision and turn it into pieces crafted with masterful skill – adapted to the requirements of modern mass production.

It is no coincidence that innovative designers and companies with unconventional approaches are taking this path. Intarsia is making inroads into eyewear design in the LITE Touch Collection. Thanks to state-of-the-art technology, innovative high-tech materials and skilled precision, it is artfully produced by Silhouette. The decorative element in LITE Touch provides contrast to the smooth titanium temple, giving it a fine, three-dimensional structure. “Visible – not only on the outside, but also on the inside of the temple,” explained designer Angela Strecker. The decorative element is firmly embedded in an opening of the flexible temple, that has been worked with the utmost care. An innovative, high-quality solution based on Silhouette technology; the result of intensive, sophisticated testing, whose quality is continuously monitored in production.

Designer Angela Strecker draws soft lines resembling the slight curve at the beginning of the temple, a visual, tangible sign of great wearing comfort. “The style remains very clear,” she stressed.
The design fulfills the particular demands of urbane individualists, strongly emphasizing their stylistic command while being highly functional. The carefully selected materials are exquisite and worked just as meticulously – each of the four models, available in eight colors for men and women, is superbly crafted in Austria in a process involving more than 200 steps, conforming to Silhouette’s singularly high quality standards.

The complete PR-Text is in the Silhouette Mediabox and available for download.

“Perfection is attained … when nothing more can be taken away.” It was this aphorism by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry – but even more, the desire for the lightest eyewear with unparalleled wearing comfort – that spurred Silhouette in the creation of Titan Minimal Art. The result: the most minimal and lightest eyewear in the world with a unique feel. No rims, no hinges, no screws; and with a minimal weight of just 1.8 grams, it is eyewear that has become an icon – not only for some 9 million wearers worldwide.

Titan Minimal Art has accompanied NASA astronauts on 35 missions into space, was and is the star of movies, can be found in the permanent collection of the Museum for Applied Arts in Vienna and is above all, the showpiece of its wearers.
The Titan Minimal Art success story began in the ’90s in Austria, where Titan Minimal Art is still produced today in a process involving 260 steps, of which 164 are crafted by hand. It is also continuously developed there, its latest evolution being the dynamic Titan Minimal Art. The Icon.

“Plenty of love for detail, the endless spirit of research, and a vision of making seeing with eyewear as untroubled and comfortable for people as possible, is what led to the most important milestone in our company’s history and in the history of eyewear – Titan Minimal Art.” This is how Arnold Schmied, co-owner and Managing Director of Silhouette International, describes the evolution of the revolution in the world of eyewear that Silhouette caused with Titan Minimal Art.

Titan Minimal Art sparked a revolution by omitting everything that was typical of conventional glasses, namely rimmed frames, hinges and screws. In addition, the weight was reduced to a minimum of 1.8 grams, which in turn maximized wearing comfort.
Hand craftsmanship combined with state-of-the-art technology and best materials are one of the secrets of its success. 164 of the 260 work steps required to manufacture the eyewear are performed by hand – exclusively in Austria.

The joy of limitless vision
The expression on a person’s face is really the expression of that person’s character; eyewear should always accentuate – and never cover up – this expression. That is the credo of Silhouette and the reason why Titan Minimal Art features a limitless variety of colours and shapes that can be used to make virtually custom-tailored versions for any wearer to match their skin and hair colour, the shape of their face and their personality. This is what makes Titan Minimal Art more than just a pair of glasses; indeed they are a part of the personality of the wearer.

The complete PR-Text is in the Silhouette Mediabox and available for download.

Silhouette interviewed Patrick Dempsey on the occasion of the Titan Minimal Art shooting – Silhouette’s icon of eyewear:

What do you look for in good eyewear?
Style, comfort, fit on my face and quality of the lens; these things make a big difference if you’re in a car or on a plane, where you want to have protection from the sun. I look for a light frame and something stylish.

How did you feel about eyewear you wore for the shoot?
I was amazed at how comfortable they are, lightweight and stylistic. They are really well made, have a really light frame, and are very comfortable.

Describe your own style?
I really love the classic lines and also modern designs, but at the same time, I like things that are comfortable.
I like something with a little edge but not too much of a statement in that the style is wearing you not the other way around. Fabric is a big thing for me, and the quality of the construction, and craftsmanship, that is really important to me. You really appreciate things more.

Does anybody influence you?
Yes and no. When someone has good style, you can clock them and see what it is about their style and what they project. Everybody has to listen to themselves and be honest about their style. I guess some people do and some people don’t.

Looking at design what do you look for?
Something that you can’t take your eyes off, that you look at over and over again and keep re-discovering; something that’s what I like. When you find something and it gets deeper and deeper every time you look.

How do you take a break from your schedule?
Well cycling, I really love cycling, it’s a great way for me to calm down and stay in shape, it’s a great meditation. Car racing’s another thing I love doing, what it does mentally and physically. It calms me down and forces me to be outside of my comfortable place it forces me to emotionally manage things going on in my life.

What things make life easier?
My iphone, everything’s on my iphone, my ipad. Technology is remarkable.

A succession of many small steps made Titan Minimal Art what it is today: an icon. But, above all, it is the passion and enthusiasm of the people- those who wear it and those who create it- that make it an indispensable accessory.

• In the 1990s, Silhouette designer Gerhard Fuchs’s ideas were characterized by reduction. His task was to create glasses that function without practically anything, while offering a lot more than any other eyeglasses: highest wearing comfort, perfect design, and unlimited vision.

• In 1999, the world was amazed to see the first eyeglasses with a rimless frame design: Titan Minimal Art. Whatever was typical for eyeglasses up to that point was abandoned: screws, hinges, frame. Even the weight was reduced to 1.8 grams. This was the beginning of a new era; Titan Minimal Art was the first object ever created that made seeing with glasses as limitless as without.

• Owing to its great success, the Titan Minimal Art collection – which originally consisted of two models in five colours – was expanded by six models and three colours in 1999, the same year it was created. It rapidly conquered the hearts and faces of eyeglass wearers all over the world.

• It took only a short time for the revolutionary glasses to be discovered by NASA, the American space agency. On October 11th, 2000, Titan Minimal Art took off on its first space mission aboard NASA’s space shuttle Discovery. Astronauts Bill McArthur and Peter JK Wisoff were excited about their limitless vision in space. 35 further missions followed. In cooperation with NASA, Silhouette even developed special sun protection eyewear for space applications.

• The sunglass season of 2000 quickly found its star in Titan Minimal Art Sun. The rimless sunglasses, which come without hinges or screws, reached the status of a “must have” worldwide. From New York to Tokyo, Berlin to London, in Paris and Milan: not only fashionistas agreed on which were the coolest shades.

• The international catwalks were not far away. In 2001, Titan Minimal Art entered the catwalk stages of New York, London, Paris, and Milan. Appreciating Titan Minimal Art’s rich variety and ability to transfigure, Julien Macdonald and other designers sent their models to the catwalk wearing special creations.

The complete PR-Text is in the Silhouette Mediabox and available for download.

Patrick Dempsey wears Titan Minimal Art

It is considered to be The Icon among rimless eyewear. Introduced in 1999, used in outer space, permanently under continued development and now dynamically evolved: Titan Minimal Art – The Icon. He acts on one of the most popular series in the world, capturing hearts as Dr Derek Shepherd, and wears Titan Minimal Art by Silhouette: Patrick Dempsey.
When two icons meet and are photographed by a third icon – Peter Lindbergh – a campaign is created unlike any other. Silhouette will be presenting it at the beginning of March.

Spectacle Wearer Patrick Dempsey
For Patrick Dempsey, the successful Hollywood actor, design is good “when it is simple and functional, not forcing its way into the foreground.” With the presentation of “Titan Minimal Art – The Icon”, Silhouette is launching a long-term campaign with the motto “An Icon for an Icon”. The theme revolves around icons that symbolically stand for living with innovation and lightness. “Titan Minimal Art – The Icon” and Patrick Dempsey: Both look good, but the latter is considered one of the “sexiest men alive”. “Patrick Dempsey’s personality wins us over, and will certainly win over our fans as well.

He has great presence without being intrusive, and is consistent in everything he does. So, Patrick Dempsey also embodies what Silhouette and ‘Titan Minimal Art – The Icon’ stand for, with complete authenticity”, says Arnold Schmied, co-owner and Chairman of Silhouette International. As an enthusiastic wearer of spectacles and sunglasses, Patrick Dempsey can now exhibit the compelling advantages of Titan Minimal Art on a daily basis with his own personally tailored pair.

Patrick’s Lite Moment
Patrick Dempsey has two great passions. One is for fast cars. A successful racing driver himself, he and former football champion Alessandro Del Piero co-own the racing team “Dempsey/Del Piero Racing”. He has been practicing the second passion since he was thirteen. He juggles – masterfully. Patrick Dempsey makes no secret of his soft spots for fast cars and for juggling. One of the special particularities of this campaign is the chance to see Patrick Dempsey in moments of recreation: As a passionate motorist while driving and as a talented juggler.

“It’s important to us to show Patrick Dempsey in situations in which he is being himself, not playing a role – and, of course, in which he is wearing spectacles or sunglasses”, says Christian Hafner, Brand Director Silhouette, announcing a continuation of the campaign with further icons.

The complete PR-Text is in the Silhouette Mediabox and available for download.

There are a number of design icons. If and when an object achieves cult status depends on different factors that lie outside our control – but it is often this very unpredictable momentum that is an integral part of the iconisation process.

Did Ferdinand Alexander Porsche realise back in 1963 that he was creating a design icon when he developed his Porsche 911? Or was the Danish designer, Verner Panton, already certain back in 1967 that his visionary plastic chair with the curved design would become permanently inscribed on the list of the best furniture designs? Did the designer of the Titan Minimal Art by Silhouette ever imagine that this eyewear would be adopted by NASA astronauts? All of these questions can be answered with one single reply: “Definitely not!”

The same can also be said about an infinite number of bits and pieces that fall into the category of more or less everyday items and which have ended up securing a truly special place in the world of objects. It is not fair for all of these to have been branded icons of design. However, how does something manage to win a place in the line-up of ‘eternal’ objects? And what exactly is an ‘icon’, anyway?

If we study the etymology of the word ‘icon’, we happen upon images of the saints. In the Eastern Christian church, these images were and indeed still are, intended to arouse reverence and to create an emotional bond between the picture and its beholder. They resonate something mysterious, something immaterial. They stir the emotions, on all accounts. Without a doubt, there are certain material objects, such as furniture, eyewear, cars, cameras, fountain pens and perfumes that also possess this special quality to release an almost magical aura.

To call it a ‘soul’ would be more precise, due to the connotations of lightness and transcendence associated with a soul. It has also been shown that it’s not just having a quantifiable use that turns an everyday object into an icon. It requires much more than this. It requires something that the ancient Greek term ‘aesthetics’ symbolises: sensual perception and perception is a sentiment that generally cannot easily be quantified due to the feelings that become entwined with it.

The complete PR-Text is in the Silhouette Mediabox and available for download.

“A look can weigh heavily, but the right eyewear never should.” This could well describe the credo of the Silhouette brand, whose products have always stood for a very special kind of lightness. A lightness extending far beyond the eyewear rim. Freedom and an unrestricted, pure lifestyle play a central role, as do mobility and flexibility. All this characterizes the various classics that have been derived from this approach – making design history.

Launched back in 1998, the ever-successful model of the Titan Next Generation falls exactly into this category. It was the first eyewear with screwless hinges, made of high-tech titanium. Unmistakable, from the first glance. Perfect, for those who regard classic, discreet eyewear design that leaves room for the personality to shine through, and for those who appreciate the high quality of minimalist design.

The most beautiful success stories, however, are those with an open ending. That certainly applies to the Titan Next Generation. It has undergone continuous development right up to the present day. And now this successful classic is available in rimless and nylor versions with a new, dynamic parallel-line eyewear design. “Nylor” means that the upper or lower edge of the frame is made of either metal or plastic and the lens is supported by a nylon string.

Gerhard Fuchs, designer of the Titan Next Generation, speaks of evolution in this context. Where the road leads is clear: First in the direction of a stronger dynamic, especially when it comes to the line of the temples. The double-effect line of the temple design in this latest interpretation extends symmetrically to the tips of the titanium temples. There is an upsweep of the side parts that gives a softer impression, running in a flowing sweep to the back. Striking and recognizable is the rectangular decorative element that breaks up the parallel temples, its colour harmonizing with the tips.

Twelve rimless and three half-frame models make up the latest evolution of the Titan Next Generation. What is more, the size of the lenses reflect current trends. Gerhard Fuchs was open to inspiration by other influences as well. The architectural vocabulary of contemporary bridge construction served as a model, as did the use of forms in aircraft design. The familiar assets of the Titan Next Generation were retained, of course: Well-proportioned unisex eyewear, appropriate for men and women of any age.

The complete PR-Text is in the Silhouette Mediabox and available for download.

The needs and demands of spectacle wearers are as varied and individual as their faces. Each one wants to look good and see good – and they all appreciate perfect wearing comfort as well as high quality and unique materials, regardless of whether they opt for eyewear with frames or without.

From April 2013, Silhouette will be expanding the Titan Dynamics family of designs with a nylor model (the upper rim being made of high-tech titanium with the lens being held in place by a nylon string). The clean form, reduced to the essential, and combined with the unmistakable feel and smooth appeal of the Titan Dynamics will now be available in three versions: rimless, nylor and full-rim.

Commitment to products that are mainly hand-finished as well as the desire for soft-touch and individuality are the future-oriented signs of our times. People today enjoy a lighter style of living, appreciating anything that does not weigh them down, yet without taking life too lightly.

Silhouette has devoted much time, enthusiasm and know-how to the topics of lightness, surface feel and flexibility. “Each frame component presents a different challenge with regard to pliability, flexibility and adjustability. This we meet through the use of different materials,” said Klaus Schmied, chairman and co-owner, responsible among other things for technology and research. “A Silhouette is never made of just one material, but out of up to eight different polymers, high-tech titanium or a combination thereof,” stated Schmied.

All versions of the Titan Dynamics were created under the premise of the greatest lightness and all offer optimum wearing comfort. The Titan Dynamics’ rectilinearity is accentuated with colour and material effects. An interplay of transparency and vibrant opaque conjures up contrast, highlighting the diversity of the models. The discreet design of the two new nylor versions gives room for the personality of the wearer to bloom, while the double bridge makes a refined, dynamic statement. It complements perfectly the individual look in an uncomplicated way and with charming subtlety.

Like all Silhouette collections, the Titan Dynamics by Silhouette are made in Austria using premium-quality materials in a process involving more than 200 steps, around 80% of which are executed by hand.

The complete PR-Text is in the Silhouette Mediabox and available for download.

High-tech Titanium

Making a vision become reality calls for passion, patience, perfection and permanent expansion of your own horizons. From the beginning, the people at Silhouette were ready to think outside the box, and in the search for exclusive, versatile materials and technologies, to break down barriers – for revolutionary lightness, cool solidity and maximum flexibility, to present invisible features to users in a practical way; in short: to develop extremely minimal eyewear.

“Already at the beginning of the 1990s we were experimenting with different materials such as phosphorous bronze, aluminum and copper alloys. These materials, however, fulfilled our demanding requirements only to a certain extent, if at all,” said Rupert Spindelbalker, who is in charge of Silhouette’s research and development, when talking about the challenging beginnings. Only the discovery of a new flexible, yet stable, titanium alloy by the research and development department that Rupert Spindelbalker heads, and the perfect cooperation of his team with the designers and production staff made, what had seemed up to then, the impossible possible. Silhouette also developed processing methods that permitted consistent material purity and consequently, optimum properties. “The secret is in the interplay of the material and the processing – only when both of these components are at the highest level, is the eyewear then, too,” said Spindelbalker.

The material
“Back to the future …” is how you could describe Silhouette’s path to high-tech titanium. It was one of the founding fathers of organic chemistry, the German Justus von Liebig, who succeeded in extracting metallic titanium from its principal mineral ores in 1831. But it was to take more than a hundred years before the discovery of this successful chemist – whom we can also credit for the invention of baking powder – would be ready for commercial use. It was not because of its availability, for titanium is not rare; on the contrary, after aluminum, iron and magnesium, it is the fourth most common metal. However, it does not occur in pure form, but rather as an oxide in the minerals rutile or ilmenite. The extraction of pure titanium is a laborious process. One that has its price, of course.

Silhouette Titan Sculpture

Creative design with a wealth of individuality and style reflects the spirit of our time. It plays around with exuberance, dynamics and power, combining elegance and freedom, thereby addressing the modern lifestyle of wearers with a liking of technology and design. And this is where the Silhouette Titan Sculpture comes into its own.

Silhouette Titan Sculpture eyewear is synonymous with three-dimensional design and top quality manufacturing using high-tech materials with a real attention to detail. Impressive dynamics combined with innovation and precise craftsmanship. The temples are tensioned by the contrast between the high-tech materials titanium and SPX. The sweeping shape of the front part of the temple, as well as the volume of material that has been reduced to an absolute minimum, enhance the aesthetic appeal of the eyewear as well as its function – optimising the temple’s suspension. The contrasting fine faceting on the inside and outside underlines the model’s three-dimensional design, with the high-tech SPX polymer picking up the dynamics in an emotionally powerful way, complementing the fine titanium lines, and perfecting the Titan Sculpture as a sculpture offering maximum comfort in wear.

The design reflects the power, exuberance and dynamics of wearers who know precisely what they want. Classic, durable and yet still stylish, this collection, available as rimless and nylor model, has that certain something that is needed to capture the world far away from the fashion mainstream.

“For me, one of the major design challenges is to reach the optimum formal moment, at the same time as pushing the boundaries of what is technically feasible. Finding the magical point at which high-grade materials, perfect linearity and absolute technical precision intersect to express our exacting claim of functionality and aesthetics,” explains designer Martin Preuer-Lackner.

The complete PR-Text is in the Silhouette Mediabox and available for download.

Titan Minimal Art - The Icon

Once you have created something great, that does not mean that you cannot surprise once again by giving a perfect performance. The strength of the Silhouette brand is based, if nothing else, on research and innovation, audacity and intuition. And that is embodied by the new Titan Minimal Art – The Icon, the promising interpretation of the original design.

No frames, no hinges, no screws, and at less than a tenth of an ounce, virtually no weight – unsurpassed wearing comfort, impeccable design and unrestricted vision. When Silhouette presented the Titan Minimal Art in 1999, it was a bombshell in professional circles. Since then, a series of collections of distinctly recognizable rimless eyewear have been built up around the model with cult status. Some nine million spectacle wearers around the globe appreciate the unique assets of the Titan Minimal Art. This style-defining icon symbolizes the brand’s breakthrough and is deemed as one of the most revolutionary developments in recent eyewear history.

The new Titan Minimal Art – The Icon stands for the best that Silhouette has to offer: The highest quality standards, love of detail and the art of never ceasing to amaze – experimenting beyond what is known, taking it to the limits. Designer Gerhard Fuchs, responsible also for the design of the classical Titan Minimal Art, took the core values of all Silhouette eyewear and enhanced its design with attributes ideally reflecting an active attitude towards life and the liveliness of young, urbanites: dynamic, modern and powerful. The result is light, versatile eyewear of subtle durability and captivatingly clear design, guaranteeing the wearer unrestricted vision with the utmost comfort in any situation.

In a precise, well thought-out accomplishment, Gerhard Fuchs managed to evolve the exceptional qualities of each Silhouette into the extraordinary with the new Titan Minimal Art – The Icon, such as the extended temple ends made up of two components. The extremely light-weight, superelastic and inherently stable titanium alloy in a dynamic new look accentuates the flexible side parts, emphasizing the clear design, without coming across as too severe. Years ago, Silhouette revolutionized eyewear design with the use of high-tech titanium. Today it stands, tried and tested, synonymous worldwide and essential to the brand’s thorough high standards. Together with the SPX temple ends, whose soft-touch finish give pleasurable wearing comfort, here is found the perfect combination of all the assets of a Silhouette: feather-light, superelastic, hypoallergenic, durable and inherently stable. In short: The new Titan Minimal Art – The Icon is predestined for those leading an active, highly mobile life.

The complete PR-Text is in the Silhouette Mediabox and available for download.

Satisfied customers are the key to success. With a perfect pair of specs on theirnose, they will leave the eye care professional’s, pleased with their new purchase. They will then tell their friends and acquaintances where they got them and return to buy more pairs.

The decision is not always an easy one for the customer, though – personal consultation is crucial, especially in this sensitive area. Here is where Silhouette steps in with an eyewear consultation service, offering a 1-2 day in-store event for customers, conducted by a trained eyewear style consultant. Because Silhouette eyewear is just as individual as its wearers.
The Silhouette eyewear style consultant brings the kit and current collection on the day. That gives the future spectacle wearer the full range of Silhouette eyewear to choose from. The specially trained eyewear style consultant helps the customer using his know-how, something employees themselves can also benefit from.

A companion for every occasion
The consultant devotes 45-60 minutes per customer; eight to ten customers can thus be advised per day. The style consultant first determines when the customer wears specs. Silhouette eyewear style consultant Peggy Cheng explains: “We have divided the occasions when eyewear is needed into four areas of life: On-the-Job & Daily Life, Energy & Vitality, Good Times and Moments of Pleasure. The customer’s needs are clearly noted in a personal eyewear profile.” With that, it is obvious which eyewear is suitable for the customer and if it makes sense to have various pairs for different situations in life. Prescription sunglasses, of course, arenot forgotten. The eyewear is then customized to the customer’s specific needs.

Following an analysis of the eye zone and face shape, the color decision is made. The eyewear style consultant has been trained in color consultation and uses color charts and scarves to find the customer’s color type. After the choice of shapes for lenses and temples and the recommendation for either clip-ons or prescription sunglasses, the discussion finishes up with a recommendation for lens selection.

Silhouette Eyewear Consultation

Look inwards to see the essential. Forget about place and time, become one with yourself. Your eyes are the gateway to the world, what lies before them is revealed in a plethora of impressions. Sometimes we wish only to perceive that which is important to us. This is a freedom we have earned. To choose knowingly, to make decisions, to be for or against something. This is something we permit ourselves, taking a clear stance. For a clearer view of our lives. Swami Sitaramananda, director of the  Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center in San Francisco says: “The fastest way to bring our minds into a state of concentration is through the eyes.”

We look for relaxation, fun and spontaneity – we discover lightness and make easygoingness a lifestyle – without taking life too lightly. We lean back, breathe deeply. We find peace from the day’s hustle and bustle. That brings us forward. Because a burst of energy is inspiring, letting us see new ways, opening our eyes to different perspectives. We perceive 80 percent of the information about our surroundings through our eyes. This is processed in a quarter of our brain. We thus do something good for our eyes. And also for our brain.

Enhancing quality of life
Kerstin Linnartz, ex-model, TV presenter and organizer of yoga vacations and workshops around the world with “be better“ says: “Seeing is often our first contact with people and surroundings. Thus, seeing clearly can enormously enhance quality of life. If your eyes are tired and burning, even the most beautiful walk is not as much fun. But if you can see clearly, and yoga makes that possible not only on a physical level, then your everyday life and more is easier. Clear vision and a clear mind help us orient our lives, we can make better decisions and be more helpful to others and ourselves. Life is simply more fun!”

The eyes start to sparkle, the mouth curves into a smile, dimples dot the cheeks – our faces say more than 1,000 words. And yet it is our eyes that are the strongest magnet, attracting those vis-à-vis. They connect us to our surroundings, too – around 80 percent of our perception is through our eyes.

To see and be seen is the motto. Eyewear is the accessory with which we make wordless statements. And show ourselves as we are. Light and free. Whether at work or at play, in day-to-day life or on festive occasions, on the road or at home, we can enjoy every moment with eyewear to match. Because life is particularly enjoyable when we are in tune with ourselves and our surroundings.

It all starts with the eyebrows
The curve of the eyebrow is the be-all and end-all if eyewear is to blend in perfectly with the face. “This should run parallel to the upper edge of the eyewear,” advises Lynnette Peck Bateman, Beauty & Style Director and owner of the online vintage boutique www.lovelysvintageemporium.com in London. A beauty tip from the expert: “Make sure that your eyebrows are always perfectly groomed.” Amanda Bell, makeup artist and teacher at London’s The Session School adds: “Accent your eyebrows, as these frame your eyes. They make all the difference, especially with eyewear. The perfect curve of the eyebrow makes the eyes behind the lenses shine.”
For Silhouette eyewear style consultant Peggy Cheng, the eyebrows are the starting point when it comes to choosing eyewear: “With rimless eyewear, the eyebrow curve should form a parallel line to the upper edge of the lens and the entire eye should be visible through the lens. Half-frame and full-frame eyewear define the eyebrow curve, creating accents.”

The eyebrows are part of the eye zone, also known as “first face”. It ranges in height from the bone just below the eye to the brow bone, and in width from temple to temple, and is the first thing considered when choosing the shape of the lenses. Peggy Cheng: “A suitable lens shape accentuates the eyes, opening up the eye zone and emphasizing the youthful appeal of the wearer.”

Life is full of change. Today we are fully caught up in our work, tomorrow we take time out and get to know the culture of another country. We celebrate with our friends, fly around the world, network with our clients, find ourselves in the peace of a white sandy beach in the Maldives, on the golf links in Ireland or at a lodge in South Africa.

Life has many facets. Each moment is a small treasure, as unique as we are. As varied is our life, so is the eyewear from Silhouette. We can treat ourselves to just the right companion for any moment. Looking at the world through suitable eyewear, it is plain to see: The choice is ours.

Trendy accessories

Individual style is what is in demand, says Russian-born Sergei Benedetter, who works as a makeup artist in cities such as Milan, Paris, London, Tokyo, Moscow and St. Petersburg: “One look for all is out. More and more women are styling themselves differently from the rest and look great.” Even celebrities are going for uniqueness, emphasizing this with eyewear as an accessory. Tommy Hilfiger’s daughter Ally, for one, just like Uma Thurman, Vanessa Redgrave, Jennifer Aniston, Julia Roberts, Glenn Close or Meryl Streep. Annette Bening takes individuality all the way, presenting herself as she sees herself: unlifted, curly-haired, wearing spectacles. “Many have perfect vision, yet still wear specs,” says Sergei Benedetter, “because these have now become important accessories.”

The trend to having several models is growing: 58 percent of all German spectacle wearers already have more than one pair. According to the statistics, exactly 1.9 pairs. (Allensbach Eyewear Survey commissioned by the Kuratorium Gutes Sehen e.V., 2011) What is more, 88 percent of the spectacle wearers and 82 percent of those who do not wear specs are convinced that there is a perfect pair for everyone. 44 percent of the spectacle wearers and 33 percent of the adults who do not wear them are of the opinion that eyewear “accentuates individual personality”. Around 40 percent of the spectacle wearers and non-wearers find that “eyewear makes many people look more interesting.” A study conducted by the University of Vienna showed that faces with rimless eyewear were perceived as more successful, more intelligent and more trustworthy than all others.

Just take a look at the blog “Weloveglasses” (http://blog.weloveglasses.com). The name of the community, started in Italy, says it all. Eyewear in every shape and form is displayed as eye-catching objects to the delight of art and fashion lovers. Belgian-American fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg set the tone: She sent her models down the catwalk wearing “Google glasses”, in which cameras and screens were integrated.

Silhouette Titan Supreme

Elegance is something very simple. In design that means clear-cut and uncluttered. Evident, yet never perfunctory. Silhouette is introducing a light, elegant model for men – the Titan Supreme. Eyewear that fulfils a very special promise in its own special way. “Lightness is luxury” is what this eyewear says. No frills, clear and direct: That is at the heart of Titan Supreme’s design. Luxurious elegance – always less, never more.

Minimal weight, though, is not the decisive factor. Instead, it is that peace which comes about when you can face life unfettered, knowingly and confidently. When the road ahead of you is clear and life is secure. When firm faith in quality is of importance – in your own and in that of the things which you hold true and which you can count on. Like the fit of a pair of custom-made shoes. Or a carefully selected watch that is a masterpiece. And of course, eyewear like the Titan Supreme. It, too, symbolizes the utmost reliability that makes life easier.

“Silhouette has always stood for the highest standards of quality and love of detail. With the Titan Supreme, we have gone a step further,” states designer Gerhard Fuchs, “with even finer, more luxurious details such as the semi-gloss finish of the temple edging, the exquisite clasp between the frame and lens or the shiny temple ends. Details that are immediately associated with the Silhouette brand, not only by connoisseurs.”

Just a quick glance gives Titan Supreme’s flirting game away: the screwless part of the frame, for instance, that not by accident resembles the clasp of a fine watch, and the adornment, precision and functionality that contribute to a pleasing harmony. Then there is the refined understatement of the color design, the four “Premium Class” varieties: Golden Style, Silver Chic, Grey Elegance and Brown Serenity, where the code names alone suffice.

And last but not least, there are the high-tech materials employed, such as titanium and SPX. The resulting aplomb is based on the greatest attention to detail, such as the titanium frames that are satinized both inside and out, together with the fine line between the play of matte and shiny.

The complete PR-Text is in the Silhouette Mediabox and available for download.

Silhouette SPX Connection

Metropolises such as London, New York and Tokyo teem with life and creativity. Glamorous, colorful and unsurpassed in their diversity, they characterize an urbane chic lifestyle, expressed by the self-assured attitude of a scene that loves change, where you wear what you like. You just know. And what could be more appropriate for experiencing color, material and design with a relish, at any opportunity and at every moment, than eyewear?

To remain authentic – and yet still be unique – in this colorful diversity of life is a real art, equally challenging for both eyewear and wearer. The design of the SPX Connection by Silhouette perfectly unites a fashion statement with an individual look, uncomplicatedly and with witty subtlety. The decorative element on the front end appears to float above the plastic temples with no visible connection. A glittering metallic detail, unique and of supreme lightness and elegance.

The gently curved lines and clean-cut form of the SPX temples connect to the side parts in a soft curve. Perfectly crafted, with no angles or corners, the result is a surface with the pleasantly soft feel and utmost comfort so typical of the exclusive SPX material.

Stylistic elements, choice of materials and finish embody the sophistication of the SPX Connection, fulfilling the demands of true esthetes, while underlining the sense of style and functionality desired by the casually elegant cosmopolitan wearer. A cosmetic choice of colors and metallic accent on the temples as well as the playful use of effects give a cool look that impressively emphasizes the sterling qualities of the models.

Describing the particular challenge in creating the models, designer Sonia Serlenga said, “Design is often strongest when emotionality comes into play. When it comes to eyewear, we appreciate not only quality materials, comfort and good vision. We also want it to be stylish and unique.”

The complete PR-Text is in the Silhouette Mediabox and available for download.

Silhouette SUN 2013

The sun comes up, a new day dawns. The warm rays awaken our passion for life, revealing the world in its most beautiful light. Whether we are on vacation or caught up in day-to-day routine, we see life from its light side. Flexibility is everything today. During our free time or while on the job, we take each situation as it comes, expressing our unique personality in a way we would like for others to see us. That is why we deliberately choose our own style, highlighting it with matching accessories.

“Silhouette allows you to make a statement with the right shades, while enjoying life in a light, carefree manner. Silhouette sunglasses do not pinch or squeeze. Lightness is our motto.” That sums up the philosophy of Silhouette proprietors and chairmen Arnold and Klaus Schmied.

Optimum sun protection is a must today. High-energy ultraviolet rays can cause permanent damage to the eyes and blue light can lead to irreversible photochemical reactions. Silhouette sunglasses give 100% UV protection and filter up to 93% of blue light. Polarized filters reduce glare with a sun protection factor equivalent of 60 to 70, if you compare sunglasses with sunscreens. And there is something nice for those who wear glasses: Most of the Silhouette sunglasses are available with prescription lenses.

SUN 2013 – The design

The Silhouette designer trio has created a special easy-to-wear, subtly light collection for this season. The Silhouette Melody is a must-have. Designer Angela Strecker describes it as the melody of water: “When the waves of the sea come and go, when a river follows its course, when a lake lies placidly in the sun – from time to time you see a couple of drops of water spray. That was the idea behind the two free-flying water drops decorating the temples.” The result can be seen: Trendy sensual shades for today’s woman.

The complete PR-Text is in the Silhouette Mediabox and available for download.

Silhouette SUN 2013

So hot – the perfect shades. We put them on, the moment the sun peeps from behind the clouds. We push them up into our hair, the moment it starts to get dark. And we never let go of them. They are with us all the time, our constant companion, whether it’s hot or not.

Sunglasses have developed cult status as an accessory ever since the days of the Roman emperor Nero, who viewed the world through emerald shades. This season violet, gray and apricot are the trend. With or without rims. Just right for playing the change game. Change your outfit, change your sunglasses. Dare to try something new – over and over again. As you like. Depending on the occasion. Because nothing in life remains the same. Everything changes. We go with the flow, expressing ourselves through our style. If clothes make the man, then accessories all the more so! Ideal, when these also provide our eyes with perfect protection and can even correct our vision!

In the new Silhouette SUN Collection 2013 there is a model for every taste and every style. All you have to do is choose. We have put together 10 tips for you so that nothing can go wrong.

1.    The sunglasses should not pinch or be too tight, otherwise they will quickly become torture. Good reason to go for Silhouette in high-tech titanium or the SPX polymer compound. These are what make the glasses lightweight, fit for anything. And they never irritate!

2.    Think about where and when you wear sunglasses most. Do you need them for sporting activities? For strolling around town? Do you often vacation at the waterside? Or do you need glasses for driving? Depending on your need, you may opt for a rugged pair in a sporty design (e.g. Silhouette Pro), stylish full frame sunglasses (e.g. Silhouette Melody or Dreamwings) or a classic-cool model with special polarized filters (e.g. Silhouette Class) that are ideal for combatting the strong glare of water surfaces or asphalt.

The complete PR-Text is in the Silhouette Mediabox and available for download.

Silhouette SUN 2013

Your goal in sight, your thoughts focused, everything’s going smoothly – and then a little moment makes a major difference. You succeed in doing something you’ve dreamed of for a long time. Your wishes come true. A man blasts off into space, a star celebrates her on-screen triumphs, an artist creates his masterpiece, an entrepreneur seals the deal of a lifetime.

Faith coupled with dedication; joy and charisma; the good fortune of being in the right place at the right time. That’s what success is all about. It makes our heart beat faster and means we’ll never forget those special moments. Plus it gives some people a certain je ne sais quoi. Slightly aloof, individual and stylish – for them sunglasses are an accessory that allows them to see the world differently.

Audrey Hepburn wore them in the film classic when she gazed at the precious jewels at Tiffany’s, while nibbling her croissant and drinking coffee from a paper cup in her incredibly elegant manner. Style is something you simply have, style cannot be forced. This is apparent every day in the American bastion of good taste and fashion. It’s where Anna Wintour, editor in chief of Vogue, decides what’s going to be the next trend. And she keeps her eye on the fashion world with her favourite accessory, her sunglasses.

Fashion guru Karl Lagerfeld has made them his trademark. He now designs not only breath-taking clothes but is just as successful when pressing the shutter of his camera. And he reveals celebrities such as Jeff Koons or Princess Caroline of Monaco in a special light. Fashion icon Diane Pernet also enjoys an unusual view of the world. The former designer, fashion filmmaker, blogger and journalist makes fashion tangible and alive for everyone. As for herself, she dresses from head to toe in deep black, her hair piled high and in her inimitable, charismatic style, she wears sunglasses.

The complete PR-Text is in the Silhouette Mediabox and available for download.

Perfection is attained, not when anything more can be added, but when nothing more can be taken away. – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

It doesn’t matter where you look, minimalism is everywhere today. At a time when practically anything is technically possible, when ‘anything goes’ is just an empty catchphrase, lightness and trim structures are no longer a promise, but reality. Less is more. Too much is encumbering. To be free of excess means more quality of life.

That goes for weight, too – not just personal weight, but also that of everything surrounding us. Thus the wide range of product designs is being reduced by all that tends to be heavy.

After years of putting on weight, automobile manufacturers have put their products on a diet, presenting new models that weigh less than a ton through the use of aluminum, carbon fiber and fabric-reinforced thermoplastics. Designers are reducing chairs, tables and shelving to the bare minimum with very few parts. Furniture is barely there. It is nothing more than just a filigree wire frame or a transparent, light-flooded object standing in the room. Through extra-light, innovative functional materials, outdoor clothing has become ‘nothing’ of substance – durable, waterproof and breathable – a successful symbiosis of light weight and optimal function. And weight restrictions in air travel have turned us all into ounce-hunters for bags that follow us on quiet, light wheels.

There are things left out today which yesterday seemed indispensable. Designers do not usually call the tune, but assimilate it with ears wide open, composing something new out of it. There is a personal unburdening going on of everything that weighs us down. In every area of life, wherever possible. We compress the entire contents of our bookcases onto our eBook readers, freeing ourselves of paper ballast. Our smartphone is a telephone, PC, MP3 player and camera all at once – one device instead of four.

We make minimalism the point of our entire lifestyle with the aim of getting rid of time wasters. A life plan should no longer be like our favorite handbag – there comes a time when we have collected too much inside. So, we build pre-fab houses because their quick assembly saves time. And when we go to the city, instead of our own car, we take ‘car2go’ or an ultralight bicycle. Searching for a parking place just isn’t worth the hassle.

The complete PR-Text is in the Silhouette Mediabox and available for download.

Silhouette Essential

Less is more … more than ever.

LiteStyle: so succinctly brings Silhouette together the attributes the brand has stood for all these years – particularly since the introduction of the lightest eyewear, the iconic Titan Minimal Art.
Lightness, minimalism, concentration on the essential and yet style conscious – freed from the ties of flighty fashions and trends – these are what make up Silhouette’s attitude to life. Under the motto feel LITE show STYLE, this will now be conveyed in an integrated image campaign.
Numerous communications tools related to the brand relaunch will be available to eye care professionals from fall 2012.

Silhouette eyewear is minimalist and light, in particular the iconic Titan Minimal Art. It weighs less than a tenth of an ounce – thanks to having no frames, no hinges, and no screws; its design is low-key and light. Less is not possible. Reduction to the minimum for the maximum in wearing comfort is now the leitmotif of the new image campaign starting this fall. With feel LITE show STYLE, also the branding of the Austrian eyewear manufacturer Silhouette will show what its products stand for now and in the future. Deeply anchored in the credo of minimalism, Silhouette is the ambassador of an easygoing lifestyle that appeals to those who appreciate everything that makes life easier.

Minimalist eyewear for an easygoing lifestyle
The demands we place on eyewear today are the same as those we place on all other aids and appliances of our times: In addition to fulfilling their basic role, they should make our lives easier, reliably and without being a burden. “Eyewear today is more than just a seeing aid, more than merely a tool necessary for sufficiently good vision. It is the expression of a lifestyle – far beyond solid arguments and product features,” advocates Arnold Schmied, co-owner and chairman responsible for Design, Marketing and Sales.

The complete PR-Text is in the Silhouette Mediabox and available for download.