Up and coming Austrian designer Arthur Arbesser is probably best known for his simplistic, classic yet androgynous collections and bold use of colour.
He is the latest emerging designer to work with Austrian eyewear firm Silhouette and said he wanted to bring those principles to eyewear design while keeping true to the minimalist temples and bridge in the firm’s eyewear.
When he was invited to design for Silhouette he called on his use of classic shapes and colours but also called on one of his personal heroes. He looked at the frame Arthur Miller wore during his time with Marilyn Monroe and this shapes the latest collection and includes a signature angle in the frame above the bridge The result is a unisex frame that has a classic feel employing colour but maintaining Silhouette’s trademark lightness.
Arthur Arbesser for Silhouette employs a modified panto outline with an inner, glazeable, lens inserted seamlessly into it. The outer, which forms the outline, comes in a range of translucent hues ranging from yellow to grey. The lens colours are contrasting and complementary: Glassy Caramel, Glossy Purple, Dark Green and Classic Grey gradients. The collection uses the titanium Titan Minimal Art three piece frame. An Arbesser design lens cloth has also been created for the collection.
Arbesser said the design process came very naturally and working with the Austrian eyewear firm had been a natural fit. He is from Vienna but has worked in the Milan fashion business for over a decade. As well as Miller he drew on the Viennese heritage of homeware and glass design from the turn of the 20th century and created initial drawings very quickly. ‘I was given a free hand from Silhouette.’ The initial sketch took about 15 minutes, ‘then I had coffee and a cake.’ After showing the sketch to Silhouette the prototype design was ready in about an hour and a half. The whole project took a year and half to result in product.
‘In my work I do women’s wear but it takes inspiration from work wear and men’s wear.’ With the eyewear he wanted to bring more androgyny. The eyewear collection was first featured in Arbesser’s September apparel shows and some of his designs took cues from the eyewear in terms of colour and the use of transparent materials.
Lens cloths for the range
He said the collaboration has made him appreciate eyewear more and understand what goes into its production. ‘I understand the time it takes to develop a product, I have a lot of respect for it now. Silhouette are precise and scrupulous.'
Project manager Ilse Junger said working with young designers renewed the interest in the brand with younger buyers and taps into new communication routes such as social media. ‘It all started a couple of years ago when we had a collaboration with Felder Felder. We decided to have collaborations with up and coming designers from around the world.’ That continued with Wes Gordon last year.
Arthur at work
She said the collection is aimed at a younger audience and it also took rimless eyewear onto a new level. Sprung temple rimless eyewear allowed frames to fit properly, in a way solid acetate just doesn’t allow, she said. ‘The only way to collaborate with young people is to work with designers who use social media, we have had a fabulous response.’ As the company looks to the future this is crucial.
The fact Arbesser is Austrian is an added bonus said Junger. ‘He’s one of those hidden treasures producing fantastic minimalist, designs. Silhouette is all about lightness, comfort and subtlety and represents all of that. Austria has more to offer than Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Sound of Music.’