Buffalo brill

The new buffalo horn line Onono from ic! berlin aims to take luxury eyewear to a new level, right down to the macassar-ebony and walnut-root case that is inspired by a cigar humidor.

The materials have been sourced from around the globe, the buffalo horn coming from India and the case produced by a manufacturer in the Philippines, while the finishing of the horn takes place at a specialist company closer to Berlin, in Cologne.

The collection, linked only to ic! berlin's main line through the use of the company's famous screwless hinge, takes its name from a Tibetan temple mantra.

As ic! berlin's general manager Ralph Anderl explains, Onono came hot on the heels of the recently introduced range of ic! berlin plastics and was a natural extension, inspired by market demand. 'People were waiting for a luxury collection like this. We'd got to the stage where wealthy people were wearing the same frames as their kids,' he says.

In creating the luxury line, he worked with the company's Swiss distributor who was in tune with the needs of the target group, along with ic! berlin's five-strong design department. They have come up with a collection of six full buffalo horn models and six where metal fronts (stainless steel parts coated in ruthenium, gold or black chrome) combine with horn temples and nose pads.

Even their creator has been surprised at the reaction to the beautifully polished frames, which in three colour options of black, dark brown and lighter brown horn, give an entire choice of 36 models. 'Almost all our customers who have seen the line have bought them. You fall in love with the frames and must have them,' says Anderl. The retail prices range from 2,000 for the full horn, to 1,300 for the metal and horn styles.

Before anyone accuses ic! berlin of eradicating the water buffalo population of India, Anderl is keen to point out that the horn comes from animals that have died naturally. The material is stored for a number of years and he describes the supplier as very experienced at cutting the horn to guarantee the best quality.

Each frame takes from six to eight weeks to manufacture, using three-layers of horn for stability, with a lighter-coloured layer in the middle. 'As each horn has a different inner structure, like wood, the frames are one of a kind,' adds Anderl.

To date, the company is more than meeting sales targets and each of the three colours has been selling in almost equal numbers.
Ic! berlin has also comissioned a frame presentation unit, also inspired by a humidor that is split into presentation trays, so that the frames can be presented to the customer like jewellery. This stand-alone custom-made showcase adds to the luxury feel of the line and is available to practitioners who place a minimum order of 12 pieces.

'They are of the same aesthetics as humidors and with such heavy quality you have to touch them and smell them,' enthuses Anderl.
'The frames are like men's toys, products with high design that are an inspiration to men, right down to the presentation box for the practice and the luxury cases. We couldn't put Onono in one of our plastic cases.'

While the presentation box, case and the frames tie up perfectly, with their brown shiny looks, the eyewear differs as it is extremely light. As a result, potential wearers can readily appreciate the comfort benefits of the horn, which is also hypoallergenic.

Adding to the comfort message, there is the bespoke nature of four different temple options and three types of nose pads, including one specifically for the Asian market.

Simon Feehily, who represents ic! berlin in the UK, says the reaction from practitioners to date has been: 'If ic! berlin are producing horn frames, they must be the most exciting horn designs'.

Some of the frames are deep enough to take progressive lenses, although there are several shallower women's models, and the designs are entirely different to the main ic! berlin styles.

'They're not high fashion. They're timeless and not a loud statement,' adds Anderl. 'They don't use glue or screws and in this league you get a Bentley service.'

The company is showing the luxury collection in a one-on-one basis at luxury hotels, having already taken the line to Zurich and Tokyo, Paris and Milan. 'You need silence and these sort of surroundings to appreciate Onono,' says Anderl, from the cigar room of the Bentley Hotel at London's Gloucester Road.

A sunglass collection is planned for Onono, and, demonstrating that there is plenty more mileage in the ic! berlin hinge, the company is also considering a sports line based around its impact-releasing qualities.

As there is just one complete Onono sample set, practitioners who would like to organise a showing should contact Simon Feehily on: 07767 3522009.