WITH GLORYFY UNBREAKABLE
The idea for creating really special eyewear designs already manifested in the mind of company founder Christoph Egger in 2004. It took seven years until it would become reality. Since then, GLORYFY has built a reputation for indestructible sunglasses and frames far beyond the brand’s home base in Austria. That’s because manufactured in the Zillertal valley, the glasses are truly unbreakable. Over the years, the label has remained true to its roots and founding principles. But with the Lifestyle and Optics collection, the ‘Made in Austria’ company is also branching out beyond the field of sports. That’s a good thing because everyone can use more unbreakable things in everyday life.
Hello Christoph, please tell us about the origins of GLORYFY.
The idea behind GLORYFY unbreakable originated over coffee with a good friend. He had priorly suffered a severe cut on his eye in a skiing accident that broke his glasses. But then it took another year until I finally committed to making this raw idea reality. The final impulse happened during an episode I got to witness on a business trip to Hongkong. A couple at the table next to mine erupted in a loud verbal argument after the man had accidentally sat on the woman’s glasses, which ended up broken. So I spontaneously told my colleague right there: “When I get back home, I’m finally starting my project around unbreakable eyeglasses.” Said and done! That started a product development process which would ultimately take seven years.
And even today you’re still manufacturing in the Zillertal valley in the Tyrol region?
Yes, that’s part of our unbreakable DNA. We’re providing a counter vision to the disposable ‘fast fashion’ society by manufacturing eyewear with style and longevity via in-house production.
What else makes GLORYFY stand out on the market?
UNBREAKABLE is our most important guiding principle. It’s really at the heart of all we do. Not just the technology and the practical use value. But also, our entire philosophy that we put into action daily. It’s our daily drive to become better, make even better products, even thinner frames and temples, and provide an even better service to our retailers. And most of, get back up and carry on every time we fail.
How can you guarantee an ‘unbreakable’ product?
Our material consists of a highly specialized cast resin. It took us ten years to fully understand the material. We have patented the technology, which makes us unique worldwide. It’s an extremely complex process from raw material to finished product. While it may look simple and playful when you see our frames bend flexibly, it requires a high level of craftsmanship and loads of experience.
Does that also include the lenses?
Indeed. We never differentiated between the frames and lenses since our entire goal was to make eyeglasses unbreakable in their entirety.
You’ve also developed a patented temple technology.
Exactly, it’s called INCLINOX technology. For opticians, INCLINOX offers the opportunity to adjust the temples in a cold state while also controlling the inclination. Adjusting eyewear has never been simpler. It’s made possible by the interplay between a metal insert and our elastic cast resin.
Which features separate GLORYFY from other sports-oriented eyeglasses?
By no means are we trying to sound arrogant, but there simply is nothing better for any kinds of sports activities. We have unbreakable lenses and frames, the absolutely highest lens quality and flexibly adjustable temples that can be fitted to any sports-specific situation, like wearing a helmet.
And here’s an absolutely essential factor: GLORYFY unbreakable eyeglasses are not only technically innovative and functional. But they’ve also undergone a giant evolution in terms of style in their design. While at the outset in 2011, our eyeglasses were still bulky, functional, and sports-focused, we have now arrived in the stylish lifestyle and optical frame segment. Due to great advancements in our technology, we have been able for several years now to manufacture extremely thin frames while still hitting the ‘unbreakable’ paradigm. That way, we now offer every single wearer of eyeglasses an incomparable overall package of innovation, functionality, and style!
But aren’t there already enough brands in the lifestyle and optical segment?
Considering the sheer amount of added value, from a technical perspective, offered by our glasses, we absolutely don’t want to be caged into the ‘sports eyewear’ category. That’s because the advantages in everyday wear are rather obvious: Whether it’s storing the glasses in the coat pocket or the classic mishap of sitting on them in your car – people no longer have to worry about their favorite glasses. Even curious children’s hands can’t harm our sunglasses and frames, which makes them the perfect companions in all walks of life. What’s more, our satisfied retail partners and customers from the early years have always asked when we’d finally bring our technology into the lifestyle sunglasses segment. When we also added the INCLINOX temple technology, it became an unstoppable success story. The same applies to our optical collection. There’s just nothing like it on the market.
What overall role does this new segment play in your business now and what do you expect in the future?
Our lifestyle sunglasses already account for about 40 percent of our sales. Optical frames about 30 percent. This means that sports eyewear no longer is at the top in terms of sales, but still remains a fundamental part of the collection.
How many new models can we expect for the 2022 collection?
Our kickoff collection for 2022 will offer 51 new styles across all areas of the eyewear universe. Then midway through the year, our Midyear Collection will introduce more new additions.
Does the new collection follow a specific design direction?
No, there is no overarching stylistic principle. We offer everything from eye-catching models to elegant and feminine frames all the way to understated frames in matted finish. So something for every taste. The technological denominator is obvious, though: unbreakable. In terms of lens technologies, we are excited to introduce a great innovation, a self-tinting lens that can change from F1 to F3 while adjusting color from light pink to grey.
For this issue’s Collection Shoot our photographer and fellow Austrian Günther Egger set the scene to fulfill your request for a strong and extravagant showcase. Does the resulting imagery fit the visual language of your brand?
We really enjoyed Günther’s approach for the photo shoot with his artsy interpretation of Wes Anderson’s masterpiece ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’. Whether you love the characters or not, they sure are different. They are sporty in their own specific way, but in a retro style that creates a fascinating counterpoint to our innovation-driven and progressive eyeglasses, I think. The characters aren’t ‘pretty’ in the classic, mainstream sense but have their edges and imperfections while doing their own thing. Just like what we’re about with our brand (laughs).
Thank you, Christoph.
Checkt out the brand’s website: www.gloryfy.com and visit FAVR for more info about the brand and discover more models.