Do what you know how to do best
Few eyewear labels have managed to establish themselves in the independent premium segment as quickly as HAFFMANS & NEUMEISTER. The experience of founders Daniel Haffmans, Philipp Haffmans, and Jean-Pierre Neumeister has paved the way to success . By consistently creating effortless styles and bringing unparalleled quality, HAFFMANS & NEUMEISTER continues to seduce premium opticians to carry the brand. Behind the scenes, the progressive designers continue to refine and expand their iconic Ultralight Collection and define their upcoming Italic Collection—new vision of acetate and metal combinations . SPECTR sits down with the founders and the CEO, Tjarko Bohlen, for the inside scoop.
It’s been three years since the launch of HAFFMANS & NEUMEISTER. How has the brand developed since then?
Daniel: We’re on a strong path with a product portfolio that has created a USP and distinct positioning for our brand. The Ultralight Collection has had an excellent market response. A continued focused exploration on the ‘flat metal’ concept proves to be the right way forward –here we truly benefit from our twenty years of experience. We will pursue this direction, always seeking to expand our offerings with innovative collections, and providing our customers with a diverse and sellable selection of premium eyewear.
What were some of the most important milestones along the way?
Jean-Pierre: The development of our Ultralight concept revealed new ideas and opened up novel opportunities. When we finally got to hold that first prototype with the new rivet hinge we said, “This is it!”
This year also marked the opening of your store in Seoul. Why South Korea?
Daniel: The store in Seoul came about due to the initiative of our friend, Sean Lee, who also runs our distribution in South Korea with his firm, Noah Company. While retail isn’t one of our top priorities at the moment, we are absolutely aware that having flagship stores makes an enormous contribution to building brand awareness. The chance to open a store in Seoul with a reliable partner was an opportunity we couldn’t let slip away.
Ultralight Collection
Last year you first introduced the Ultralight Collection. What are some of the design principles behind the line?
Daniel: One of the fundamental ideas is the transition from 2D to 3D, meaning from a surface to a three-dimensional object via the concept of folding. As architects and designers, this a design principle that we’ve always worked with, an approach that informs the design of all of our products.
What keeps you hooked?
Philipp: We have always been fascinated by objects that are created through bending, pressing, and folding, and we have stayed true to this obsession for over twenty years—it’s our savoir-faire. This type of approach is fundamentally different from the production of conventional metal frames. Our raw material is cut from a coil and then makes its way to the cutting table. When making the cuts you already need to anticipate all added parts, both from a technical and aesthetic viewpoint. And it’s always great to see how additional refinement processes (e.g. sanding, polishing, and coating) might transform a seemingly unremarkable piece of sheet metal into a luxury item within a short amount of time.
You also created a special hinge concept for this collection. What’s the principle?
Philipp: We wanted to work in a more sophisticated manner, so we decided to eliminate the technical-looking hinge. But when you minimize the size of components, you soon find you reach the limit of what’s possible. A folding hinge without screws would have required us to reduce the thickness of the material once again. This means we eventually came up with the concept of the rivet, which thus far had not been used as an eyewear hinge. The rivet is extremely delicate, can never be disconnected, and has a recognizable look.
Jean-Pierre: The most important aspect is the absence of any kind of complicated folds in the sheet metal, which allows us to increase the thickness from 0.5mm to 0.6mm. That’s one-tenth of a millimeter, meaning 20% extra material, which makes an enormous difference at this scale. Although our frames are now more delicate—measuring something close to the thickness of a wire—they feel far stiffer than their predecessors and with a higher level of adjustability because the new 0.6mm material offers less hardness.
The frames strike a very delicate and elegant appearance. How do you create this effect?
Philipp: One of the most important differentiators to our previous products is the appearance that has been reduced to the purest form of the metal frame – no extras! When all edges of the steel are rounded properly, including those of the nose bridge and temple tips, there’s no longer a need for add-on components.The essence of metal takes center stage and even adds a jewelry-like character to the product, which is a key aspect for us. That already worked well in the oval ‘Schubertbrille’ frame design 150 years ago, so why not today.
Overall, how many different frames are part of the Ultralight Collection?
Tjarko: We’re heading into autumn with five new releases: “Warner” and “Bradford” (ultra-delicate, square/rectangular), “Nolan” (understated hexagon shape, 1960s-inspired), “Daphne” (delicate cat-eye), and “Phoebe” (large, feminine cat-eye). It is extremely important for us to offer a broadand balanced product portfolio.. Our customers need to be able to find what they are looking for without being overwhelmed by an excessive offering, so our collections are highly curated and adjusted to the demands of our end customers.
ULTRALIGHT PLUS COLLECTION
You also created a special hinge concept for this collection. What’s the principle?
Philipp: We wanted to work in a more sophisticated manner, so we decided to eliminate the technical-looking hinge. But when you minimize the size of components, you soon find you reach the limit of what’s possible. A folding hinge without screws would have required us to reduce the thickness of the material once again. This means we eventually came up with the concept of the rivet, which thus far had not been used as an eyewear hinge. The rivet is extremely delicate, can never be disconnected, and has a recognizable look.
Jean-Pierre: The most important aspect is the absence of any kind of complicated folds in the sheet metal, which allows us to increase the thickness from 0.5mm to 0.6mm. That’s one-tenth of a millimeter, meaning 20% extra material, which makes an enormous difference at this scale. Although our frames are now more delicate—measuring something close to the thickness of a wire—they feel far stiffer than their predecessors and with a higher level of adjustability because the new 0.6mm material offers less hardness.
This year, you also premiered the Ultralight Plus Collection with a bit more playful attitude. What are the main differences?
Philipp: Our Ultralight Plus frames are select models from the Ultralight Collection that have been fitted with an acetate Windsor ring. It’s an instant fit for classic round and panto shapes because the Windsor ring style was commonplace, used since the 1930s as a way to accentuate the outlines and overall appearance of eyeglasses. For us, it also becomes a welcome tool in our arsenal, allowing us to ‘dress up’ any model in our collection, such as fashion-driven models like the “Delavault”, with an overall effect that is anything but classic-looking.
And how many frames are in this collection?
Tjarko: Initially, we focused on our bestsellers and key styles for the upgraded acetate Windsor rings, primarily looking to add color and broader outlines. This was really well received and significantly strengthened our presence in the retail marketplace. Now we want to continue to expand this concept in a thoughtful manner, meaning that we now have specifically designed models, such as the “Warner” and “Bradford”, for the Ultralight Plus Collection. However, we ended up liking them just as much without the inserts and now they’re part of both collections. We’ll soon also offer silicone temple tip coverings for customers with sensitivity around pressure points and metal allergies.
Would you say that Ultralight Plus is aimed at a different type of customer?
Tjarko: Not necessarily but some faces just correspond better to a more pronounced silhouette—it’s all about the strength of the frame’s outlines. With Plus, there’s also a classic color spectrum at play: light and dark shades of Havana, translucent green, denim blue, and a light gray.
ITALIC COLLECTION
With the Italic Collection, you’re about to drop a third line that will hit retail in late 2020/early 2021. Is the name a reference to cursive typefaces?
Philipp: The names of all our collections correspond to the nomenclature and logic of typefaces: ‘Ultralight’ represents delicate outlines, while ‘Italic’ denotes curved, dynamic contours. The classification of typefaces is a valid analogy for us, since designing a font is all about nuances, much like eyewear design: if just one minuscule detail is off, the results are rendered unusable.
Overall, the frames appear bolder than the Ultralight Collection. What are the key characteristics?
Tjarko: The connection between sheet metal and acetate represents the next logical step for us, not least because we wanted to introduce more color. At the same time, it allows us to broaden the contours—the weight of an outline is an important instrument for perfecting our portfolio. Our goal is to arrive at the maximum variety of shapes and colors, without unnecessarily inflating the size of our collections.
The sheet metal also appears to be stronger. Are you trying to increase stability?
Jean-Pierre: Yes and it’s also an important characteristic that differentiates each of our collections from one another. The thickness of the material creates a new tactile sensation, so overall, it feels more robust.This not only creates a significant difference to our previous implementation of sheet metal, but to the current offerings on the market.
How far does that affect comfort of wear?
Jean-Pierre: The added weight is actually negligible, with the main advantage being the optimized adjustability. The temples are shaped like wraparound wire and molded around the ears.
How many different models are part of the Italic Collection?
Philipp: We will be introducing five models: Three explicitly feminine styles and two unisex frames.
What can we expect from HAFFMANS & NEUMEISTER in the future?
Daniel: With the Ultralight Collection we have created a successful and highly recognizable premium collection that is highly recognizable. We’ve established a presence in Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia, and the response has been great. We’re not only passionate designers and inventors, wealso deeply appreciate our interactions with opticians and distributors. As the future unfolds, we want to continue positively shaping our industry and community.
We know that you have additional collections and collaborations in the works. Where do you get the motivation?
Philipp: Without a doubt it comes from enjoying what we do. And we are driven to always remain at least one step ahead in our research. That’s what continues to motivate us every day.
Please check out the website of the Brand Haffmans & Neumeister for more info: www.haffmansneumeister.com/
Brand Profile at SPECTR.
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