Serge Kirchhofer captured my attention straight away during Mido, I was fascinated by not only the eyewear but the incredible story behind the brand. Before I get into the story, let me give you a quick brief on this brand. Serge Kirchhofer is now under the Brando umbrella and for those who work within optics then you may be aware Brando is the new luxury division of Mondottica. For all non-industry readers, Mondottica is one of the biggest eyewear design houses, designing and producing eyewear for some of the biggest names in the fashion sector.
When I saw the Serge Kirchhofer eyewear I was pretty wowed by them. They were like art pieces, all very stunning and yet don’t look too daunting to wear. I was actually rather in love with all the artwork that goes with the frames, they were very surreal with a real retro vibe and it all ties in with the story of the brand beautifully. If you like statement eyewear, or just eyewear that looks like art, I definitely say give this brand a try.
Serge Kirchhoffer
So, how was Serge Kirchhofer born? The brand itself is part of Optyl which was one of the biggest eyewear companies back in the 60’s. They had many eyewear brands under their belt that dominated the industry at that time, from Carrera, Dior, Dunhil and playboy to name a few. The head designer that brought Carrera to life was Udo Proksch and Serge Kirchhofer was a personal playground of his. Udo’s energy and a lot of his design inspiration is described as a cross between Christian Dior and Salvador Dali, so it was “classic meets surreal”.
Serge Kirchhoffer
Udo was such a talented designer, but his personal life was another story, his life sounded like something from a Hollywood movie. He committed insurance fraud that resulted in the sinking of the Lucona ship and the death of 6 passengers in 1977. Since then, he was on the run from the law until he was eventually arrested in 2001! It is safe to say his design career came to an end back in 1977, even with his troubled life, he still left a legacy in the eyewear world.
Serge Kirchhoffer
How Brando discovered his archive was by chance, everything was stored and preserved in a private photographic museum. In the discovery, there were 1000 frames along with 6000 drawings of eyewear designs. Brando acquired the ownership of this amazing historical collection and brought it back to life.
Serge Kirchhoffer
The original Serge Kirchhofer collection was a real luxury with eyewear made from real gold, silver and tortoise shell. Now, under the Brando wing, the collection still screams luxury using the finest materials from the modern day of eyewear design such as 14k gold, rose gold, titanium and Mazuchelli acetates. Brando has adapted and given a fresh 21st-century spin to the collection, there was something for everyone within the collection, from the over the top “look at me” frames to the subtle, frames you can wear everyday. The launch collection contained 5 women and 5 gentlemen frames, which doesn’t seem a lot but they were all beautiful. The colours were kept quite muted, a neutral tone so the glasses design can do the speaking themselves.
Serge Kirchhoffer
I was personally totally wowed by the collection and the story behind it and I feel it is my duty to share this amazing eyewear collection with you, my readers. If you love the retro vibe, with a modern twist, pieces which are designed to last and make a statement (without screaming on top of your lungs) then Serge Kirchhofer is for you.
If you wish to find out more about Brando then please click here, or if you wish to find out more about Serge Kirchhofer then please click here. Brando will be able to help you to find your nearest stockist. The frames will be available at your nearest stockist from July so still a couple of months to wait but it is worth the wait. I am looking forward to seeing what the future collection looks like and with over 6000 drawings from the original archive, I am sure it is more than enough to give the Brando team the inspiration they need.