The Italia-Independent and ic! berlin “fraternity

This new collaboration has led to the birth of Lapo Anderl and Ralph Elkann models A new collaboration project between Italia Independent and ic! berlin was presented in Munich last weekend.   "One of the objectives for 2013 is to increase the presence of our brand in strategic European markets. Germany has extremely high commercial potential and a strong tradition of design. We decided to enter this important market by joining forces with an avant-garde partner who is already established in the country. Therefore it was inevitable for us to use a prestigious platform like Opti Munich to present this new collaboration", stated Italia Independent President and CEO Andrea Tessitore.   "Collaboration between two brands that are active in the same competitive arena is not common in the eyewear world. This underscores our aptitude and that of ic! berlin to pursue innovative marketing, communication and product activities within the logic of the market. This collaboration marks the important moment of our entry in the German market with a dedicated sales team", said Giovanni Accongiagioco, Founder and Managing Director of Italia Independent.   "I met this man a few years ago at our stand. A man with innate style and 54% more handsome than I am. It's strange...I was very pleased and realized that this man was not the usual client from Dusseldorf, Oldenurg or Berlin. So I said "Ciao" and he responded to my greeting by saying that he liked my glasses very much...he spoke English with a slight Italian accent: stylish Italian. Then it dawned on me: he was Lapo Elkann, the founder of Italia Independent. A year later we met again and after only 5 minutes I remembered that this stylish man was Lapo Elkann!! Wow! He said again how much he liked our glasses and talking to him was even more productive. He is a very intelligent man with visions just like mine. To cut a long story short, last year he came to see me in Berlin, we cycled round the city on a tandem, had a yoga session and played soccer with my kids. A few weeks later I went to see him in Milan and we concretized our idea. The result is our collaboration: Italia Independent and ic! berlin; Germany- Italy! I just wanted to say that it is now a fraternity, in fact we have called the eyewear "Lapo Anderl" and "Ralph Elkann", said Ralph Anderl, founder of ic! berlin.   Ic! berlin soon became known for its originality, the absolutely clean formality of its creations and the intuition to use the famous "duck bill hair clips" for the eyewear hinges. The frames are all made from harmonic steel sheet without screws or soldering, which makes them extremely strong and comfortable.   One of the historic ic! berlin models was reinterpreted by Italia Independent by applying its characteristic and distinctive velvet effect to the front. The "Lapo Anderl" and "Ralph Elkann" models are available in eight different colors, four for the German market and four for the Italian market: Italia Independent will distribute eyewear in sand, electric blue, light blue and black, and ic! berlin in black, brown, dark green and dark blue.   Distributed through both brands' retail channels, the eyewear will be available from May 2013 at a retail price of 357 euros. Italia Independent took part in Opti Munich with I-I's entire new collection at a stand with a new design by Changedesign, the multicultural and multidisciplinary company founded by Renato Montagner.