Two German design icons sought and found each other: Berlin-based eyewear manufacturer ic! berlin and Mercedes-Benz are jointly launching a sunglass collection. The Designers of both brands have worked hand in hand to develop a design language that goes far beyond a pure logo cooperation. It combines the essential expressive features of both worlds. The result is five new exclusive eyewear models, which are based on design elements of Mercedes-Benz and Mercedes-AMG vehicles and are crafted in the ic! berlin manufactory in Berlin-Marzahn.
Exclusive Eyewear Collection from Mercedes-Benz and ic! berlin
Dynamic shapes, exclusive materials, colour accents in lacquer and excellent wearing comfort characterize the new Capsule 2021. The Puristic design, typical of ic! berlin, meets the avantgarde spirit of Mercedes-Benz and interprets the vehicle design in each model in a special way. Stainless steel frames, high-performance ZEISS lenses, soft silicone nose pads and high-quality temple hinges ensure that every pair of eyewear remain an expression of individual lifestyle for a long time. In addition to the classic Mercedes-Benz logo, the new Mercedes-Benz pattern is lasered onto the temples as stylish branding.
The Mercedes-AMG model AMG 02 for men is a masculine and a sporty reinterpretation of the pilot shape design. They are available in four colour variations. The frame of the AMG 02 shows a powerful edge with its straight lines and underlines the extroverted appearance with accents in the three paint colours; red, yellow and blue. These colours were also developed in collaboration with the Mercedes-AMG designers. The hand-applied varnish adorns the thin-connecting brow arch over the bridge and the front upper sides of the temples.
The AMG 02 is available in the following colour variations:
- Storm Grey and Gun Metal / Yellow – grey-blue frame, grey glass with colour gradient, yellow lacquer accents
- Ultra Beam and Chrome / Blue – frame and temples in chrome, mirrored glass, blue colour accents
- Nightfall and Black/ Red – black frame and temple, dark grey lenses, red accents
- Black to Grey and Black – black frame and bracket, black glass with a gradient, no colour accents
The Mercedes-Benz variant, MB Shield 02, is a unisex model with a futuristic look. The simple mono disc is held in place by a stainless steel half frame, which is accentuated by a Plotic Clip in the area of the bridge. This is painted in the colour variant Ultra Beam and Fashion Silver as a contrast to the mirrored glasses and the silver frame in iconic Lemon Verbena. The Plotic Clip is black in the colour variant Night Shadow and Electric Light Blue with dark blue lenses with a colour gradient and light blue frame. In addition to the clean version, the Night Shadow glass is also available with a striking Mercedes-Benz pattern.
“The collection proves how our design philosophy of ‘sensual clarity’ can be expressed in different styles – from classic and elegant to sporty and futuristic – in the form of eyewear. For me, it was important to develop a wide range of formal interpretations, analogous to the range of our vehicles, in order to appeal to different customers. The high aesthetic standards, which include the continual reinterpretation of stylistic elements which create the identity of both partners, form a convincing product with the goal of maximum functionality. This goal is also inherent in both companies,” says Martin Bremer, Head of Creation Corporate Design at Mercedes-Benz.
The MB 04 is a unisex model with sporty elegance and a real flyweight at only 17 g. The trapezoidal glasses with bevelled sides are held by a discreet stainless steel frame. Here, too, the design highlight is the lacquer accent on the brow-bones and on the temples – in colour variants:
Black to Clear and Graphite / White in white
Night Fall and Black / Red versions in red
The MB 04 Blueberry Fade and Electric Light Blue, on the other hand, achieved their colour brilliance through the blue-violet glasses with a colour gradient in the light blue frame.
A reinterpretation of the iconic trapezoidal shape is the men’s MB 05 model. The sophistication of the MB 05 lies in its cool simplicity. It is offered in the colour combinations:
Storm Grey and Gun Metal / Yellow
Ultra Beam and Electric Light Blue / Off White
as well as Nightfall and Black / Red.
On this straight frame, the subtle lacquer application on the middle brow arch sets the colour accent.
The women’s model of the collection, MB 06, is a fashion statement. Oversized in the shape of a butterfly and with an accentuated frame on the side, these sunglasses combine trendy retro chic with luxurious style. The combination of ocean fade and rose gold is particularly striking. The colour gradient of the lenses change from dark blue to a delicate shade of purple, which the frame, with the widened side sections and the bridge in rose gold, take up again. The model in Sunset Boulevard and Aubergine with brownish-purple lens is a little less playful and yet very feminine. The classic colour combination Black to Grey and Black has a delicate mauve stripe along the upper edge as a design element.
“With our new Capsule Collection, we want to show that something very special can arise in the eyewear segment when two design-savvy brands as ic! berlin and Mercedes-Benz team up,” explains Harry Skinner, Lead Designer ic! berlin.
About ic! berlin
The eyewear manufacturer ic! berlin was founded in Berlin in 1996. It manufactures innovative eyewear made in Berlin by hand. ic! berlin models are extremely light, flexible and are characterized in particular by a screwless joint solution that is unique worldwide. Each collection line stands for its own unique form language and represents a part of the company’s own design identity. By now, eyewear from ic! berlin is sold in over 60 countries around the world. The company has its headquarters in Berlin and currently employs more than 180 people. www.ic-berlin.de
