Persol:27 APR 25/6/09 08:42 Page 128
Italian Style
Is there anything more of an arrow to the The brand created a modern classic in 1957, with
heart than a dashing man looking coolly at the introduction of their Model 649, originally created to
the world from behind a pair of great sun- shield the eyes of tram drivers in Turin from dusty roads,
I
glasses? Persol doesn’t think so – and the and became ensconced in the public imagination when
Italian eyeglass company has been creat- Marcello Mastroianni wore a pair of the glasses in his
ing classic, stylish sunglasses for over 90 1961 hit movie, Divorce Italian Style. Since then, Per-
years, with their signature arrow wrapping sol has gone on to build an international reputation for
around the corners of the frames. style and quality that continues to this day. “Each pair
Of course, the Arrow wasn’t always the of Persol glasses is a work of art, a concept that per-
symbol of Persol – that would actually be fectly conveys the essence of this luxury brand. Their
the stork, used by founder Giuseppe Ratti exceptional quality comes from the ability to combine
on his Protector sunglasses until 1930, comfort and refinement, functionality and formal ele-
which graced the faces of pilots, racecar gance, the avant-garde and the traditional,” says Fabio
drivers, motorcyclists, and champions of d'Angelantonio, Chief Marketing Officer for Luxottica
many sports, as well as the heroes of armed Group, which has owned Persol since 1995. Modern
forces aviation all over Europe. And it isn’t the company’s Persol is a study in expertise within the luxury market,
only signature: their sunglasses incorporate dozens of a company that has found its greatest success by stick-
unique techniques and technologies that have kept them ing to what it has always done best.
perpetually popular. But it does represent the soul of the The manufacturing process for a pair of Persol
company – pared-down functionality combined with sim- glasses is made up of 36 steps, with 6 manual processes
ple cool, equals serious forward motion. for the front alone. It takes 30 days in all to make a pair
128 100 Thousand Club
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