Hello.
This is Noguchi from CASANOVA&CO.
Thank you very much to everyone who visited the "SARTO - andante -" event until recently.
I believe you were able to experience the fundamental joy of fashion, even while being overwhelmed by the incredible volume and power of each piece.
It was a very happy time for both the SARTO team and us.
Thank you so much.
However, many deliveries arrived during this event period.
From those already introduced on Instagram to those that haven't been yet.
So many of them.
I can't keep up.
But the item I'm introducing today is something I really, really wanted you to see and know about, so please allow me to share it here.
A completely new series from GERNOT LINDNER.
As many of you may know, GERNOT LINDNER is a brand founded by Mr. Gernot Lindner himself, and it manufactures eyeglasses primarily using 925 silver as its main material.
For eyeglass frames, where not only strength but also elasticity is required, 925 silver is a very difficult material to work with.
However, Mr. Gernot spent a long time developing the material, establishing 925 silver eyeglasses, his long-cherished dream, in the modern era and naming the brand after himself.
That is GERNOT LINDNER.
What Gernot challenged as a completely new series for GERNOT LINDNER was a material that had never been handled by GERNOT LINDNER before.
And that is,
buffalo horn.
When I heard about it from the brand's agent, I was so surprised I almost fell off my chair.
"Buffalo horn" and "GERNOT LINDNER"???
Because the brand's overwhelming strength and individuality should be the 925 silver that Gernot developed over many years, and the addition of buffalo horn eyeglasses, a leading luxury material in eyewear, to its lineup was unbelievable in many ways. (laughs)
But what I felt when I actually saw it was that it was undeniably "GERNOT LINDNER" "buffalo horn".
The reason is simple.
Because it was,
Buffalo horn × 925 silver
That's why.
GERNOT LINDNER
GL-601 [Horn]
material _ Buffalo Horn × Sterling Silver 925
color _ black brown gradation
temple _ 145mm
This is it.
As you can see, the rim is made of buffalo horn, and the temples are made of sterling silver 925.
Originally, 925 silver means an alloy made of 92.5% silver, and sometimes lead or aluminum is used as the alloying metal.
Among them, the name "sterling silver" is used only for those where the alloying metal is limited to "copper."
In other words, GERNOT LINDNER's silver is created from 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% copper.
However, Gernot has devised ways to apply heat and pressure to give 925 silver elasticity, making it optimal for eyeglass frames.
The temples made of sterling silver 925 are combined with buffalo horn.
Is this combination of eyeglasses a first in human history?
I saw it for the first time, and I even wondered if such a thing should exist.
It's incredibly cool.
Buffalo horn is a natural material, so it's impossible to perfectly control its color and gradient.
However, this time, when ordering, we requested "a gradation that changes from black to brown," resulting in the tone seen in the previous photos.
It changes from black (or dark brown, to be precise) to a lighter, almost beige brown towards the bottom of the rim.
The actual item might have a bit more reddish tint than in the photos.
The striated pattern unique to horn is also beautiful, especially noticeable near the rivets of the temples.
Since this area is completely uncontrollable, I was worried about what it would look like until it was delivered, but I think it turned out very elegant.
The temple, which is the main connection between the buffalo horn and silver, is slightly embedded in the horn and secured with a rivet.
The end piece where natural and artificial materials are splendidly joined.
The beauty where the strength of each material and the quietness of precise handwork intersect.
Isn't it irresistible?
Having silver temples also has significant practical benefits.
The temples are a very important part of glasses when it comes to fitting.
According to the brand, it allows for more delicate adjustments than temples made of buffalo horn, and also reduces pressure on the head when worn.
Considering care and daily maintenance, it is a rational choice to make only the temples from 925 silver.
This aspect is also very German, and very GERNOT LINDNER.
Oh, by the way.
The item we have in stock at the store has temples that are 145mm long.
For most Japanese men, this size should fit well, so please rest assured.
And once again, the horn part that frames the face.
This time, GERNOT LINDNER uses buffalo horn rims made by a German eyewear frame manufacturer specializing in natural materials.
While buffalo horn production is now often concentrated in Asia, including India, the German manufacturer is reportedly one of only two or three natural material specialists left in Europe.
Those rim parts are brought to Gernot's workshop and joined together.
As you might vaguely see in this photo, the thickness of the rim, when viewed from above, is two-toned.
Buffalo horn itself has the shape of a water buffalo horn, as you'd imagine.
The horn is processed into flat plates and then carved, but during this process, two horn plates are bonded together, apparently.
That's where the two-tone pattern comes from.
Bonding these horn plates together is also to achieve thickness, but during this process, the direction of the horn's characteristic grain is crossed when bonded.
By doing so, the characteristic of the horn to deform along the grain over time is counteracted, preventing the frame from deforming.
When made into glasses, they are beautifully polished, so the grain is almost invisible, but the single buffalo horn plate I was shown at the exhibition certainly curved along the grain.
How to overcome the material's disadvantages and weaknesses within the context of product design.
I think the amazing thing about GERNOT LINDNER is that you don't feel any artificiality in that aspect.
The buffalo horn shines like spun candy when it catches the light.
It's not a bulky frame like those often made entirely of buffalo horn, so one can also appreciate the soft expression that the horn provides.
And there, the tense 925 silver.
Buffalo horn and 925 silver, two materials that could be considered polar opposites, create harmony within GERNOT LINDNER's expression, making them a very luxurious choice for eyewear, while also being impeccable in their practicality as instruments for correcting vision.
The design may not be flashy or catchy in appearance, but it offers incredible depth.
In my opinion, it's the king of eyeglasses.
I think they are wonderful glasses made from wonderful materials.
However!
What impressed me even more than the amazing materials and technology was the passion of Gernot Lindner himself.
Gernot, I believe he's 84 this year, and it's incredible that he's taking on new challenges at that age.
And it's not a challenge in a field he's never touched before, but a challenge within the world of eyewear, which he has been pursuing for 70 years.
This is, I think, so amazing that it cannot be put into words.
Just the other day, a customer told me, "It's over when you think you understand everything."
If you think you know everything and stop accepting or incorporating new things, it's the end.
I want to be someone who can always accept things, but that's surprisingly difficult, they said.
I strongly resonated with that and learned a lot.
At the same time, I reaffirmed the amazingness of Mr. Gernot, who "seeks" things even after accepting them.
It's literally a spirit of inquiry, a desire to search for and master "what lies beyond the path."
I believe Gernot has a stronger passion than anyone else.
And I also think he must enjoy it immensely.
Of course, I've never met him or spoken to him, but after carefully examining GERNOT LINDNER's glasses and using them myself every day, that's how I feel.
It was with GERNOT LINDNER that I first experienced such a heartwarming feeling through the act of buying and wearing something.
It's wonderful to get excited after buying super cool clothes or to feel a sense of dignity, but this is a slightly different feeling.
Since this is a personal feeling, it might be an exaggeration to say that GERNOT LINDNER is great, but I think there are many things to feel about the glasses released by a legend who has continued to contribute to the development of the industry.
If you don't pretend to know everything and have a willingness to accept things. Right?
Finally, here is the current inventory status of GERNOT LINDNER at CASANOVA&CO.
It is not published on the online store, so please use this information when making inquiries or considering a purchase.
First, the KYOTO series.
GERNOT LINDNER
KYOTO Ⅰ
material _ Sterling Silver 925
color _ SN
temple _ Adjustable
GERNOT LINDNER
KYOTO Ⅱ
material _ Sterling Silver 925
color _ SN
temple _ Adjustable
The KYOTO Ⅱ is also available with a clip-on.
The crown panto style has become common in eyeglasses, but I think the KYOTO series is a unique crown panto with a GERNOT LINDNER feel.
Next are the classic 150 series.
GERNOT LINDNER
GL-153
material _ Sterling Silver 925
color _ SN
temple _ Adjustable
GERNOT LINDNER
GL-151
material _ Sterling Silver 925
color _ SN
temple _ 140mm
Our lineup has become quite small...
Well, it's not something that changes, so please take your time to choose.
And next is the double-bridge.
GERNOT LINDNER
GL-250
material _ Sterling Silver 925
color _ SN
temple _ Adjustable
GERNOT LINDNER
GL-253
material _ Sterling Silver 925
color _ SN
temple _ Adjustable
Double-bridge types come with nose pads, so they might be a good option for those with strong myopia whose lenses tend to be heavy.
And finally, the rimless series.
GERNOT LINDNER
GL-401
material _ Sterling Silver 925
color _ SN
temple _ 140mm,145mm
GERNOT LINDNER
GL-450
material _ Sterling Silver 925
color _ SN
temple _ 140mm,145mm
We started carrying rimless eyewear this spring.
I believe it's the ultimate design, built on the most basic components of glasses.
The above is our current lineup.
From classic styles to double-bridge and rimless designs, and even the new Buffalo model, I believe we have an excellent selection for you to experience GERNOT LINDNER.
If you're interested, please take a look.