Interview With Michael Schmied and Reinhard Mahr

Reinhard Mahr: I’d like our company to remain a beacon of stability and maintain its focus on the future, both within the industry itself and for our employees around the world. In a market dominated by a few major players, we want to survive as a strong and independent brand.

Michael Schmied: I hope that the company stays young and continues to embody the pioneering spirit of the last few decades long into the future. With the courage to explore new things and the drive to get things done. Not just adapting to a changing world, but always being one step ahead. The perfect balance between perpetuating valuable achievements and striving for improvement and innovation in all areas—from design to production, from employee collaboration to the marketing of our products.

MS: If you look back at our company history, it soon becomes clear that innovation, courage, and a pioneering spirit have contributed significantly to the company’s success, and continue to do so today. We’re not satisfied with regulatory standards—we set our own. We strive to be the leader in terms of design and technology. This is reflected, for example, in our in-house materials, which are among the most innovative on the eyewear market. In the premium segment, you can only really stand out through quality—and that’s why we want to design and produce not only the most beautiful, but also the best eyewear. We create 3,000 new eyewear designs every year and we hold 55 patents. We’re also very proud to have received 130 international design awards.

RM: There’s no one secret recipe, it’s down to a combination of many things. Our own research and development department will come up with some great ideas. Various internal departments and our creative minds then masterfully turn these visions into reality. One of our strengths is definitely our focus on the future. But we don’t rest on our laurels. We’re constantly working to make what is good even better. Where others see risks, we see opportunities.

MS: As a family-owned business, we’re all about passing on a legacy to future generations—not just the next financial year. Our drive has always been, and still is, to create the most beautiful eyewear in the world, taking quality as read—in every aspect. The fundamental values of the Silhouette Group are: appreciating employees and colleagues, and constantly striving for innovation.

RM: Like any other company, we strive for growth. But in a sustainable way. We accept our responsibility towards society and the planet. We believe in respectful, open relationships with our employees, customers, suppliers, and consumers. The “Made in Austria” seal of quality is also important to us. It’s the only way we can keep our uncompromising promise of quality.

MS: Sixty years is a long time. All our visions would probably take more than just one interview to discuss. We’ll be confronted with completely new manufacturing technologies, new materials, even new products, and customer needs. Perhaps we can look more specifically at the next ten years first: with prescription eyewear, sunglasses, sports and full-service eyewear, we already have the perfect solution for many occasions. Being able to make every single customer a desirable and holistic offer to meet all their needs in these different areas is the biggest task in terms of marketing that lies ahead of us in the near future.

RM: As the saying goes: “Prediction is difficult—particularly when it involves the future.” But one thing is clear to us: in 2084, the brand desirability of our brand portfolio will remain high, and our brands will continue to captivate various customers through emotional storytelling, outstanding quality and top-notch design.

RM: In contrast to many of our competitors, we approach this subject holistically. Sustainability permeates every decision made by the company. Not only do we have declarations of intent, but also a clearly defined sustainability strategy and specific measures that have already been implemented.

MS: For example, we’re proud to have already halved our carbon emissions and to have reached carbon-neutral production (with offsetting to the highest standards) in 2022. As Reinhard has already indicated, other competitors are striving for this really big milestone over the coming decades. That’s just one of many examples of how we put sustainability into practice. Our high-quality standards, the longevity of our products, and the fact that we are made in Austria, mean that we offer a fundamentally different prospect for our customers. We create valuable and sustainable designer products, rather than short-term consumer goods. This is deeply rooted in our DNA.

RM: It is definitely our iconic Titan Minimal Art, launched in 1999. It’s a rimless model made of titanium, which has no screws or hinges at all and weighs just 0.07 ounces. It’s revolutionized the entire eyewear market. It became world famous, and has been regularly flying into space as a crew member since the year 2000. Over 12.4 million people currently wear a pair of Titan Minimal Art eyewear.

MS: The success of the Titan Minimal Art is not only down to its radically minimalist design, but also to our in-house, high-tech, titanium alloy. It’s a flexible, light, and warp-resistant material. This innovative product required a new mindset as well. An icon cannot be created if it disappears from the market with the next fast-fashion fad. It takes a lot of courage, creativity, and energy to keep it fresh, young, and innovative for over 25 years. We’ve managed to do this together, and the Titan Minimal Art has had a lasting and indelible impact on our founding brand, Silhouette.

But innovation has always been a part of our culture. SPX+® is still the most innovative plastic for eyewear on the market today, as no other plastic is lighter or more warp-resistant. It therefore offers our customers the best levels of comfort and optical stability. We’ll continue to make people sit up and take notice of this material in the near future.

The Silhouette Group is focused on the future. But how can you focus on something that isn’t even here yet? Crystal ball-gazing is likely to be difficult. How do you go about it?

MS: This is where I agree with the Austrian-American philosopher Peter Drucker who said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” My grandparents founded the company in 1964 with this mindset and we continue to run it in the same way.

RM: Technology has evolved and as a result, consumer behavior has changed. Only those companies that are able to accept and shape change will be successful in the future. Our goal is to keep our product offering strong, but also to retain our focus on service and experience. We don’t just want to act as a supplier, we want to be able to offer our customers experiences.