Made in Austria
Our commitment to our Austrian roots
“Once upon a time in Linz… ” would be the perfect way to start our company’s story. Silhouette’s founders, Anneliese and Arnold Schmied, had decided that the city of Linz, Austria, was the perfect place to bring their vision to life. So, they bought a plot of land in an area of the city which was still mostly undeveloped at that time. With a team of just 5 employees and 1 designer, it was a tale of humble beginnings. Yet the foundation had been laid for what was to come. And in the years that followed, the founders presided over a boom in creativity.
At the time, they could not have anticipated what an international sensation their company’s eyewear would go on to become. As ambitious as they were, they were still surprised at just how much people loved their glasses.
„Today, 60 years later, we are proud of our heritage and our Austrian roots. That’s why we are still strongly committed Linz and why our glasses proudly bear our “Made in Austria” promise."
Our hometown, located on the Danube River, has seen many changes over the years. Yet we will never forget all the special moments and milestones that we experienced as a company. There may be something in the Linz soil, which has always provided fertile ground for new creative approaches and innovative technologies. And our home has also helped shape our brand’s strongly held values: unparalleled quality of vision to experience the extraordinary; user-centric functionality; and premium, light-as-a-feather design.
In 2017, we made another investment in our Linz home by building our Lens Lab - an ultramodern building. with a lens-shaped façade which has taken over as our lens production site. As a result, we can now produce precision-handcrafted eyewear, tailor made for our customers, all at one location— now that’s 100% Made in Austria.
(c) Lens Lab pictures: Schreyer David