Innovation
Titan Minimal Art
Let’s take a trip back to the 1990s. And in particular, 1999. This was a particularly important year for Silhouette as it marked the birth of a single groundbreaking invention that would revolutionize the entire eyewear market, usher in whole a new era of design and become a profoundly important milestone in the company’s history. Has any other pair of glasses ever caught the world’s attention in quite the same way? It was a model that stood out from every other pair of glasses on the market, all thanks to its minimalistic design. This was a design that actually got people talking. And it’s easy to see why. After all, industry experts could hardly believe their eyes when they first saw this new pair of glasses, which worked perfectly, yet seemed to be missing some key elements. And that is exactly what makes the Titan Minimal Art from Silhouette so special.
The design principle adopted by Gerhard Fuchs, Silhouette’s designer, boiled down to: “reduction to the essentials.” So, he pared down the design, leaving out some components that had always been essential in glasses. The result was a pair of glasses without screws, hinges, or frames, and which weighed only one tenth of an ounce - light as a feather. At the same time, the designer refused to compromise on comfort and style.
„His new design, which went on to become the world’s most famous rimless glasses, offers a level of comfort that is still unsurpassed to this day. The Titan Minimal Art, the Silhouette brand’s most iconic model, was born."
There’s hardly any other style of glasses with such a storied history. In 2000, the Titan Minimal Art flew into outer space for the first time, having been designated “Certified Space TechnologyTM” and chosen as the standard glasses for astronauts. Since then, the TMA has been on board of numerous spaceflights. Meanwhile back on Earth, the glasses were also causing a sensation on international runways. In no time, the TMA had started a global craze, reaching millions of devoted fans.
Today, these glasses are worn by more than 12 million people worldwide. Their unique style has won them 21 design awards. And over the years, the iconic design has made occasional comebacks—having being relaunched in 13 Silhouette collections and special editions. One pair of glasses—one universal revolution! And it all started with a bold business decision that paid off, and that is still capturing the hearts of millions of people all over the world.
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