LINDBERG holds a unique positioning in the luxury eyewear industry, adhering to minimalism, precise engineering, design excellence and customization, is a popular choice for many professionals. In recent years, LINDBERG has taken design to a higher level, capturing the hearts of many fashionistas (even from the Z generation) through the very dynamic and expressive shapes. The company’s revolution of design has literally evoked the participation of consumers in all ages. How does the brand see the present and future development?
V: V.MAGAZINE
N: Nikolaj Schnoor, Global Chief Commercial Officer & President of the Asia Pacific Region
V: In the luxury eyewear market – what is key to success?
N: At LINDBERG, we stay faithful to our DNA, where design and product innovation always comes first. We are constantly coming up with new solutions and concepts. LINDBERG’s founder and CEO, Henrik Lindberg, never dreamed of being the biggest eyewear designer and manufacturer but instead strives to design and create the most outstanding eyewear. We continue to stay true to this philosophy where our success comes from our values of functional design, technical innovation, customisation, craftsmanship and the use of high-quality materials in our eyewear. LINDBERG is the embodiment of Danish Design. The brand has taken on the tradition of minimalism that celebrates timeless style, natural materials and keeping things comfortably streamlined. We strive to be the best and push for innovation and have so far received 112 internationally acclaimed design awards to prove our achievements. The search to continuously optimise by creating, designing, constructing, and producing the impossible has driven the company from the start to today and the future.
V: What is (are) the biggest difficulty or challenge(s) during this epidemic. And how do you and your team cope with this?
N: When we are imposed with any challenges, we apply a similar way of thinking when pushing for product innovation. Our mindset is to problem solve and come up with unique solutions. We do not succeed by staying within the comfort zone. We need to push the boundaries by training the brain to think in other directions. I’m proud to say that we have been optimistic and seek opportunities at a high level while remaining realistic and respectful of any situation that comes our way. In times like these, we have actually done the opposite of many other companies where we have invested in the innovation of our products instead of cutbacks in production costs. It’s all about innovative marketing and pushing for cutting edge products. We’ve had a lot of loyalty from our fans where they appreciate our iconic design and keep choosing LINDBERG.
V: People always said: “the China market (in terms of the consumer taste and habit; market rules…etc) changes very fast”. What’s your comments on this?
N: Indeed, the China market is ever rapid, and today they are the paramount contributors to the world’s luxury market. The luxury growth is defined by China’s new consumers, where we are looking at a much younger Gen-Z compared to the rest of the world. In the past few years, we see that the younger generation has entered the luxury category, where instead of travel, they can take pleasure in luxury items. We find these new consumers want to obtain the latest trends, however, they also invest in timeless items with quality design and durability. We also see they want to be unique – they are looking for personalisation, where the brand and products they choose represents their individuality.
V: How do you foresee the economy and eyewear market in China and Asia in year 2022?
N: For LINDBERG, the China market has been ahead of the game where the rest of the world are looking to accommodate in comparable ways. However, as the pandemic perpetuates, businesses would have to keep adapting and addressing the challenges COVID-19 has brought on. In the eyewear market specifically, we see a growing inclination for eyewear as accessories of self-expression instead of mere optical devices.
V: What’s LINDBERG plan in China and Asia in near future?
N: We will continue to innovate and develop our products. With our made to order production model, sustainability remains one of our emphases. Moving forward, we will release more special edition pieces, as we see such demand, especially in the Asia market. Our strategies will be more digital-driven while staying true to the LINDBERG DNA given the fast-changing landscape. We pride ourselves on our product design and technical ability, and we will increase effort in making the LINDBERG story heard.