Small-scale artisan production with sustainable ambitions in Annaberg-Buchholz
From a small traditional workshop in East Germany, the distinctive bespoke frames at Coco Leni use natural materials such as horn and wood and artisan techniques, creating one-off designs with classic constructions and rivets and pins. The custom shapes include classic cat eyes and bold rectangles as well as more offbeat designs.
With a production history that dates back to 1946, the new Coco Leni concept was born in 2015 under Matthias Haase and Arjun Sagar – who wanted to revive the handmade designs of the past from this studio and make new styles. Sustainability they say is at the root of their work, which is based on the natural materials and hand finishing whilst also paying attention to planting trees (with GPS labelling) and reducing waste.
Above: a neo-classical round frame that can be made to measure: the style is called Laibach and was inspired by a Slovenian avant-garde music group – it is one of the more unusual designs in the collection
Furthermore, with aspirations to bring the frames to a wider audience outside Germany, particularly in the current climate, the Coco Leni team have created a virtual measurement system comprising 20 different measurements to create a design. All they ask is 2 photos of your face and they promise shipment thereafter within 7 business days. Find out more about the frames and the small workshop and try on the styles with Virtual Try-On at: www.cocoleni.com