What about the radical rebranding?
Mad in Italy was founded around 2010 in a typical company from the northeast: a glasses factory that decided to launch its own brand. Born as a side business, it experienced unexpected success. Very well known in Italy among independent opticians, after a few very positive years it encountered some problems. That's why we decided to change it. We closed the production part and kept only the commercial one. In this way, we are free to go and provide ourselves with the quality we want.

How did this change come about?
There is a significant departure from what went before, starting with the logo design which had become dated, and which we updated and made recognisable. The photographic language has changed, shifting the concept of craziness from fun to typically Italian genius. The collection has been cleaned up and, thanks to the fact that we can rely on different suppliers, we are now able to diversify. Before we specialised in steel, titanium and nylon; today, steel and acetate and now we present titanium. This is a higher-level product, suitable for the contemporary age. We managed to make excellent titanium with a great design idea, with colours that only we have. This is a technique that gives the feeling that the metal is itself coloured and not subsequently tinted. This gives an effect similar to that of anodised aluminium. It was very complicated: the prosthesis manufacturers are very good at this technique.

Were there any differences in the design of the collection?
Laura Rattaro, the new designer is one of the best on the market. She worked on acetate, playing with transparencies and thicknesses, milling the lash lines, stratifying, as well as using sandblasting in some places and collage. Our market today requires special glasses, as confirmed by tests that we have carried out. 

What are the new markets that you are targeting the most?
The most important market in the medium term is the United States, because we have an important historical partner there that we had lost but today we have regained. Next up will be France, because our glasses are in line with that taste. Then we will aim for Northern Europe, but also Spain, Portugal and Greece, all of which can give us good results.

What are your short and long-term objectives for this new phase?
We want to complete the collection with a view to global distribution. Now the goal is to cover Europe and consolidate the United States.