Masahiro Maruyama interview, September 2025

Stories

Masahiromaruyama

Masahiro Maruyama

Words Alessandra Albarello

27/10/2025

The Japanese designer’s poetic vision unfolds through asymmetry and the concept of the ‘unfinished’, while honouring the rich tradition of Japanese craftsmanship

Can you tell us about yourself, before you came to eyewear?
Before stepping into the world of eyewear, I was a student studying industrial craft design and fashion illustration. The sense of form and attention to expression I cultivated there still informs my work today. I began my career as an eyewear designer in 1996 and launched my own eyewear brand in 2011. The starting point was a simple yet contradictory desire: to create something I truly wanted to wear myself - something that couldn't be found in mass production. My motivation for creating eyewear comes from the wish that people who wear Masahiro Maruyama frames feel a sense of happiness.

How does Japanese tradition meet innovation in your eyewear?
Japanese tradition values meticulous and refined craftsmanship. When combined with my distinctive design ideas, these two elements enhance each other and create a synergy. This fusion results in beautiful and unique products that define Masahiro Maruyama eyewear.

Unfinished art is the primary concept behind your creations. Could you explain it and how you translate that into eyewear?
'Unfinished art' expresses a beauty that is as if time has stopped midway. While traditional frames are often symmetrical and fully completed, my designs are naturally asymmetrical, and though they may appear unfinished, they radiate a strong individuality. I see eyewear not only as a fashion or everyday item, but also as a tool that reflects one's identity - like a wearable art piece.

Asymmetry is another essential element of your glasses, maybe the consequence or the origin of unfinished art. In a world that chases perfection, what is your message?
Yes, asymmetry is at the core of my design. While there is certainly beauty in perfection, I deliberately try to express the beauty found in irregularity. I believe there is a living charm, a sense of space and depth in things that are left 'unfinished'.

In 2022 you won the Silmo D’Or with the Kintsugi model, made using an ancient and precious technique that is a symbol of resilience. It is clear that for you, glasses are not just accessories; what are they?
To me, glasses are a medium for expressing a theme. For instance, the Kintsugi model reflects a traditional philosophy through design. Each collection has its own story or meaning. I believe that by combining functionality and fashion with a clearly defined theme, the value of the product becomes deeper and more meaningful. As in art, you take special care in choosing the materials and colour combinations.

How many steps are involved in the process of making your glasses?
Each collection requires a different approach. Depending on the form or material I want to express, additional original processes may be introduced beyond the standard manufacturing steps. Every detail is carefully considered to find the best way to realize the design.

What about your new collections and themes?
Our 2025 collection is titled 'Untitled.' As the name suggests, we intentionally chose not to define a theme, proposing designs born from free and spontaneous ideas. Without being bound by any fixed meaning, we hope that each person who sees or wears these pieces will feel something unique to them. For 'Untitled,' we based the forms on the same freehand, sketch-like lines that are at the core of our design concept. In addition, we incorporated various pinheads that have been used throughout the history of Japanese eyewear making. I personally selected carefully and freely arranged these different pin shapes, enjoying the process along the way. The hinges, too, were created from scratch in entirely free and unconventional forms. It is precisely because there is no set meaning that unexpected beauty and playful details emerge. We invite you to hold them in your hands and experience this freedom for yourself. The new collection, 'Step' features an experimental design that involves layering parts three-dimensionally. By freely arranging elements like the endpieces and bridge, unique structures are created, and by combining different colours and materials, the frames achieve complex colour schemes and optical illusions. For the titanium models, bold hammered textures are applied, and special colours featuring hand-drawn dot patterns showcase the craftsmanship of skilled artisans. The acetate models use an independent part structure fixed together with rivet pins, allowing for vivid colour expression unique to acetate.

So, will unfinished art save the world?
Through eyewear, I hope to bring happiness to the people who wear it. If that feeling can help someone, somewhere in the world, then there is no greater joy for me.

Originally published in Eyebook 35, September 2025

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