Let’s start with your motto, ‘theo loves you!’. When was it coined, and what does it mean to all of you today?
The origin of ‘theo loves you!’ goes back to a great evening in a Belgian cafe?, where Wim and Patrick were discussing how to sign their faxes. After many Stella beers, the words theo loves you appeared on a beer coaster. Just as often in theo’s history, a happy coincidence was at the base of the tagline that would later define theo’s future philosophy. Today it means even more than a tagline. It reminds us that eyewear is about human connection. A compliment can change someone’s day, and every theo frame is designed with that simple idea in mind.

In 1987 your father Wim Somers, an optician, met Patrick Hoet and the theo brand (an anagram of Hoet) was born. How have you managed to preserve theo’s identity over the years?
By keeping it in the family. And by running theo as if we were its only customers and biggest fans.

What elements and details currently distinguish theo glasses?
Staying true to our legacy. We have worked with many of the same designers, manufacturers and suppliers for decades. That continuity allows us to keep refining what makes theo different. Every frame is the result of many talented people working together. Teamwork makes the dream work.

Antwerp, in the mid-1980s, saw the birth of some of the most talented fashion designers, just think of the ‘Antwerp 6’, currently featured in an exhibition at MoMu Antwerp. How much has your city’s cultural atmosphere influenced your vision?
It was the driving force that gave us the final push to go for it. By closely following the Antwerp Fashion Academy and supporting students by creating eyewear for their graduation shows, the theo seed was planted. When the Antwerp 6 inspired the world, Wim and patrick found the courage to make their dream come true: creating a collection for their own stores and customers.