The major optical brands: Carrera

"A style icon for those who aren't afraid to flaunt their character." This is how Carrera, an iconic brand in the optical industry, defines itself. Its eyewear models, recognizable among a thousand, make it a brand with distinctive features and undeniable stature. A look back at a history punctuated, among other things, by motorsport.

Carrera: a brand born from a vision and a love of racing

1956. An Austrian eyewear maker, Wilhem Werker, founder of "Wilhem Anger Werker" decides to give new impetus to his company. Passionate about motorsport, he is fascinated by the Carrera Panamericana, a 3000 kilometer race that takes place in Mexico and is considered one of the most demanding on the planet.

Werker considers that the particularity of this race goes perfectly with the idea he has of his society. Requirement and the desire to push the limits are indeed part of the personality of the Austrian. The company was therefore renamed "Carrera" in order to record this new orientation.

In the 1970s, Carrera began to manufacture ski goggles , a sport which also contributed to overcoming self. The innovative design and the comfort that characterize them quickly make them best-sellers among experienced skiers. Then it was the collaboration with Porsche that would further boost Carrera's notoriety, with the Carrera Porsche Design 5620 and then 5621/23 model, which made it possible to use interchangeable lenses.

[ caption id="attachment_12360" align="aligncenter" width="600"] @Carrera[/caption]

In 1985, Carrera teamed up this time with the world-famous driver, Niki Lauda, to create a new model of sunglasses. These new glasses will become inseparable from the Austrian driver, once again marking the brand's very "motor sports" orientation.

A brand that lives with the times

But Carrera has also been able to stand out thanks to constant innovation, while retaining the personality so sought after by its creator. A more sober model but with a strong personality, cleverly baptized "Champion" will become the brand's greatest success.

Worn by many personalities, it definitively anchors Carrera as a must in the world of optics, the "C" nestled in the middle of the frame being the most emblematic symbol. The marketing approach is clear: these glasses are made for those who are not afraid to assert themselves. Everything is thought out and considered for a high-flying promise: "the temples are adorned with three oblique lines near the logo, which represent the dynamism and speed typical of racing and the self-confidence which, since 1956, have characterized the brand. "

The notoriety is such that the brand is chosen by Boeing to equip its pilots. Again, if the design changes, it is largely in the style of the brand and innovation is always there. The manufacturer describes it himself: "an integrated shock absorber in each branch uses the pressure of a stamp to ensure exceptional flexibility and to embellish the design of the glasses with a touch of color, leaving the red stamp, Carrera's characteristic color, partially visible.
Finally, the pads rotate 70° to ensure maximum comfort and a better fit to each face, as required by pilots."

The brand also does not forget to make a colorful and pop turn to mark the end of the 80s and the 90s, once again recalling its propensity to live with the times.

[= ] Source: Carrera