The Romanian ad industry, the look through eyeglasses

Liliana Marin, founder of Medical Optik Lounge, is one of the very few Romanian specialists that can pride themselves with expertise in the eye-wear styling. In her 25-year-long career, she counselled hundreds of politicians, public figures and business people on which eye-wear would fit them best. Also, fond of the creative community, she endorsed “The Best of Eurobest” by offering on the spot short consultations for the young creatives present at the Mini Bavaria showroom, where the event took place.

Ad Hugger: Recently you endorsed the creative community, spicing up “The Best of Eurobest” event that took place at Mini Bavaria Showroom. What was the feedback?

Liliana Marin: All over the world, intelligent people know which brands fit them best and how to make a statement by simply wearing spectacles. The creative community worldwide uses eye-wear as a trademark and Romania is no exception. There is no surprise that endorsing “The Best of Eurobest” by choosing the right eye-wear for each guest was a tremendous success.

The experience of wearing various shapes and shades of spectacles has set the creatives in an exploratory mood, discovering which side of their personality is brought to life by which frame and how to relate with it.

Ad Hugger: Don’t you think that sometimes the eye-wear is a choice for the wannabes?

Liliana Marin: Not necessarily. The truth is members of the creative community spend most of their life in front of a screen – be it a mobile, a tablet, a notebook or simply a flat screen. Their eyes are one of the most relevant tools that help them explore and reshape the world. After a zillion hours spent in front of a screen, their eyes need some help. Wearing glasses at the computer is the easiest solution for protection. But when you work in such environment where every line, shape and texture has a meaning, it is impossible not to pay attention to the one item you put on your face. One’s facial expression and eyes are such powerful communication tools! It is hugely important what you choose to associate them with.

Ad Hugger: So you think eye-wear is more of a communication instrument?

Liliana Marin: It is both a tool to protect your health and to express your personality, especially if you work in industries where the way you look and the way you dress are professional indicators.

Ad Hugger: Which are the brands you selected for the creatives that joined “The Best of Eurobest” and why?

Liliana Marin: I had a selection of frames that make a statement for young, temperamental, unconventional, exploratory, effervescent people. Tom Ford, Pepe Jeans, Ray Ban were among them. From the variety of frames that one might find in our shop, I selected some from the latest collections of Chanel, Smalto, Mikli and Mont Blanc, knowing that among the guests there were also business people representing top management companies. However, the secret is not only in the brand you choose, but in the selection of the frame that suits you best.

And this is where the magic happens. Very often, young people join our boutique asking for a specific brand, because they saw it in a commercial or in a magazine. We show them that maybe other shapes and colors fit their bone structure and personality better. I believe this is the biggest secret in the art of selecting a specific frame: not to blindly follow the trend, but to interpret it.

Ad Hugger: What are the trends in eye-wear for 2013?

Liliana Marin: There is a lot of color everywhere. Even the most conservative brands opened up to vibrant reds, greens and varieties of blue.

What would have been inconceivable for a brand such Chanel only a few years back, it is now a reality. Also, in the matter of shapes, there is a small revolution as well – you can see cat eyes and their interpretation in many of the iconic brands – Mikli, Chanel or Bvlgari.

Ad Hugger: What would you recommend as a style statement for a creative director working in an awarded ad agency?

Liliana Marin: First and foremost, the personality of the creative director should be under scrutiny. If the person is over-forty and has a taste for the vintage reinterpreted, the wayfarer frame could be a potential choice. Persol or Mikli are potential brand choices, owing to the history of the brands, the quality of the frames and the daring shapes. Anyhow, everybody should bear in mind that eye-wear is exactly like shoes: you don’t just wear the same pair on every occasion. There are different shoes for sports, for clubbing, for opera and for work. This is the case with frames as well.