Weareannu's Iddo Zimmerman relates the story of the brand, since 2019. "It's people who inspire us. We love creativity and get inspired by people who bring that creative energy to their daily lives. That's why we set up our friends of weareannu photo series. It's a fun way to showcase them and us and build a community." "The photo series grew naturally from a simple principle; we don't want to use models. At least not in a fashion sense. Instead, we want to take a closer look at the people we like, who we find inspiring and tell their stories. For us, reality is so much more interesting. And we always felt that glasses are a part of your identity, and that’s as real as it gets, and that's why we want to create honest content and not overly glamourize everything."

So far, weareannu have photographed a wide range of people, from designers, artists, musicians, friends at their local cafe, even a doctor friend. And like everything else they are working on, it's growing. They have just completed a series of shoots in Berlin.
It all began with an art exhibition at Herr Menig Optic in Nuremberg. "One of our founders, Michael, who is an optician here in Nuremberg, has, over the years, facilitated several artists to show their work in his space, alongside his optical collection. It was a format that brought people together for all the right reasons. And this is how Iddo and Michael met and where it all began. Shortly after, a series of conversations were had, then a lot of hard work came, and we had a prototype. And the rest is history. We began building a team, developing a collection and creating a brand." "Any form of innovative thinking influences us. Again, it's all about people and their creativity, whether that be music, art, design or technology." 

"Creativity is not only crucial to design; it is essential to the way we make and why we are always looking for new ways to do things – to do it better. Whether it is the latest evolution in additive manufacturing or something purely aesthetic, we are receptive to it and use it in the best way we can."  "We are currently transitioning from pa12 to pa11; this is the material used in the 3d-printed component of our glasses. It doesn't sound like much more than a number change, but it is a pretty significant step; pa11 is a plant-based polymer made from castor, which dramatically reduces the footprint by around 40% – which is amazing. We are all super excited about it." One of the best things about weareannu? "It's that we have so many talented people here, and the most defining characteristic is how multidisciplinary they are. Maybe we were lucky, or it is the nature and beauty of growing a business; there are many opportunities for people to use their skills in myriad ways. And, of course, everybody is super nice. That bit goes without saying."

This season Weareannu present a beautifully curated offering of three new styles, three crafted updates and a subtle yet sophisticated injection of colour with a charcoal colorway.
The New Panto 09 L has soft arching lines and a slightly larger, more prominent silhouette than the average panto. The New Cateye 07 M has a soft and refined line that gives the signature cateye-feel without the pointed corners.
The New Square17 M is a smaller version of the oversized Square 04 L. The team say this angular and dynamic shape has been well received: "...people were constantly asking for it in different sizes!"

 

ABOUT THE NEW WORK SPACE Weareannu have recently moved to a beautiful new space over two floors. The office and the design team work on one, and the assembly crew are on the other. "Our approach to making and creating has always been a combination of technology and craft, so having everybody together under one roof is fantastic. It gives us complete control and enables us to marry craft and engineering effortlessly. Sadly, we haven't been here too long and haven't had the chance to organise a photoshoot yet. So we'll have to share that with you next time...."

www.weareannu.com