Style spotlight

STYLE SPOTLIGHT Eyewear through the generations

This month, Joan Grady catches up with the principals of two family brands that have been leading the way in eyewear for centuries...

Retro Erkers styling in blond tortoise with a distinctive keyhole bridge

Erkers 1879 of St Louis, Missouri, and Lafont Paris have created and promoted their individual, family brands on two different continents – amassing a combined total of 240 years of eyewear expertise. These two legendary and distinctive family labels continue to develop and inspire innovative, evolutionary ideas and concepts in the eyewear industry.

The two companies have also earned the appreciation and esteem of their respective customers and peers, and continue to set the bar in their professions. Over time, these dynastic eyewear families have remained successfully independent –enduring world wars, pandemics, financial crises and a multitude of other challenges.

MEET ME IN ST LOUIS The Erkers family opened their first boutique in St Louis in 1879, when the horse and buggy and trolley cars were still being used for transportation. As the business grew, the company began designing eyewear. In 1927, they created the goggles worn by aviator Charles Lindbergh when he flew the first non-stop, solo transatlantic flight from New York to Paris.

The fifth generation of the Erkers family are now at the helm. Brothers Jack and Tony Erker are co-owners at Studio Optyx, the parent company of the Erkers brand. I spoke with Jack about growing up in the family business.

Charles Lindbergh wearing Erkers goggles for his solo transatlantic flight in 1927 The original Erkers boutique (left) opened in 1879 in St Louis JG: Has the pandemic altered any plans

Erkers had in the pipeline?

JE: The pandemic has changed the way we do business, but has not changed our outlook for our long-term goals. We feel people are creatures of habit, but will also adapt to new technology that makes things easier. Over the past year, we have opened a new store and are in the process of remodelling another. We continue to launch great products. We are integrating technology to make things easy for our customers when it comes to ordering eyewear.

JG: Have consumer preferences for shapes, colours and materials changed significantly in the past five years?

JG. When did you realise that you wanted to continue the traditions and legacy of the family business?

JE: I grew up doing odd jobs in the family business and learning from my father and grandfather. When I went to university, I explored many different majors trying to figure out what to do with my life. Subconsciously, I kept going back to my roots. In hindsight, I didn’t realise that I learned a lot as a young boy – and so it was easy for me to make the move into something that

I cared about.

JG: What are the biggest challenges for eyewear companies today?

JE: There are many challenges in our industry today – from insurance companies, private equity to the internet. Every company needs to understand these challenges, and how to uniquely carve their own niche within the ever-changing market in order to stay relevant.

JE: Colour is always changing but the shift towards rounder, more P3 shapes and translucent colours are newer trends. I also think the customer is thinking more outside the box than ever before when it comes to design, but they will always enjoy the stories that are told throughout your company’s history.

JG: As the fifth generation in the family business, how do you perceive Erkers continuing to evolve and flourish in the coming years?

JE: We are very entrepreneurial and always have many ideas. We have survived many wars and pandemics and have seen hundreds of changes in our history. We often flip back through our Erkers History Book, and turn to different years to see what was happening at those times in the world, our industry and our specific market.

History tends to repeat itself many times over. It is a great reference to see how we can evolve with today’s technology and our creative ideas.

PURE PARISIAN PROVENANCE

Matthieu (left) and Thomas Lafont The history of the House of Lafont begins in 1923 when the first boutique opened on rue Vignon, near Place Madeleine in Paris. Each subsequent boutique radiates an aura of French history: the location of La Rive Gauche captures Parisian edginess and its dynamic spirit; Le Marais boutique is housed in a 12th century building; and Lafont Passy is located in the chic, sleek 16th arrondissement.

Lafont was the first French eyewear company to achieve prestigious recognition with the Certification OFG (Guaranteed French Origin). This certifies that every Lafont frame is 100 per cent crafted in France. Nowadays, CEO Matthieu Lafont runs the company with his brother Thomas as creative director. Matthieu reveals insights into growing up in the family enterprise.

JG: When did you and Thomas realise that you wanted to continue the traditions and legacy of the family business?

ML: Since forever in a way. Thomas has been working for over 20 years in the company, and for me it is already more than 15 years. But when we were kids, we visited Silmo every year and then later we worked during summer vacation preparing orders. So it’s a trajectory that was naturally created. Our parents always supported us for what we wanted to do in our studies, but life made us join the company.

Girl – a chic cat-eye design by Lafont

JG: What are the biggest challenges for eyewear companies today, compared to 20 years ago?

ML: Being and staying independent is very important for us. Staying true to our values, building partnerships that matter and last. Keeping these values in a global mass-market industry is a challenge, and will remain so.

JG: As trading between countries becomes more complex, especially with Brexit, how do you foresee this affecting

Lafont’s global reach and goals?

ML: Somehow it’s becoming more complex in terms of regulations, but we are doing 70 per cent of our business outside of France and so working on the export market is natural for us. I would say that it’s manageable.

Regarding the UK specifically, we have a great local partner, the Eyewear Company, and working together makes things easier.

JG: At present, there are four beautiful

Lafont boutiques in France. Do you envision opening other exclusive outlets in additional EU countries, or abroad?

ML: For the moment it’s not part of our priority. We are focusing our Boutique

Lafont activity on the four Parisian shops. But in the future? You never know. Being part of a family business is something special, not only for Thomas and I but also for the entire Lafont team. We all share a common passion and goal.

The possibility of creating a family business is an exciting and appealing prospect for some independent opticians. Your own passion and curiosity for optics and eyewear might well set the foundation for future generations, in providing caring and professional eyewear services to your customers – for decades to come.