CHARMANT Group presented its new Minamoto brand for the first time at Silmo Paris in 2021. The reaction from customers and business partners was instantaneously and consistently positive, and Minamoto’s popularity exceeded everyone’s expectations. Now, this praise has been officially warranted: Minamoto has just won the prestigious iF Design Award 2022 in the category “Product”.
Minamoto is more than just an eyewear collection. The entire brand concept and every single component – from the logo to the glasses to the case – tells the story of centuries-old Japanese artisanship, uniting the present and the past of Japanese eyewear tradition. Minamoto eyeglasses generate superior wearer comfort thanks to their high-quality design and material. Together with a timelessly beautiful aesthetic, Minamoto glasses provide long-lasting satisfaction for the discerning wearer.
CHARMANT’s heritage is Japanese, and still today, the company’s roots are firmly embedded in Japan. Minamoto eyeglasses are also thoroughly Japanese, unlike products that capitalise on “Japan” for marketing purposes. Nicolas Berne, Minamoto designer explains the initial design phase, “Before creating sketches, I had to go deep into our company history and philosophy to fully understand what Japanese eyewear all is about.” In light of the product’s beauty and the enthusiasm that greeted it, the team at CHARMANT decided to submit Minamoto for an iF Design Award.
Established in Germany in 1954, iF is one of the world’s most prominent design awards. The iF seal is a global symbol that signifies outstanding creativity and design excellence to consumers and the design community. An independent jury of international experts meets to determine award-winning designs based on a set of objective screening standards. Criteria such as idea, form, function, impact and differentiation are evaluated.
Competition this year was intense: almost 11,000 entries were submitted from 57 countries for an iF Award. In the first jury round, 5,426 submissions from 2,687 participants and from 49 nations were nominated for submission to the ultimate iF jury. Over three days, all finalists’ submissions were assessed, discussed and evaluated by 75 renowned international design experts.
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About the iF DESIGN AWARD
Since 1954, the iF DESIGN AWARD has been recognized as an arbiter of quality for excellent design. The iF Design brand is renowned worldwide for outstanding design services, and the iF DESIGN AWARD is one of the most important design prizes in the world. It honours design achievements in all disciplines: product, packaging, communication and service design, architecture and interior architecture as well as professional concept, user experience (UX) and user interface (UI). All award-winning entries are featured on www.ifdesign.com and published in the iF Design App.
About CHARMANT Group
For over 65 years, CHARMANT Group has been renowned worldwide for its pioneering work in the research and development of new technologies in the optical industry. By striving for perfection and for uncompromising high product quality, the Japanese company has developed into one of the most important producers and providers in the highly competitive international ophthalmic optics market. With its goal to unreservedly fulfil the wishes and demands of its customers, CHARMANT can always be depended on for the highest quality awareness and outstanding service. This engagement and this passion are clearly seen in CHARMANT Group house brands as well as licensed brands. Thanks to its expertise in the production of high-quality spectacle frames and its comprehensive global sales network in over 80 countries, CHARMANT Group is greatly respected as a reliable business partner.
Read more about this brand on TEF Magazine or visit their website.
