As a globally renowned eyewear group, Marcolin’s strategic roadmap in the Asia-Pacific region has always been a major focus of industry attention. To mark the 30th anniversary of the group’s proprietary brand, ic! berlin, V.MAGAZINE had an exclusive conversation with Lorenzo Barberio, Marcolin’s General Manager and Head of Sales APAC. We delve into the group’s growth strategy for ic! berlin, exploring how they leverage localized strategies and online platform distribution within the highly fragmented APAC market. Discover how they successfully bridge digital buzz with professional offline fittings to create a seamless, elevated luxury eyewear experience.
▲ Lorenzo Barberio, Marcolin GM and Head of sales APAC
V.Magazine (V)：What are the primary objectives you are currently prioritizing in your 2026 business outlook?
Lorenzo Barberio (L): For 2026, our priority is to continue strengthening Marcolin’s positioning and reputation in the APAC region through focused, qualitative growth. In recent years, the area has shown very strong momentum for us, and our objective now is not simply to expand distribution, but to keep upgrading the quality of our partnerships, retail execution, brand visibility and consumer experience.
We are focused on three main areas. First, we continue to develop our luxury and premium portfolio with the right positioning in each market. Second, we aim at reinforcing our relationships with key optical chains, department stores, independent opticians and e-commerce partners. Third, we invest in local relevant marketing, events and in-store storytelling, allowing each brand to express their own identity while staying close to the expectations of Asian consumers.
As an example for our own brand ic! berlin, 2026 is a very important year. The brand marks its 30th anniversary, and this milestone gives us a strong platform to rebuild and strengthen its presence through elevated storytelling, premium visual design and consistent communication across PR, social media, events and retail touchpoints. The Q1 performance demonstrates our successful approach, thanks to significant growth of the brand in APAC vs last year.
A key opportunity in our region remains China: here our Q1 results are growing vs 2025 also thanks to the Shanghai Optical Fair where we had gathered an historical performance. We were indeed surprised by the warm curiosity that we recorded during this event, but we the realized that this was also the result of our strategic approach to this market.
▲ China International Optics Fair 2026 in Shanghai marked a record for Marcolin in terms of attendance and performance.
▲ The optical fairs in China are relevant milestone on consolidating custom-made opportunities with customers and creating new connections.
V: Given that this year marks ic! berlin’s 30th anniversary, are there any notable eyewear industry events planned in Asia? Additionally, what is your strategic focus in the Asian market to celebrate this milestone?
L: Yes, Asia will play a key role in the celebration of ic! berlin’s 30th anniversary. The brand already has a strong foundation in several APAC countries, especially Taiwan and Thailand, where it has built a very loyal following. In 2026, we want to use the anniversary not only as a celebration, but also as a moment to introduce ic! berlin to a broader audience across the region.
The anniversary concept, “Iconic Chrome,” brings the brand back to its essence: pure materials, minimalist design and creative engineering. It celebrates the polished stainless-steel aesthetic that has defined ic! berlin since its origins in Berlin in 1996, while also looking forward with new design expressions and contemporary color accents such as Transformative Teal.
▲ Launch of the ic! berlin 30th Anniversary Exhibition, unveiled in Taipei on April 23rd at NOKE Shopping Center. A highlight of the night was an exclusive conversation featuring Davide Lunghi, General Manager of ic! berlin, and James Chang, CEO of Chang’s Group.
▲ The opening event gathered an exceptional audience, including renowned actors George Hu and Amber An, alongside key opinion leaders and distinguished guests from across Asia.
In Asia, our focus will be on selective trade and consumer-facing activations, partner events, media storytelling, premium in-store experiences, and stronger digital visibility. China will be particularly important in this respect. Platforms such as Tmall, JD.com and Little Red Book are not only commercial channels; they are also powerful spaces for brand education, discovery and community building. For ic! berlin, this is especially relevant because the brand has a very rich story to tell, from its screwless hinge and ultra-light stainless-steel construction to its Made in Germany craftsmanship and Berlin creative spirit.
▲ ic! berlin POP UP in Qianye, Chongqing, China
We want to bring the brand’s story to life in a way that is relevant for APAC consumers: lightweight comfort, technical precision, screwless engineering, long-lasting quality and a distinct design language that feels both functional and expressive. The 30th anniversary gives us the opportunity to translate these values across trade, retail and digital channels in a more consistent and engaging way.
▲ ic! berlin is a technical brand: from the opticians till the lens labs, our expertise is built to specifically collaborate with those stakeholders who can secure the consistency of the quality of the frame sold.
V: Could you please share Marcolin’s overall retail and online strategy in APAC, along with an overview of the region’s business performance to date?
L: APAC has been one of Marcolin’s most dynamic regions in recent years. We have built a strong platform through our subsidiaries in Australia, China and Singapore, which allow us to stay close to local customers, retail partners and market dynamics.
Our retail strategy is based on quality rather than quantity. We are not focused on simply adding more doors. Instead, we are requalifying distribution, gaining better space with the right partners, and making sure each brand is presented in the correct environment. This is particularly important for our luxury brands, where positioning, adjacencies and brand image are fundamental.
Online is also an important part of our APAC strategy, especially in China, where the ecosystem of social media and ecommerce has become essential for building awareness, credibility and consumer engagement. We have already seen how powerful this ecosystem can be through TOM FORD Eyewear. The launch of TOM FORD Eyewear flagship store in Tmall Pavilion, supported by a livestream with Austin Li, generated more than 10 million views in one night and showed how luxury eyewear can gain visibility when commerce, content and influence work together.
For ic! berlin, we see a strong opportunity to apply these learnings in a way that is true to the brand. Tmall and JD.com can help us build a trusted commercial presence and improve accessibility for consumers who are already shopping premium products online, while Little Red Book can play an important role in brand storytelling, lifestyle discovery and peer-to-peer recommendation. ic! berlin is a product that benefits from explanation: consumers need to understand why the screwless hinge matters, why the frames are so light, and how the engineering creates comfort and durability. Social media and e-commerce platforms give us the space to educate consumers before they enter the store.
At the same time, we continue to believe that eyewear remains a highly experiential category. Consumers want to touch the product, understand the fit, experience the materials, and receive professional advice. For this reason, our goal is to connect online visibility with offline expertise, creating a more integrated consumer journey from discovery to consultation and purchase.
V: What is the current status of your business model in the APAC market? How do you approach cultural and local adaptation to meet consumer needs?
L: Our business model in APAC is highly localized while remaining aligned with Marcolin’s global strategy. The region is extremely diverse, so it is essential to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach. China, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia and Australia all have different consumer behaviors, retail structures and brand expectations.
We work closely with our local teams, distributors, chains, opticians, department store partners and digital partners to understand what each market needs. Their feedback is extremely valuable because they are the ones closest to the final consumer. This helps us adapt product assortment, communication, campaign timing, retail execution and online content.
For ic! berlin, this local adaptation is particularly important. The brand appeals to consumers who value design, engineering and individuality. In APAC, we see strong potential among urban professionals, design-conscious consumers and younger buyers who are looking for authentic self-expression through high-quality products. Social Media platforms allow us to speak to consumers in a more conversational and educational way, while he online can support a more complete brand and shopping experience.
Our role is to communicate the brand’s German craftsmanship and Berlin spirit in a way that feels relevant locally, whether in Greater China, Southeast Asia, Korea, Japan or Australia. This means adapting the message without diluting the identity: the core remains minimalist, expert, performing and ingenious, but the way we express it must respect local culture, language, consumer behavior and media habits.
V: What are your future plans for both the distributed brands and ic! berlin’s own brand in the APAC market?
L: For our distributed brands, the plan is to continue developing the portfolio selectively and with discipline. Marcolin has a very broad range, from luxury and premium to sport and diffusion brands, and this gives us strong competitiveness across different market segments. Our focus is to make sure every brand is placed in the right channel, with the right partner and the right storytelling.
For ic! berlin, the future is very clear: we want to strengthen its position as one of the most distinctive high-end eyewear brands in APAC. The brand brings a unique dimension to Marcolin’s portfolio through its engineered design approach, patented screwless hinge system, Made in Germany production, and strong brand identity.
The 30th anniversary is the starting point for a new phase. We will continue to invest in brand awareness, retail visibility, product storytelling, and selective expansion in markets where Marcolin already has strong infrastructure. In China, this also means building a stronger digital ecosystem for ic! berlin, using social media and e-commerce platforms to increase awareness, educate consumers and connect online discovery with offline professional service.
The goal is to replicate the success ic! berlin has achieved in markets such as Taiwan and Thailand, while developing its potential in other major APAC markets. With the right retail partners, the right digital platforms and a more consistent brand narrative, we believe ic! berlin can become an even more relevant reference for high-end, design-led eyewear in Asia.
▲ EYESTYLE Ginza, Tokyo, Japan
▲ Glasstique, Shanghai L’Avenue, China