Optical Prism January 2014 | Page 31

Cate Blanchett The new face of COS Optical Prism interviewed Canadian Optical Supply president Robert Hochstadeter about their latest offering from Silhouette TITAN MINIMAL ART featuring new spokesperson Cate Blanchett 1. Why is COS excited to be carrying this line of eyewear? COS was the first company in Canada to embrace this new vision of eyewear. The partnership was a natural fit as the two companies have always been interested in only showcasing products that are at the height of fashion, quality and technology. A love of detail, a high level of craftsmanship, an individual design style using the very best materials and the latest technologies made Silhouette’s award-winning team of in-house designers achieve the most lightweight eyewear in the world and export it to 100 countries worldwide. But Silhouette’s revolution in the eyewear market came in 1999, when they first introduced the TITAN MINIMAL ART, an absolute eyewear innovation of 1.8 gram lightweight, without screws or hinges.   2. Why do you think Cate Blanchett is the right spokesperson for this line? Cate Blanchett is a perfect fit for this line because simplicity and functionality are what Cate looks for in design. And they are also part of Silhouette’s DNA. She feels that there’s a purity and simplicity to great design that keeps it timeless. This meeting of minds over minimalist design is one of several reasons why Cate is the perfect choice for Silhouette. She embodies so many of the characteristics that Silhouette endeavour to capture in their eyewear: elegance, sophistication and subtlety. Moreover, Cate Blanchett joins a very large audience, women as well as men, young people in their twenties as well as retired people. She is already an icon, whether in the film industry or perfume. Being associated to her is being associated with her image of high-end brand. It is very valuing. 3. What sets it apart from other eyewear lines? TITAN MINIMAL ART has been earning its iconic status by remaining true to this philosophy since its launch in 1999. Super lightweight titanium is the space-age material behind this legendary lightness and flexibility. The tapered, hypoallergenic - and now longer - temple ends are made using two-component SPX+ fusion technology so they feel smooth to the touch but grip effortlessly during activity. The lens shape can be customi