Meet Bruno, who owns 160 pairs of glasses!
Bruno, who has been in optics for the last 23 years, started off as an optician and is now the brand ambassador for the Belgian glasses brand theo. In this exclusive interview, not only will you find out more about theo, but you’ll also find out where the best places to wine and dine in Belgium are!
Q: How did you get into optics? B: I’ve been wearing glasses since I was six years old and at the age of ten I decided that it was what I wanted to and that’s how I rolled into it.
Q: You are in fact an optician, what made you come away from the eye-testing side of optics? B: This is more fashion. This is what I like. Eye-tests, yes, they’re important and you need them but that’s boring and I don’t want to spend the rest of my days in a small dark room and test eyes.
Q: What is your favourite frame out of all your 160 pairs of glasses, and why?
Pic composition 1985: I like it because it’s different, it’s not your typical theo. It has a really nice shape because of the fact it is a graphic frame, inspired by paintings by Guy Van Den Brande who was an artist just after WW2.
Here are a select few of Bruno’s glasses from his enormous collection:
What frame would you choose for our Fran? B: Obus
Q: How has the brand changed since you first started? B: I think we became much more professional. When I first started at the company the founder Wim Somers was the big boss and he had his vision in his mind about what the collection is and what it was but we just didn’t understand it at that time. It’s now his three sons that are in charge now, Mick. Toon and Jan. Mick is sales and marketing director, Toon is the creative director and Yen takes care of the shop.
Since Wim left we got to look at the brand in a whole different way and now we’ve started to understand him.
We have the special theo frames but the most important part of theo is the basic theo because once people get used to those, they move into something more special.
Bruno agreed to let us ask him whatever we liked, keep on reading to find out exactly what!
Q: What do you think of GoT? B: I’ve never watched Game of Thrones – but I love that programme in Birmingham, The Peaky Blinders. I love seeing how fashion changes through the ages as the programme progresses.
Q: Dog or cat person? B: Cat person but I would never have a cat because I’m allergic to them.
Q: Favourite car? B: Porsche: vintage 1989 Carrera wtl Darga
Q: Favourite music at the moment? B: A bit of everything, hip hop right now. Right now, I’m into Nas specifically, New York State of mind. Belgian music for the moment would have to be Saltwax, which is a Rock band.
Q: You seem like a sneakerhead, what trainers are on your hitlist right now? B: I want to retro Jordan’s in neon pink but they don’t come in my size.
Q: If you were stuck on an island what 5 things would you take B: My music or I should say, my girlfriend? No, I’m joking but both of those things are sufficient.
Q: What are the must-do things in Belgium? B: You should go to Gent – It’s a very historic part of Belgium, there are good bars restaurants and a nice ambience. My favourite bar there would have to be Charlatan and restaurant, it would be Superette. It’s got a bit of everything because it’s a 3 Michelin star cook who runs it and his bistro has really good food at affordable prices.
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