'''ic! berlin brillen GmbH''' is a German eyewear company based in Berlin. Founded in 1996 by Ralph Anderl, it produces eyewear from 0.5 mm thick stainless spring steel sheet metal using a hinge design that avoids the use of any screws, welds, or glue in the construction of their frames.
In November 2023, it was announced that Marcolin had completed the acquisition of ic! berlin.[1]
History
In 1996, Ralph Anderl joined Philipp Haffmans and Harald Gottschling to help market their idea for screwless sheet metal eyewear in Berlin.[2] Unable to sell the idea, the trio founded HGA Gesellschaft to produce and market eyewear under the brand ic! brille. The first frame to be produced was ‘Jack’, weighing 20 grams,[3] with an initial run of 50 pieces.
ic! brille became ic! berlin in late 1997. Starting in a small apartment with a shop front in Max-Beer-Straße in Berlin-Mitte, ic! berlin moved to the nearby Backfabrik in 2005.