ic! berlin

ic! berlin is a German eyewear brand headquartered in Berlin and recognized for producing lightweight frames from thin stainless-steel sheet metal. Its defining construction system uses the spring properties of the material and a proprietary hinge concept rather than conventional screws, welds, or adhesive. This approach gives the frames a distinctive minimalist appearance while supporting flexible, durable construction. The company traces its origins to 1996, when Ralph Anderl joined designers Philipp Haffmans and Harald Gottschling to commercialize their concept for screwless sheet-metal eyewear. After difficulty finding an established manufacturer willing to develop the idea, the three founders created HGA Gesellschaft and began producing and marketing eyewear under the name ic! brille. The first frame, called Jack, weighed approximately 20 grams and was produced in an initial run of 50 pieces. The brand adopted the name ic! berlin in late 1997. The business initially operated from a small apartment and storefront on Max-Beer-Straße in Berlin-Mitte. In 2005 it moved to the Backfabrik, also in Berlin. The founders divided responsibilities, with Haffmans and Gottschling concentrating on design and production while Anderl handled finance, organization, and distribution. In 2003 the founding partnership separated: Anderl remained with ic! berlin as sole managing director, while Haffmans and Gottschling later established the eyewear company MYKITA with Daniel Haffmans and Moritz Krüger. Under Anderl's leadership, ic! berlin expanded beyond its core frame business into fashion-related projects. The brand introduced a jeans line and collaborated with designers and labels including Kix, A Bathing Ape, Luisa Hecking, and Superfine. In 2013, German artist and entertainer Friedrich Lichtenstein became an ornamental hermit in residence at the company, an unusual cultural initiative that reflected the brand's interest in design, performance, and creative experimentation. Ownership changed in November 2017, when Anderl sold a majority stake to German investment company Premium Equity Partners. In November 2023, Marcolin announced that it had completed the acquisition of ic! berlin, bringing the independent Berlin eyewear label into the Italian eyewear group's portfolio. The brand continues to present itself as a design-led manufacturer combining German engineering, lightweight materials, and distinctive construction technology. Its products are marketed internationally, with the company described as having more than 180 craftspeople, engineers, and technicians and distribution across approximately 60 countries in Europe, North America, and Asia.

ic! berlin emerged in 1996 from an attempt by Ralph Anderl, Philipp Haffmans, and Harald Gottschling to commercialize a new type of eyewear made from thin stainless-steel sheet metal. The proposed frames were designed around a hinge system that eliminated the need for screws, welds, and glue. When the founders were unable to place the concept with an existing manufacturer, they formed HGA Gesellschaft and began producing the frames themselves under the name ic! brille. The first production model was Jack, a lightweight frame weighing about 20 grams. Only 50 examples were made in the initial run. The brand changed its name to ic! berlin in late 1997 and operated from a small apartment with a shopfront on Max-Beer-Straße in Berlin-Mitte. Its early identity combined industrial material innovation with a distinctly Berlin design sensibility. The founders divided operational responsibilities. Haffmans and Gottschling concentrated on design and production, while Anderl managed finance, organization, and distribution. In 2003, the partnership ended. Anderl continued with ic! berlin as sole managing director, and Haffmans and Gottschling later joined Daniel Haffmans and Moritz Krüger in founding MYKITA. ic! berlin subsequently moved to Berlin's Backfabrik in 2005. During Anderl's tenure, the company developed from a specialist frame maker into a broader design and fashion brand. In addition to eyewear, it launched a jeans line and worked with outside designers and fashion labels, including Kix, A Bathing Ape, Luisa Hecking, and Superfine. In 2013, artist and entertainer Friedrich Lichtenstein took up a residency at the company as an ornamental hermit, reinforcing the brand's connection with creative and cultural projects. The company received international industry recognition in the late 2000s and early 2010s, including the Golden Silmo Eyewear Award in 2008 and Eyewear of the Year awards at IOFT in Tokyo for 2009, 2010, and 2011. In 2017, Anderl sold a majority stake to Premium Equity Partners. In November 2023, Marcolin completed the acquisition of ic! berlin. The brand's international business has been described as covering roughly 60 countries across Europe, North America, and Asia, supported by a workforce of more than 180 craftspeople, engineers, and technicians.

1. 2023Acquired by Marcolin

   Marcolin completed its acquisition of ic! berlin in November.

   Source
2. 2017Majority stake sold to Premium Equity Partners

   Ralph Anderl sold a majority stake in the company to German investment firm Premium Equity Partners.

   Source
3. 2008Golden Silmo Eyewear Award

   ic! berlin received the Golden Silmo Eyewear Award in Paris.

   Source
4. 2005Move to Backfabrik

   The company moved from its original apartment and storefront in Berlin-Mitte to the nearby Backfabrik.

   Source
5. 2003Founding partnership separates

   Ralph Anderl remained with ic! berlin as sole managing director, while Philipp Haffmans and Harald Gottschling moved on to a new eyewear venture that became MYKITA.

   Source
6. 1997Name changed to ic! berlin

   The original ic! brille name was replaced by ic! berlin late in the year.

   Source
7. 1996Brand founded

   Ralph Anderl, Philipp Haffmans, and Harald Gottschling founded HGA Gesellschaft to develop and market screwless stainless-steel eyewear.

   Source

Design-led German eyewear centered on lightweight construction, screwless stainless-steel engineering, minimalist styling, and Berlin creative culture.

• JackEyeglass frame1996

  Jack was the first frame produced by the company. Its approximately 20-gram construction demonstrated the brand's early focus on reducing weight through thin stainless-steel sheet metal and a screwless hinge concept. The initial production run consisted of 50 pieces.

• Stainless-steel eyewear collectionsEyeglasses and sunglasses1996

  The brand's core collections use approximately 0.5-millimeter stainless-steel sheet metal shaped into lightweight frames. Their construction avoids conventional screws, welds, and glue, making the hinge and material system central to the product's visual identity and engineering proposition.

• Jeans lineApparel

  During Ralph Anderl's leadership, ic! berlin extended its design activity into fashion with a jeans line. The available reference material identifies the line as part of the brand's broader fashion expansion but does not provide detailed information about its range or current availability.

• 2013Friedrich Lichtenstein artist residency

  Germany

  German artist and entertainer Friedrich Lichtenstein took up residence at ic! berlin as an ornamental hermit, creating a highly unusual cultural activation connected to the company's Berlin design identity.

  Outcome. The reference material records the residency but does not specify measurable commercial results.

  Source

• 2023Acquisition by MarcolinM&A

  The Berlin eyewear company entered a new ownership phase after Premium Equity Partners' investment period.

  What changed. Marcolin completed the acquisition of ic! berlin in November 2023.

  Aftermath. ic! berlin became part of Marcolin's eyewear portfolio. The available reference does not specify transaction terms or subsequent organizational changes.

  Source
• 2017Sale of majority stake to Premium Equity PartnersM&A

  After more than two decades of founder-led development, the company changed ownership while retaining its established brand identity.

  What changed. Ralph Anderl sold a majority stake in ic! berlin to Premium Equity Partners.

  Aftermath. Premium Equity Partners became the majority investor until Marcolin completed its acquisition in 2023.

  Source
• 1996Launch of the first screwless stainless-steel frameProduct launch

  The founders sought to commercialize an eyewear concept based on thin stainless-steel sheet metal and a hinge system without screws, welds, or glue.

  What changed. After failing to secure an established manufacturing partner, they founded HGA Gesellschaft and produced the first Jack frames themselves.

  Aftermath. The initial 50-piece run established the technical and design direction that became ic! berlin's core brand proposition.

  Source

• 2023Marcolin completes acquisition of ic! berlin

  Marcolin completed its acquisition of the Berlin-based eyewear brand, following the ownership period in which Premium Equity Partners held a majority stake.

  M&A
  Source
• 2017Ralph Anderl sells majority stake to Premium Equity Partners

  The founder sold a majority interest in ic! berlin to German investment company Premium Equity Partners.

  M&A
  Source

1. Ic! berlin