Cari Zalloni - Born in Athens - Founder of Cazal in 1975

Cari Zalloni started his career by designing glassware in Germany. After honing his skills in the art of design and craftsmanship, he transitioned into eyewear design in the early 1970s. His experience in glassware played a key role in shaping his attention to detail and understanding of materials, which he later applied to the eyewear industry when he founded Cazal in 1975.

Cazal was created to break from the looks of traditional eyewear. His designs were big, bold, and meant to be noticed. He crafted pieces that stopped people in their tracks, turning heads on the street.

 

 

 

It didn’t take long for his unique style to catch the eye of trendsetters, artists, and celebrities alike. I discovered Cazal from my love for Hip Hop.

Credits for part of Cazals success go out to the iconic RUN DMC wearing Cazal 607s, Adidas trackie, and Superstars sneakers. They brought a whole new audience to Cazal and how the designs could be perceived.

 

 

The pure love for doing something bold and unexpected is something I find very inspiring with Mr. Zalloni, you can see the passion for design and attention to detail for the craft. There’s no better way to express my passion for eyewear than by combining the cornerstones of Cazal’s iconic design with my love for the hip-hop culture that influenced me in my youth and incorporating both into my own creations.

This is how The Director frame came to fruition.

 

The Director