Cari zalloni biography of william

"A designer eyewear line that pleases everybody is unlikely to inspire.
Good design must be thought-provoking."

...So said Cari Zalloni, the man behind Cazal, who passed away this week.

Vintage Cazals are arguably at the very core of the collectible eyewear market, with some original models frequently fetching four-figure sums.


I first met him in 2001 in Paris where he encouraged Rory and me to pose for our own "Clothe your Eyes" 'advert'. Zalloni accepted the challenge and the glasses were more successful than both of them would have thought possible.

We offer only the ‘old school’ Cazal original eyewear (often still ‘made in West Germany’). With this in mind, we are all the more proud that we can preserve the memory of a great man with our collection of exclusively Zalloni creations.

 

 

Cazal 642 - a unique masterpiece

In 1990, the year of German reunification, Cari Zalloni designed the most famous model of the already legendary 600 series.

The inscription "Made in West Germany" is of utter importance; if you wish to make sure that you are buying and/or possess originals. Chris was very surprised, as he knew the Japanese mentality well enough to understand that it was very unusual to be approached so directly.

Back in Berlin, he started researching the ‘Cazal’ brand and kept coming across a man’s name: Cari Zalloni.

Cari Zalloni was the creator of these distinctive sunglasses.

Adored by the hip-hop scene in the 1980s, Cazal remains one of the most iconic eyewear brands in the world and certainly one of the most revered. Böttcher did not shy away from the risk and produced all of Cari Zalloni’s ideas under the name CAZAL.

The CAZAL brand quickly established itself thanks to exceptional sunglasses creations that captured the spirit of the times.

The collaboration was marked with extraordinary success for many years, until the two parted ways again in the mid-90s.

It didn’t take long for his unique style to catch the eye of trendsetters, artists, and celebrities alike. Due to historical circumstances, the Cazal 642 was one of the first models to be stamped with the imprint "Made in Germany".

Since then, the model has been highly sought-after by collectors, enthusiasts, celebrities and on the hip-hop scene.

Cazal glasses are popular with celebrities - because they make every face unmistakable

A lot of celebrities still dress up with a Cazal made in "W.Germany".

For example, he created many porcelain utensils, designed chandeliers and even drew plans up for skis.

In the mid-70s, Wilhelm Anger became aware of the young designer named Zalloni. He spoke the three languages perfectly and was inspired by both Southern and Central European lifestyles.

Cazal was created to break from the looks of traditional eyewear.