20/20: Where did the idea for Strak Amsterdam come from?
Tom Kramer: Growing up, my father traveled a lot, and one of his most memorable souvenirs he brought home was the small whiskey bottles they gave out on KLM airlines. They were fashioned after the Row houses in Amsterdam. That’s where my fascination with Amsterdam began.
Since then, the city has transformed from old-school traditional row houses with Gable facades to a much more modern architecture. This was my inspiration toward this new collection, to transform the typical traditional eyeglass frame of piecemeal construction and bulky acetates to a more innovative, contemporary and uninterrupted sleek design. And at the same time, giving the frame a light but sturdy feel and allowing all functionality of a traditional eyeglass frame.
What sets Strak Amsterdam apart from other collections in the Teka Eyewear portfolio?
Strak is an all Japanese Titanium collection. It is our high-end collection. We chose Japanese-block titanium fronts for its light weight and rigidity to give the frame a sturdy, strong feel. The temples are beta-titanium, so they have some flexibility giving the wearer a comfortable fit, and it’s easily adjusted. We chose Japanese as it’s the highest quality available.
What do you hope your customers gain from this new collection?
This collection is geared toward customers who appreciate a minimalistic design approach and want a lightweight yet sturdy frame. It’s an easy sale as the value is immediately recognized.
It was designed in a way that it’s fully functional and easy to use.
