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O n days that don't require a trek out to the bustling city center of Rome, Luca Gnecchi Ruscone spends his mornings wandering the grounds of his Tuscan countryside home with his wife and kids. The comforts of homemade jam, harvested honey, and fresh baked bread keep him rooted in family traditions and lifestyles. He's marched to a passionate rhythm for a long time, so it's no surprise that he's leading the way in establishing L.G.R. as a symbol of Italian excellence. From creating bespoke eyewear to traveling several miles through the great plains of Africa, Ruscone stays inspired with his perpetual curiosity for all things beautiful. Despite being the founder of an exclusive eyewear brand, his presence is rather humbling. After a trip to Asmara, Eritrea in Africa, L.G.R. developed from a marriage of chance, enthusiasm, and desire. In a spout of excitement, Ruscone tells me about the city and people that inspired his brand, "Asmara is a city built by the Italians in the turn of the century. You have Italian cars, the cafes, and the cinemas. You see people wearing double breasted suits and hats while walking with sticks and heavy sunglasses. I was totally fascinated by their style and elegance." In trying to define what L.G.R. stands for, Ruscone pulls from his deep seated belief in effortlessness. "For me, that's elegance, it's not the assentation of money. It's style with simplicity and ease in combining the two. And [the people of Asmara] were doing it perfectly." During the Second Italo-Ethiopian War, Ruscone's grandfather, a 90-year-old gentleman with an affinity for bold adventures, was a photographer and started a business of distributing Kodak films and Leica cameras in Africa after the war. In 2006, Ruscone returned to his grandfather's warehouse to uncover its rich manufacturing history. Rummaging through the building's remains, Ruscone stumbled into the lower levels of the factory to find a batch of old sunglasses that would change the course of his career. "I was fascinated by the simplicity, style, durability, and authenticity of these objects," he says. To Ruscone, these weren't just accessories, these were objects that represented Italian heritage. Upon returning home, he acquired an upbeat tempo that showed in his march. People stopped him on the street to ask where his sunglasses were from. With great pride he would tell them that they were vintage Italian imports found in a warehouse in Africa. They were one of a kind. Folks were marveled with his story the same way he was when he discovered the gems. So he called his grandfather to ask if there were any more in the warehouse. After selling the remaining pairs to families and friends, the word spread and he began receiving calls from people inquiring about the glasses. Ignited, Ruscone traveled to Northern Italy where many of the major eyewear factories were based. After meeting with a few producers, he found it difficult to recreate its authenticity. "Today's producers use laser engraving as opposed to fire printing," he tells me. Ruscone explains that, "the modern industry created a wall against this old school quality. It was very hard to reproduce these glasses." After months of searching, he was lucky enough to find the original manufacturers of the sunglasses and started a small production. Working with two artisans near Naples, 100 pieces turned to 300 pieces and soon he was in business. Gaining recognition in an industry that was alien to him, the fashion world quickly picked up on L.G.R. Ruscone's big break occurred when the company was featured in one of Vogue France's biggest issue, with Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell gracing the cover. The brand is now carried everywhere from Paris, Japan, to the Americas. These days, his tight team of ten people do all they can to establish L.G.R. as a notable luxury trademark. Based in Rome, they make the best products and keep true to the original craftsmanship, quality, and link to Africa; he often travels there to gain inspiration for future VUE ON FASHION V U E N J . C O M 21

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