When Luca Gnecchi Ruscone made the decision to accompany his grandfather, Raffaello Bini, to Asmara in 2005, his aim was singular: to reclaim the family’s confiscated possessions amidst the upheaval of the mid-1970s Eritrean revolution. Yet, little did he realize that this journey would mark the genesis of a new chapter in his life.

In Asmara, Eritrea, Luca stepped into his grandfather’s optical store, a relic of a past where Raffaello had once dwelled from 1930 to 1970. Among the treasures within, Luca stumbled upon a collection of sunglasses imported from Italy half a century prior. Captivated by the refined elegance of the frames, Luca carried these pieces back to Italy. Word of his discovery swiftly spread, prompting an immediate surge in demand for these exceptional sunglasses.