The Etnia Barcelona brand was created in 2001 with the idea of being the most creative and colorful brand in the international optical industry, creating unique eyewear whose value lies in the design of its colors.
When David Pellicer founded the company at 23, he created the first color-based collection. This represented a complete break from the color scheme of the collections in the market, which at the time were only expressed by dark shades like black or brown.
He gradually began surrounding himself with a team of creative professionals and artists who endowed the brand with an identity that took creativity to the limit and was expressed by creativity to the limit and was expressed by a radical color range, both in the collections and in the communication.
This first collection made an impact at the New York Expo, thus opening up the doors to major European markets. Little by little the brand was taking on a sense that was turning glasses into an instrument for expression. Dressing up faces with yellow or orange or purple glasses was more than the mere use of an accessory and was becoming a means of expression wedged between fashion and art.
The stylistic freedom that absorbed the philosophy implemented in the design team seemed limitless, and the brand’s independence compared to other firms was strengthened with each collection launch, creating a world apart.
The brand’s spirit reflected a world which embraced all cultures, all races and all colors in existence and reflected the variety of people and personalities from all over the globe.
The decision to start designing its own colors arose naturally, and finding the right partner to make them opened up a world of possibilities centered on color. This is when Etnia Barcelona fully surrendered to complete color experimentation.
From the start of the Etnia Barcelona project, the company has conceived the world as a shared space, and this led it to base its business model on the aspiration to export to the five continents and build a global logistics network.
Most of Etnia Barcelona’s sales activity is conducted abroad, and its production is supported by strategic partners worldwide who provide the advantage of being global leaders in their categories.
Etnia Barcelona is currently a global brand with a sustained 25% annual growth. In 2015, it sold 825,000 units, an increase of 30% over 2014.
With 90% of production being exported and full control over design, production and logistics, Etnia Barcelona employs 300 people worldwide and operates from its offices in Barcelona (head office), Miami, Canada and Hong Kong.
The brand is available at over 11,000 retail points and continues to embody more than ever a creative brand identity based on eyewear design created using distinctive colors that invoke the unique personality of an accessory conceived to express a way of being and a way of life.
Over 500 different colors, over 1.000 eyeglasses in the catalog, over 60 new models every year, over 11.000 customers in more than 40 countries, over 80 sales agents, over 1.500 new customers a year, over 400 employees, over 1.100.000 eyeglasses sold in the last year, over 2.600 people a day choose Etnia Barcelona frames.
Heritage
The brand’s history goes back three generations. The founder worked in his parents factory when he was just 17. As he gained more experience, he figured that the dull eyewear trend needed to change. He therefore revolutionized the frames, injecting them with an array of colors.
2001 – Start
The CEO and founder of Etnia Barcelona, David Pellicer (1978), comes from a longstanding tradition of over 60 years in optical industry manufacturing (third generation in the family). He began working at his parents’ factory at age 17 and shortly after took charge of day-to-day operations, to later focus entirely on the Etnia project in 2001. At the time, eyewear collections were mostly black or brown; that is, color was not important for manufacturers. In 2001, Etnia Barcelona began with a single sales representative in Spain and one customer service employee/warehouse management clerk.
2003 - First colorful collection
The collection inspired in original colors was launched in 2003 and caused an immediate rise in sales, and the name of the brand was changed to Etnia Barcelona to reflect the city that inspired this collection.
2004 – N.Y.C
In 2004, Etnia Barcelona set up its own distribution network in the U.S. and exhibited for the first time at the International Vision Expo in New York. The contacts made there allowed the company to later expand to markets in Canada, France and Italy.
2005 - International expansion
In 2005, the company attended most international shows, like New York, Milan and Paris. It also expanded to the Australian market with GenOp as the distributor. Following on the success in these markets, in 2006, it entered the German market and eventually the rest of Europe.
2008 - Powerful brand image
It was during the 2007-2010 period that the company started building a solid, strong, distinctive image. Provocative campaigns and risky advertising defined and continue to define the spirit of Etnia Barcelona.
2010 - Purchase and renovation of our 1st factory
In 2010, and after years of increasing market share, the company decided to improve control over production and manage the manufacturing process, thus actively participating in all processes and investing in equipment to increase weekly production due to strong demand.
2011 - A period of professionalization commenced in all aspects
In 2011, Etnia Barcelona’s head office no longer looked anything like the original company: the office and distribution center are in the same building that housed the first factory.
2012 - The first prototype plant opened at the head office in Barcelona
The company’s decision has tremendously enhanced the design and production process: the decision to open a prototype factory in Barcelona in the same place as the head office
and the design department. This represents a huge leap when it comes to streamlining the time to manufacture a pair of glasses, from the initial design to final production, and it allows for greater control over every little detail of a collection. Araki collaboration.
2013 - New offices & new channels
The company opens the new Montreal offices; a great improvement for the distribution in the north of America and Canada. 2013 is also the year that the brand put their foot in the fashion channel; boutiques such us Colette (Paris), Corso Como 10 (Milan) start selling Etnia Barcelona’s more exclusive collections. Yves Klein Blue collaboration.
2014 - Bigger dimensions
The booths of Etnia Barcelona at the fairs worldwide become double in size in order to meet the great international demand. The directive staff of the brand improves and becomes more professional in order to suit the growing company. Steve McCurry collaboration
2015 - The anniversary
In 2015 Etnia Barcelona celebrates its 15th anniversary. The company releases the VINTAGE collection to commemorate the savoir faire gained during its entire trajectory and to reach new targets with its designs. Etnia Barcelona is at the point that great celebrities such as Rachel Adams,
Beyoncé, Jay Z, Cate Blanchett and Naomi Watts are becoming great fans of the brand.
2016 - To new frontiers
Etnia Barcelona opens a new factory to cope with the high demand for product. 2016 is also the year that the brand is launching its Basquiat collection in a huge event in Brooklyn; Solange Knowles and other big influencers and celebrities were there to discover the novelties of the brand. Basquiat collaboration.
2017 - The flagship store
2017 is a tipping point for the brand. Etnia Barcelona is opening the first Flagship store in Barcelona to welcome everyone into its world.
Brand Basics
Etnia Barcelona is a pioneer in the study and application of color. Since it’s beginnings, the brand has wanted not only to manufacture eyewear but also to make its mark, create a brand that would revolve around color.
The finest materials and the best partners to ensure superlative quality in every one of the designs. The result is an exhaustive control of the process from beginning, starting with the materials, to end, with the finished product.
Etnia Barcelona is free, human, multi-ethnic but above all, it is culture. Inspired by cultural and artistic movements, it creates its story through collaborations with creators from the worlds of art and photography. Because Etnia Barcelona is passionate about artista and their pieces. The process of transforming raw materials into works of art.
Etnia Barcelona works with strategic partners like WGSN analyzing the trends of each season to be able to offer the perfect color combinations in its products.
Based on exhaustive research on fashion, runway, street trends, and other artistic disciplines, the Etnia Barcelona team develops the palettes that will dress up the models each season. An accurate vision of what’s coming balanced with classic elegance for every type of audience.
The lenses in its models, manufactured using pure mineral crystal, are the most advanced in the world. They offer the best color experience and better visual without scratching. The company always develops its sunglasses with Photochromich, HD or Polarized filters for a perfect visual experience.
Etnia Barcelona works with natural acetate, a material that comes from cotton and is known for its comfort and malleability. The brand designs and develops a complete range of textures and colors for each season.
The family value in Etnia Barcelona makes it different from other brands in the business. It is the third generation, and its heritage is an added value in its products. The company’s history and tradition are reflected in each of its collections. These small details that personalize its creations are part of the “savoir faire” it applies to each of its creations and what adds the “excellence” to each piece that only creators can give to their works.
Etnia Barcelona is making its own history through the cooperation with myths of the Art, Music and Photography world. The company wants to live doing what it loves so, it is doing the best product but surrounding it with stories, artists and culture. Learning all the time, it never stops experiencing and transmitting this in its collections.
On top of making glasses Etnia Barcelona loves to tell stories to transmit its experiences and to bring the art and culture to everyone, it is for that reason that it has a strong communication plan worldwide. The company counts on communication agencies in the most strong European countries and USA, as well as strong international digital communication plans that reach everyone.
Etnia Barcelona Foundation
On top of making glasses Etnia Barcelona loves to tell stories to transmit its experiences and to bring the art and culture to everyone, it is for that reason that it has a strong communication plan worldwide. The company counts on communication agencies in the most strong European countries and USA, as well as strong international digital communication plans that reach everyone.
Etnia Barcelona Foundation is the company’s fate. Etnia Barcelona came to the world aiming to offer an optical collection that would inspire hope in people. Now it wants to broaden this challenge by reaching the “invisible” people of our world. People that
constantly see jeopardized their basic needs, people who are unlikely to gain vision care or frames. It is not about carrying out specific projects, but also about acting in a respectful dynamic with the world as well as being responsible with the lives of others.
Etnia Barcelona Foundation is born to improve the lives of those who do not have vision care access for economic reasons. Therefore, its mission is to finance programs and actions with the purpose of giving a complete diagnosis and new graded quality glasses whilst also promoting education and health.
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