This year, one of the world’s most highly renowned and recognisable eyewear brands are celebrating a very special anniversary; a whopping 130 years of operation. So what’s the secret to such a long and happy life? If Bollé are giving us anything to go by, it’s that unique technology, a focus on innovation and a fresh outlook on the industry are all key to this success.

In 1888, a small company was starting out in the French mountains, taking their first steps on the journey to becoming a leading global brand and starting as they meant to go on, with innovation. Seraphin Bollé and his freshly created brand had become one of the first companies to use a new type of celluloïd in their eyewear, a material which would be the basis of many Bollé products during their first decades and started off a pattern of industry-leading innovation.

In the 130 years since then, Bollé have been leading the way in the eyewear industry and their ski goggles are no exception. First marketed by the comapany in 1960, their ski goggles have since been at the forefront of product innovation. The Bollé family took the business from a small cottage to one of the world’s most prominent manufacturers of premium eyewear.

In 2007, they branched out into ski helmets, cementing their position as a key player in the winter sports industry whilst maintaining their commitment to innovative, creative new ideas. This is still the case today, with Bollé’s latest offerings bringing new technologies and ideas to the winter sports world. 2018 has seen the launch of the Phantom+ lens and the new Instinct MIPS helmet, both incredibly technical products at the forefront of safety and development.

However, to reduce Bollé’s extraordinary anniversary to just winter sports is to ignore a lot of its story. Indeed, Bollé continues to equip the most accomplished athletes across a range of sports, from skiing to golf, all of whom rely on the performance of this brand.

Over their 130 years, Bollé have revolutionised many areas of the eyewear industry with several game changing patents. Their unique trend leadership and established history has led them to become a staple across the globe, with a reputation for innovation, creativity and quality.

The video above gives us a look at some of the key products and events that have driven this brand to achieve 130 years of success.