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RETHINKING EYEWEAR DESIGN

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We are two cycling enthusiasts with a passion for functional products and minimalist design. As a young and independent cycling brand, we are challenging common beliefs in the eyewear industry. Since 2021, we have been continuously introducing premium sports glasses for cyclists with an attitude, featuring function, design and a low environmental footprint. This is our story.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

It all started in a bar in Bern. We held a beer in our hands – and had the vision of the first #swissengineered and #swissmanufactured cycling glasses in our minds. It is our attitude that unites us. Our understanding of honest value creation. Our concept of holistic entrepreneurship. And our demand for valuable products. Form follows function: The combination of design and function is the logical consequence of this conviction. It is the basis for everything we do. It is the foundation of ILEVE DISTRICT. Ever since, vision has become reality: We sketched the first cycling glasses designs by hand. And shortly after, we 3D-printed our first prototypes.

THE SECRET MEANING OF ILEVE

I-le-wee-01
Do you know the meaning of ILEVE? ILEVE means «bicycle» in an old secret language. The language was spoken in Bern, in the Matte district near the Aare river. It used to be a working-class neighbourhood. Today, the Matte is enlivened by studios and creative agencies. For us, ILEVE is not only a tribute to Bern, our home town. It’s also a homage to cycling, our passion. And even more: It’s a metaphor for the hidden and the unseen. For all the apparently subtle things you don't notice when passing by unaware. It's about views that seem even more breathtaking when your legs are burning. Views that seem even more stunning when you have been carried all the way up to the top by your body – and your mind.

WITH LOVE FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT

Our cycling glasses are designed for people who view consumption as an expression of their attitude rather than a quick satisfaction of desire. They are made for those who value quality over quantity.Like you, we value and respect the nature in which we cycle. Like you, we aim to create a sustainable difference in the world. We want to move away from conventional raw materials towards sustainable materials. We want to move from a linear throwaway society to a circular economy. We manufacture locally. Our frames, cases, and packaging are completely engineered, designed and manufactured in Switzerland. This allows us to be in control of each production step, to shorten transportation routes, to save resources and to protect the environment for many rides to come.

ABOUT UNIQUE PROTOTYPES AND NARROW ROADS

Our passion for cycling started long before the sport became popular on Instagram. Back then, there was neither #instacycling nor #cyclingpics. Cycling at its purest – just us, our bikes and breathtaking Switzerland around us. Silvia usually hits the narrow and windy roads in hilly Emmental. Simon prefers to cycle in the foothills of the Alps around Thun. As a product designer, Simon loves to expand his personal collection with unique eyewear prototypes from their own production that have never made it to the market. And Silvia, who wants to replace her old racing bike with a newer one, is still thinking about which cycle brand suits her best. Recommendations welcome.

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