2023
Germano Gambini Eyewear becomes Germano Gambini 1970, the year when iLeggeri collection was born.

2022
The brand belong to Faoflex. From one company to the other, the essence of Germano Gambini doesn’t change: lightness, comfort, colour, annd new materials are what characterises this historic brand. A brand made in Italy which boasts extensive experience, but which has always known how to look towards the future and astonish with new styles and original models.

2011
Germano Gambini suddenly passed away. Paola, the daughter, takes over the managing of the brand.

2008
The partnership with Faoflex began in 2008, a Treviso-based Company that has been producing frames since 1974 and the Gambini lines entirely in Italy. The marriage has been solid over the years, confirmed common values aimed at creating a product that exudes comfort, aesthetics, high quality and, not least, the importance of an attentive customer service dedicated to the Customers. There are over 100 steps to manufacture a single frame; the use of Italian metal and the best Mazzucchelli acetate are worked together with craftmanship techniques such as tumbling and finishing up to the ennobling of the metal enamelling and the application of precious details for some Limited-Edition frames. All this care makes Gambini a certified and flagship product of the real Made in Italy.

1990/2000
Germano carries on with the I Leggeri and the Cristalli lines with a sale force he creates, forms and directs.

1986
He buys out a production plant in Cadore and starts producing directly the frames in cellulose acetate. Shortly after, though, the market turns to metallic frames above all. Germano transfers the production and commercial businesses, and resumes his designer work

1980
The Variety line is born, combining plastic and metal, addresses a young audience.

1975/1979
He plans a women only line, very feminine, in transparent acetate enriched with Swarovski crystals: the Divina line is born. He invents the Mascherine (eye masks), with a super modern design, made for tanning.

1972
Arcibaldo dies abruptly. Germano takes over the business with his sister Giulia. The optical enterprise is concentrated in a unique large centre in via Rizzoli, that becomes a groundbreaking sales point.

1970
Concurrently with the birth of prêt à porter and stylists’ fame, he senses the importance of fashionable eyewear and starts importing the first designer’s eyeware by Pierre Cardin from abroad. He starts designing collections for Gianfranco Ferré, Nicola Trussardi, and Enrico Coveri.
He starts thinking of producing his own line. He designs an extremely flexible and light frame, using 8 mm acetate plates: the I Leggeri (lightweight) are born. The frame weighs only 8 grams. He marks them with the signature GG. He conceives the first tortoiseshell frames that he has produced by the Mazzucchelli company. He believes in them and invests in them so much that people speak of “Gambini Tortoiseshell”.

1960
Germano starts taking care of optics and imports the first contact lenses for athletes in Italy. The Gambini’s have 4 optical centres in the city: via D’Azeglio, via Zamboni, via Rizzoli and, the centre in Strada Maggiore, specialized in the application of contact lenses.

1950
Germano Gambini, pursues a career in sports, he’s a basketball champion; in 1955 he plays the European championship; until january 1959 he plays in the National Team. He wins two championships with the Virtus. In the meantime, he obtaines a diploma in optics and specializes in opticianary. In 1957 he marries Ornella.

1939/1945
The optical business proceeds with great difficulty. The shop in via Indipendenza is destroyed by a bomb during the war. Giulia Gambini, Germano’s older sister, enters the family business.

1927/1931
Arcibaldo and Isolina Gambini give birth to Giulia 1927 and Germano 1931

1926
Gilberto dies and the business is taken over by his brother Arcibaldo. Opening of the optical business below the Due Torri (Two Towers) in Bologna, together with the cousin Anita Venturi.

1912
Gilberto Gambini (Germano’s uncle) founds the optical business in via Mazzini. At the outbreak of the Great War, the business converts itself to the production of gas masks, and then returns to optics at the end of the conflict.