Doriano Mattellone was born in 1959 in Friuli, Italy, into a family with a farming background.
His passion for wood and his work as a "carpenter," as he likes to call himself, began in his childhood when his father decided to start a small business turning wooden chair parts.
After completing his studies, Doriano joined the company, fell in love with wood, and the material became more of a calling than a profession.
In the early 2000s, the crisis in the wood industry in northeastern Italy forced many companies to close or restructure.
Doriano realized that this was the perfect opportunity to realize one of his dreams: to find unusual applications for laminated materials. His knowledge of wood led him to seek a different perspective on "his" material, a perspective that breathes life into a finished project.
When he visited the Copenhagen Design Fair in 2004, the sight of a miniature chair gave him the idea to design a small object, and why not a pair of glasses?
Thus began the process of development and internal research that led to the first prototype, which his two young sons, Lorenzo and Valentino, helped their father with during the summer holidays; this was in 2007.
After seeing the results, Doriano recognized the potential of combining two elements like wood and aluminum—new, strong, and flexible materials—and decided to patent the application.
Understanding how to develop a collection is the next step, requiring the ability to think more freely about forms.
In 2008, Doriano met the Milanese designer Matteo Ragni, and thus W-eye was born, a brand that is exceptional in many ways. Exceptional because of the concentration of human relationships, shared visions, appreciation, and ethics. Exceptional because of the professional quality of its staff, including Antonio Stella, an enlightened and highly skilled Milanese optician who can explain in just a few words what makes a pair of glasses truly special.
In March 2010, W-eye was launched in Milan at the Aspesi 1910 store, and later that year, W-eye made its debut at SILMO in Paris.
After Doriano completed his studies, his sons Lorenzo and Valentino joined the company, following in their father's footsteps with dedication and commitment, learning the lessons of an ancient craft: the art of woodworking.
This is how Friulian companies are born: from large families, from many generations, from furrows to be carved, and from new paths to be forged.
The story of W-eye is one that unfolds day by day in the hands of those who work the wood, examine the materials, test their properties, and search for the best shades to create unique eyewear.
