At the 2014 Maleficent premiere in Hollywood, Brad Pitt stepped onto the red carpet wearing ic! berlin's Bashir sunglasses — and in doing so, introduced millions of people to the most innovative hinge design in eyewear history. The screwless, snap-together construction of ic! berlin frames isn't just a design choice; it's a complete reimagining of how glasses should be built.
The Bashir is a bold aviator-style frame cut from a single sheet of medical-grade stainless steel. There are no screws anywhere in the frame — the temples connect to the front via ic! berlin's patented interlocking hinge, which snaps together and can be disassembled by hand in seconds. It's the kind of engineering that makes you wonder why everyone else still uses screws.
Pitt's choice wasn't accidental. He's known in fashion circles for gravitating toward brands that prioritize engineering over marketing — the same instinct that led him to Belstaff jackets and custom motorcycles. ic! berlin represents that ethos perfectly: every frame is handmade in Berlin by a team of artisans who treat eyewear construction as a form of industrial art.
The practical benefits of screwless construction go beyond aesthetics. ic! berlin frames never loosen over time (no screws to work free), they're incredibly lightweight (stainless steel is lighter than acetate), and they flex rather than break under stress. If you sit on a pair of ic! berlin glasses, they spring back to shape. Try that with any other frame.
Madonna, Kevin Bacon, Hugh Jackman, Angelina Jolie, and Sandra Bullock have all been spotted in ic! berlin frames — a testament to the brand's universal appeal across genders and personal styles. We carry 197 ic! berlin styles because once you understand the engineering, it's hard to go back to conventional frames. Come in and let us show you how the hinge works — it's a moment of genuine delight that never gets old.