A collaboration between Eina and KALEOS has transformed a project by Iku Sala, a student on the Bachelor's Degree in Design, into a limited-edition pair of sunglasses exploring the relationship between form, balance and materials.
Seeking to explore new approaches to eyewear design and discover the perspectives of emerging designers, KALEOS initiated a collaboration with Eina, University Centre of Design and Art in Barcelona. The initiative connects university education with professional practice, offering students the opportunity to take part in the development of a real product.
The project brought together students from Eina's Bachelor's Degree in Design, who worked alongside the KALEOS product team throughout the different stages of the creative process, from research and conceptualisation to prototype development and the presentation of design proposals. The experience gave them first-hand insight into the design processes of an internationally recognised eyewear brand.
Led and supervised by Javier Nieto Cubero, the initiative encouraged students to experiment with new ideas and approaches to eyewear design. Among the proposals submitted, KALEOS selected projects by Iku Sala and Carla Oliver for further development.
Iku Sala x KALEOS: an idea takes shape
Iku Sala's proposal was selected for the affinity between its references and KALEOS's creative universe, as well as its strong emphasis on form. Building on this initial concept, Iku and the KALEOS team worked together to turn the idea into a tangible product: IKU SALA, a limited-edition pair of sunglasses.
The design combines black acetate rims with a titanium wire structure. Two red stainless steel spheres, positioned at the ends of the temples, act as counterweights, bringing balance and character to a construction inspired by the work of artist Alexander Calder.
The design reflects the interests of Iku Sala, a student on Eina's Bachelor's Degree in Design, specialising in Product Design, whose work explores a minimalist and sensory aesthetic in which materials, proportions and small details take centre stage.
Beyond their function as an accessory, the sunglasses explore the relationship between structure, movement and balance, bringing references from art and object design into the world of eyewear.
From the classroom to professional practice
For Iku Sala, this collaboration has provided an opportunity to experience the different stages involved in bringing an idea to life, and to see how a proposal developed in a university setting can become a product that others can use.
For KALEOS, the project represents a continuation of its commitment to emerging talent, bringing fresh perspectives into the creative process and making collaboration with young designers an integral part of its approach to design.
The collaboration also reflects Eina's commitment to an education closely connected to professional practice, enabling students to apply their knowledge, tackle real-world challenges and work alongside specialist teams.
The Eina x KALEOS project demonstrates how collaboration between universities and industry can transform an idea born in the classroom into a real product, and how experimentation, an understanding of materials and creative exchange can open up new possibilities for contemporary design.