When a pair of glasses is combined with a piece of jewellery the result is something unique: a product sure to satisfy the demanding tastes of the world’s most glamorous women.

Raffaella Lizambri, owner of “Raffaella di Montalban”, is an expert in this matter. Since June 2010, she has been marketing her very original sunglasses and glasses, which are fast becoming a much sought-after accessory. In a “re-viewing” of the traditional design, her elegant glasses have exchanged the usual sides with jewelled pendants in a range of colours and sizes.

In just eight months, she has succeeded in arousing the interest of many buyers on the international market. We asked her what the inspiration was behind her project, and what the future plans are for the company.

Ms. Lizambri, what is the added value of the “Raffaella di Montalban” range?

The added value lies in creating products which are entirely Italian-made, and in the fact that this is a project completely aimed at women.

Italian brands are associated with certain qualities of tradition and craftsmanship, values which should not be overlooked.

As for women, I think it is important that they are consistently developing greater awareness of their own worth, because this makes them more competitive and adds more quality to their work.

This idea of yours that has become so successful in such a short time: where did it originate?

It was a risk I wanted to take. I am essentially an architect and designer, but I have had it in mind for a long time to test my creativity in a business venture. I took a risk in launching “Raffaella di Montalban”, and had some concerns I must admit, but for the moment my decision seems to have paid off.

Which overseas markets have you had dealings with?

We have had requests from Dubai and the Arab Emirates, but we have also been present for some time in Hong Kong and Russia.

In general we like to value the importance of the Italian market, and our products are available in the very best boutiques.

In the future, which markets do you think you might focus on?

With the type of product we are offering, a natural overseas market might well be the United States. In fact, we are now looking towards the USA, and our first positive contacts were thanks to the film industry. Our “jewellery glasses” are much in demand on the set, and very popular with the actresses.

What are the next important engagements in your diary?

After the Paris Fashion Week, which includes a lot of “Italian talk”, New York will be coming up. As the United States could well be an important export market for us in the future, we shall certainly make sure we make our preparations carefully.

What are the future plans for the company?

Just for the moment, after the success we have achieved in our first eight months, we need to reorganize ourselves and re-examine our future strategies.

Then we might think about a product which, while still remaining a niche product in the sense that it is essentially hand-crafted, could open the way to a sort of “democratic luxury”. I am thinking of young girls in particular, who are keen to find something original, but with a manageable price-tag.