Its founders, Juan and Claudia, met at university back in 2006. Both of them actually wanted to study different things – Claudia, design, and Juan, architecture – but for one reason or another they ended up in economics, a decision they can’t regret, because thanks to that, their lives crossed. Since then, they have moved several times to different countries, had three children, two dogs and founded KALEOS, the project with which they share – with each other and the world – their passion for design and aesthetics.

Both Juan and Claudia started their careers in the business world, but it didn’t take long for them to realise that this wasn’t what they were meant to do. Claudia began to study fashion and accessory design, and although Juan still has architecture as a pending subject, his interest in aesthetics and the design of spaces led him to open a unique eyewear store. Here, his knowledge of management and business administration made sense: passion meets business. Thus, KALEOS began its history as a multi-brand store conceived more as a showroom than as an optician’s store, but without renouncing visual health. To this space, Claudia brought her knowledge about image and communication to make it unique, special.

Here, they both acted as curators of independent brands that they found interesting for their aesthetics or concept, while always bearing in mind that customers value design and quality above all else. For them, this kind of concept store was a great laboratory of ideas and market research: the most real and exciting way to learn and understand the world of eyewear. And as a result, they saw clearly that there was a need, a niche in the market that was for them: to create a new brand of frames that provided quality and image without being too expensive.With this premise as a guide, Juan and Claudia began to design together, with a team of engineers with extensive experience in optics, to create their first collection. Claudia develops the idea and the sketch, while Juan takes care of the technical side to turn it into reality. In practice, though, it’s a very organic and collaborative process in which both contribute ideas on a constant basis – a form of teamwork that continues today. Being able to start designing from their own point of view also enabled them to receive a great deal of feedback from end clients, contrasting the prototypes they were developing with information gained directly from the user. Intuition and methodology came together to give rise to a first collection where glimpses of the KALEOS value proposition can already be seen: the focus on shape and the artisanal process.

The initial idea was that this collection would be designed only for the KALEOS store, but after its success, they decided to open it up to the world through a highly selective wholesale distribution system, paying special attention to customer services and logistics. Thus, little by little, their collection began to gain ground in their personal and professional life. And after trips, trade fairs, meetings, contracts and a lot of magic, the important decision came to make a final commitment to the eyewear brand. To turn a shared passion into a shared professional project. Claudia left her job – which she had combined with the project until then – and Juan closed the store, to focus together and exclusively on devising what KALEOS is today. Creating collections, an image, a team, offices. An exciting journey with a result validated by its great reception all over the world: product fairs, distributors, customers and influencers –even Beyoncé has been seen with her KALEOS frames on social media. But, above all, because of something invaluable but more subjective: the feeling of doing exactly what you want to do, of being on the right path.

Today, KALEOS is a small company with a strong position: a contemporary eyewear brand with a special focus on shape and a strong expertise in visual culture. A company that is born without inheritance, without prejudices, without fear, without sales reports to follow; just a blank sheet of paper to draw freely and do things differently. This beginning has greatly shaped the philosophy and DNA of the brand, as creativity has always been the driving force of evolution, and has enabled them to focus passionately on making the product they imagine and how they imagine it.

On a day-to-day basis, Juan, as CEO, is responsible for the company’s administration, sales management and the most important details of production. Claudia is the Creative Director and leads the image, communication and design team. Even so, Juan loves to be closely involved in product development, and a small company like this enables him to keep on track with the day-to-day workings of almost every department. The KALEOS headquarters in Barcelona is a space where they share their passion for art, architecture and interior design, a place to be inspired.

But KALEOS is much more than Juan and Claudia. We know this may sound like a corporate cliché, but we won’t stop saying – a special request from Claudia and Juan – that this project is what it is thanks to the daily effort of a team that adds value at every stage of the process: in design, production and procurement, sales, customer service, logistics, finance, communication and image. Even the opticians and retail outlets that sell and represent the brand worldwide are part of it. Everyone comes to KALEOS for a reason. We share interests, attitudes, ways of seeing.