Oscar Magnuson on Building a Brand DNA That Resists Fleeting Trends

Oscar Magnuson, founder of Stockholm-based eyewear brand Oscar Magnuson Spectacles, advocates for a long-term design vision over trend-chasing in the first feature of designboom and Most Studios' 10-part interview series 'Navigators of Design.' Launched in 2006, the brand's aesthetic fuses Italian design sensibility—gained from three years of industrial design study in Italy—with Scandinavian discipline from a master's at Konstfack in Stockholm. Magnuson emphasizes design as a strategic business tool, not a superficial final step. The brand maintains independence amid global eyewear market consolidation by focusing on a monochrome, sculptural aesthetic and a strict internal design system. Frames are designed in Stockholm and handcrafted in Italy, using sustainable materials like plant-based bio-acetate, BioNylon, and recycled Tritan Renew. Leather cases come from Tärnsjö, one of Sweden's oldest eco-tanneries. Magnuson views AI as a shift that will reward original ideas over pure craft, and believes patience and confidence are key navigator skills for creative leadership. The series aims to explore how senior leaders at influential companies use design as a core business differentiator.