The 'Enfant Terrible' of eyewear, Udo was a creative, obsessive, and highly troubled individual.

His personal life is a matter of record and we leave it to the books and films already made to tell that story. We celebrate the creative genius here.

“Daddy, what is your profession? I don’t know what to say to my friends at school,” asked his daughter, Anna. “You can tell them that I am a changer,”replied Udo.  

The creator of eyewear brands Viennaline, Carrera, and his own Serge Kirchhofer, Udo was way ahead of his time in many fields—design, marketing, advertising, networking—and in the grey and dull Vienna of the 1960s and ‘70s, he was the shining star of the society, a Napoleon in a socialist city! The most beautiful women fell for him, and the highest politicians cued at his Club 45, situated at the posh Demel.

“Anger and Proksch were responsible for the creation of brands which dominated the eyewear world for decades, and set new standards for innovation and beauty.”
– Michael Jardine, Founder Brando Eyewear

A fascinating chain of events linking Udo’s past to the author, Luisa Jean Cooper, lead to the publication of Udotopia, the first comprehensive examination of his creative work. A luxurious volume - hardcover 26.5 x 36 cm, 456 pages, title embossing, coloured cut, stored in a no less noble box - that offers unprecedented insights into the utopian world of Udo Proksch. The archive of Udo’ Proksch’s life and work is revealed to the public via a selection from 1000 eyeglass frames, 6000 drawings, 100 artworks, the inner workings of his fascinating mind.

“UDO PROKSCH WAS ANYTHING BUT PREDICTABLE. HE HAD IDEAS THAT WERE GROUND-BREAKING IN CONCEPT AND POTENTIAL, BUT BETWEEN THE PERFECTIBILITY OF HIS CREATIONS AND THE DARKNESS OF HIS LUST FOR POWER, HE CAME UNSTUCK… IN A COUNTRY, THE LONG HISTORY OF WHICH IS STUDDED WITH BRILLIANT, UNCONVENTIONAL MEN AND WOMEN IN THE FIELD OF ART AND CULTURE, IT COULD BE SAID THAT UDO, POLARISED AS HE WAS, WAS NOT A RARITY. WHAT SET HIM APART, HOWEVER, WAS THAT AT THE END OF IT, HE WAS CONSIGNED TO HISTORY MORE AS A CRIMINAL, AND MUCH LESS AS A CREATIVE GENIUS. HERE WE CELEBRATE UDO PROKSCH—CREATIVE GENIUS.”
– LUISA JEAN COOPER

With this we open up a window to our recent past, a window which until now had been closed. In our politically eventful and dangerous times, taking a look at the life and work of Udo Proksch is by all means important, because it shows us what people are capable of—for better or for worse. 

“I have a deep appreciation for Udo’s immense capacity as a creator and storyteller who shaped an industry with his unapologetic authenticity. I felt compelled to share his story and hope this book will serve as an inspirational legacy for fellow eyewear enthusiasts, as well as those passionate about fashion, art, design and Austrian history.” 
– Luisa Jean Cooper

Copyright: Michael Jardine Ltd. 2019 
Published by Toran Press 2019.