Season 2 Episode 2 – Aaron Panone: Leaving Your Mark
Plus luthier Michael King on using 100-year-old wood to build custom guitars
In this episode, Bre and Zach visit with Aaron Panone in his studio in Boston, Massachusetts. Aaron is a self-producing designer and engineer who focuses on making acetate eyewear and custom bicycle components. In one of his behind-the-scenes videos, Aaron describes writing down all of the detailed steps to produce a pair of cellulose acetate glasses. Even though he’s the only employee, this manufacturing documentation is essential for repeatability. As he puts it, “It’s the code or DNA of the finished object.”
If you listened to last week’s interview with watchmaker Ian Schon, we’re picking up where we left off in discussing what it means to be a one-person operation. When it comes to something as high touch as handmade eyewear, you have to be clear on what your values and goals are and, frankly, love what you do.
SHOW NOTES
- AARN Plastics - Aaron’s eyewear collection
- AARN Transmission - Aaron’s bicycle component work
- AARN - Aaron’s personal site
- Cellulose acetate on eBay
- Aaron was the director of engineering and design at Randolph Eyewear
- Michael King & Cowbrand Design Guitars
- Michael’s 3D printed pickup designs
ABOUT AARON PANONE
Aaron Panone is a self-producing designer and engineer based in Boston, Massachusetts. He is the principal and founder of AARN — the diversified activity of Aaron Panone — where house brands include AARN, AARN Plastics, and AARN Transmission.