Interview with Alessandro Spiezia

by Luisa Redaelli

You were the first member of your family to become an optician. What was your motivation?

My decision to become an optician was just a happy coincidence. A good friend of my parents was the owner of one of most important optic centres in Naples and I wanted to follow his example.

What are your memories of your early years working in optics?

My first years as an optician were not easy, it was very hard to contact the best suppliers, as they did not trust in a young and unknown optician. So at first it was hard to work as I wanted to.

In 1967 you decided to invest in your own business – what attracted you to the Via del Babuino?

My first job was at Ottica la Barbera Al Corso, one of the most elegant and famous optical shops in Rome. One of the managers told me that the owner of a small shop in Via del Babuino, an elderly lady, was selling the business. I was interested, so I contacted her, got a meeting and introduced myself to her, declaring my intention to buy the business.

The first impression I got of it was a shock to me. The shop was so small, only eight metres square. The interest, the charm, was, and still is, its location, in Piazza del Popolo, by the walls of the Church of Santa Maria in Montesanto. This is famously known as the Artist’s Church, a building designed by the great architect Lorenzo Bernini. The location is unique and exclusive.

What are the secrets of your success and longevity? I had the pleasure of visiting your practice and it is a “little jewel”. It is certainly not very large. Is your business proof that it is a question of quality over quantity?

I really don’t know the reason of my success, but sincerely, I think that it’s very important to always be helpful, available and prepared. I consider kindness to be very important and I always try to find the best way to support people and understand which can be the best solution for each customer. These are the qualities that my son Luca and I strive to appreciate, every day.

You are not only a practice owner; you have given back to the profession over the years. What changes have you seen to the profession and what would you like to see happen?

In over fifty years, I have seen great changes, particularly thanks to research in the fields of contactology, ophthalmology and frames. In the field of contactology, new lenses allow a quite perfect correction and a total vision, with very good results. In the ophthalmology sector, high technology, light weight and thicknesses work to make the eyewear the most comfortable as possible. In the frames field, fashion and design frames are made from materials of the best quality and using the most up to date technology. I always say that the job you do for customers and the quality and selection available from your suppliers are much more important than quantity.

What I wish for the future in the world of optics is that Italian law will recognize the profession of optometry, especially for the young graduates who are now entering it.

What advice would you give to people coming into the profession today?

The advice that I allow myself to give to young people interested in the profession is to love it and focus on it. Give it your attention. Your initial training is a way to get a basic sense of the culture of the profession but young people must go on and undertake further study in order to upgrade their skills. That allows you to become a true professional, gain a good knowledge of the profession and grow in confidence.

What are your proudest achievements?

In more than fifty years, I have had failures and successes. About my successes, I can say very important people from all over the world have entered my eight square meters shop. I have served, for example, many stars of Italian stage and cinema including director Federico Fellini, actress Giuletta Masina, actor Marcello Mastroianni, writer and director Pietro Germi, director Mario Monicelli, screenwriter and director Luigi Magni and actress Anna Magnani, as well as singer-songwriter Lucio Dallo and recording artist Al Bano. I have even served former US President Bill Clinton and last but not least, His Holiness Pope Francis. I have always loved my work and it has always given me the greatest satisfaction. I urge others to love the world of optics too.