THE STYLE SERIES: How Montblanc, a 114-year-old heritage luxury brand best known for its leather goods and $500 pens, is expanding into tech

Montblanc headphones.Montblanc

• Montblanc has released new smart headphones. It marks the heritage brand's first major foray into new technology.
• The company also released a smartwatch collection.
• In a new interview with Business Insider, Felix Obschonka, Montblanc's director of new technologies, spoke about designing new products and how the company plans to continue its expansion in tech.
• This is part of Business Insider's "The Style Series," highlighting fashion entrepreneurs around the world.

Headphones have arguably become the most important accessory of the modern era.

People listen more than ever now — to music, while playing video games, as they edit movies, and when watching TV shows. And of course, they're taking more Zoom calls from home now in the era of remote work prompted by the coronavirus pandemic.

Montblanc, a heritage brand founded in Germany in 1906 and best known for its high-end pens and leather goods, has pivoted its offerings to meet the more modern needs of its customer. The company launched its MB O1 headphones and smartwatch collections earlier this year.

In an interview with Business Insider, Montblanc's director of new technologies Felix Obschonka explains the process of developing Montblanc's new tech and why the company decided to expand into a new sector.

Editor's note: The below interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.