What would you say if we asked you to describe the Dna of Mykita?
Well, I would say we are a wild child in a way. So we want to find our own way instead of accepting somebody else. So I think the foundation of the company is really based on the fact that we are self-producing, and the fact that we are self-producing has always been maybe the biggest inspiration for us to develop further. I call it our kitchen where we do our own production, so new technologies, choosing new materials, finding new structures and constantly trying to really innovate and do things in our own way and in our own unique way with our own identity; that’s the Dna of Mykita. I think it’s very rare to have everything integrated under one roof. From the idea to the design to the production, I think we work in a really, really integrated way.
As a world-renowned eyewear designer, are your sources of inspiration constantly changing? What inspires you the most to design?
I think the reason why our inspirations vary is again, first of all, to understand what’s going on in our kitchen and to try to make sure that we’re constantly renewing our ingredients and finding more and more things that we can use for eyewear. And there is no such thing as a primary source of inspiration. Because yes, I have my inspirations, but you know, I have a great team and design team working with me. We all have our individual talents. When we design our eyewear, we try to look at the world, we try to see what is needed in each market. But of course from a more conceptual point of view we are trying to reach new aesthetics that are some of the more surprising ones, but it has to do with working with materials and trying to identify new options in production for us as well. So it’s really goes hand in hand.

Let’s talk about Mykita’s latest collection and the highlights of the models…
Obviously the two years of Covid were important. We tried to focus on ourselves and rebuilding the foundation of the organization, so that we could launch new products and collaborations again, so we created our last collection to celebrate what we have as Mykita, so looking at the other collections that we have presented over the decades from our first collection, we created a collection that has a real consistency with our code software and our Dna, without trying to find new ways of expression and aesthetics.
You crowned your 20th anniversary with the Silmo d’OR 2023 Responsible Company award. What are your thoughts on this and will your sustainability projects gain momentum in 2024?
Yes, absolutely. We were very excited when we heard that Silmo was giving an award for sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility, because you know these issues have been very important for Mykita from the very beginning. We produce our own products, we source our own materials. It’s a continuous journey and we are constantly trying to optimize and improve things. That’s why it was incredible for us to receive this award in Paris. Because this award was not given to one product of Mykita, it was given to all our employees and all our partners in a much more holistic approach.

What are your favorite sunglasses and optical glasses in Mykita collections and why?
It is very difficult for me to answer this question, because I can say that I don’t have a single favorite. I can’t have a single favorite because for us, our portfolios are a little bit like a little family. There are so many different models and the one that I really like right now, or the one that I think is very, very cool, is a collaboration with a company based in Berlin. I think it’s a really desirable model. It has a very strong stance in its design and it stands out with its material. The material is an innovation of ours and we first introduced it to the market in 2009, so the product serves as an ideal example to really explain how we developed this material, how our processes have evolved. With our partner in Berlin we have reached a new aesthetic with this product, so it’s like a real celebration of Berlin at the same time.
Should we expect surprise collaborations, collections or openings from Mykita in the new year?
I have to say very clearly that you will see surprise developments from us. But unfortunately I can’t give details yet, but I can give you a big news, even if it’s not a collaboration or an opening. We are moving to a new building. We are really lucky to have found a new Mykita House in Berlin. The new building is in the center of the city and we will move in July next year. The new building is only 10 minutes on foot from where we are now. We think it is a really great location and we believe that we are taking the right step for our future. This move is really important for us because house has always been Mykita’s manifesto.

You are represented in Turkey through your distributorship. How would you evaluate this cooperation and Mykita’s position in the Turkish market?
First of all, we are very grateful and very lucky to have this great team in Turkey. We started our cooperation in 2008, they became our customers as wholesalers. Three years later they became our distributors. Since then we have been working really closely, we are together like a family. Every year of our cooperation we try to listen to each other better, to help and support each other. I can really feel the passion and commitment that the whole team brings here, it’s something very special to me and it’s also exciting to see how well the brands are represented with the independent, big presentation at Silmo Istanbul. When I came to Istanbul, we visited about 10 or 12 clients in their stores and we had a beautiful presentation and all the stores, the clients were very happy and very excited. Everybody was talking about the future, which I think is very important and they want to understand how we can be better partners and grow together. I think in the eyewear world, where everything is somehow more and more consolidated, it’s very important to have strong independent brands that have their own uniqueness and aesthetic. I think it’s also very important to work with the best opticians to really serve the end customers in the most ideal way.
We are very happy to have you with us at Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair. Finally, could we learn your evaluations about Silmo Istanbul, which celebrated its 10th anniversary?
We are also very happy to be here. As soon as we landed in Istanbul on the second day of the fair, we attended the magnificent night you organized at Çırağan Palace. We had a wonderful night with a great concept in that beautiful building that really smells of history. For this reason, we are celebrating our 10th anniversary. Moreover, we see that you hosted a really great organization at the Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair, which I attended for the first time. Maybe this success was not so clear to you when you first started the show with your team, but you continued to dream and believe. Moreover, it is really great that your geographical location connects Europe with the Middle East and the Far East. We can easily say that Silmo Istanbul has achieved a great success with its increasing number of visitors and exhibitors in its 10th year. Silmo Istanbul continues to grow and attract attention. We congratulate you.

December 2023