“Silmo Istanbul is a unique platform where we can present our vision and new collections to hundreds of business partners at the same time. More importantly, it inspires and provides feedback.”

Hello Mr. Özkul. Could you introduce yourself to our readers and share your journey into the optical industry with us?
Hello, my name is Mesut Özkul. I began this journey in 2011 and later continued it by founding Aspendos Optik. I come from the field side of the optical industry. Starting in retail taught me not only the excitement in front of the display window but also the responsibility behind it. Understanding the pulse of a store, reading customer expectations, and recognizing the true value of a product on the shop floor have always been my priorities. When founding Aspendos Optik, I used this experience to build a more structured, more sustainable, and long term business model.

Could you tell us about the founding story of Aspendos Optik? How did this journey from retail to distribution take shape?
Aspendos Optik was born out of a real need. While working in retail, I clearly observed that some stores in Turkey were seeking quality, others design, and others reliable supply. Very few structures were able to offer all three at the same time. Over time, we also realized that a market dominated by large brands and uniform product ranges was creating a gap. There was an audience like us, looking for distinctive and original designs and valuing quality and storytelling. Our distribution journey was shaped not merely around importing products, but around building a business model that correctly communicates the brand in the market and stands alongside the store.

You work with brands positioned within the concept of quiet luxury. How did you approach building your portfolio?
For us, quiet luxury is an attitude. We prefer products that are understated yet reveal themselves through details, making the wearer feel special. Our business partners also consist of a community that values craftsmanship behind the brand rather than popularity. While defining our strategy, we asked ourselves one question: Would you still wear this product ten years from now? If the answer was yes, then it was the right brand for us. Instead of focusing on fast sales, we invest in collections that preserve their value over time. This strategy has brought us both loyal retail partners and a conscious end user base.

You introduced Bloomdale, Malt Belgian, and Jose Alvarez Premium to the Turkish market. Could you describe the general characteristics of these brands?
These three European brands, each illuminating a different perspective, align perfectly with our founding purpose through their originality and uniqueness. Every brand in our portfolio is like a family member with a distinct personality. While selecting them, we were careful to ensure they complement one another. Bloomdale Eyewear, from the Netherlands, is a burst of color and joy. With its bold color combinations and original forms, it appeals to an energetic audience that is not afraid to express itself. Its limited production and timeless design approach offer high comfort. Malt Belgian Eyewear reflects the minimalist and sophisticated spirit of Belgian design. Its focus lies in material quality and flawless detailing, delivering true quiet luxury. Jose Alvarez Premium is an artistic brand that combines advanced material technology, limited production, ultra lightness, and refined aesthetics. Its collections emphasize craftsmanship and natural materials, each carrying its own distinctive character. Together, these three brands address different tastes and provide our partners with unique alternatives they can confidently offer to every customer.

You currently work with 553 business partners across Turkey. What kind of sales and logistics model do you apply when managing such a portfolio?
Managing a network of this size is only possible by balancing systems with human interaction. For us, 553 business partners mean 553 different success stories. The key lies in combining centralized efficiency with local flexibility. We operate with a strong central warehouse, accurate planning, and actively engaged field teams. They are not merely order takers but advisors to our partners. On the sales side, we prioritize maintaining one to one relationships, while in logistics we focus on speed and sustainability. In addition, I personally make it a priority to stay in direct contact not only with our field team but also with our growing network of partners. Coming from the operational side of the business, I can say that such logistics models are unfortunately still not very common in our sector.

How do you establish the balance between sustainability, quality, and design at Aspendos Optik?
We see sustainability not as a marketing argument but as a way of doing business. Long lasting products, conscious production, and timeless design form the foundation of our vision. If one element is missing, the entire structure collapses. We approach this balance not as a hierarchy of priorities but as a philosophy of integration. If the core material and craftsmanship quality of a product does not meet our standards, then neither its design nor its level of sustainability holds any real value. Design is the soul embodied by quality materials. Our goal is to offer designs that are visually striking while also functional and ergonomic. The brands we work with increasingly prioritize environmentally friendly materials such as recycled acetate, bio based plastics, and responsibly sourced metals. Some of our frames are produced using technologies that reduce water consumption by up to 60 percent during the manufacturing process.

The brands in your portfolio draw inspiration from a discovery that won the 2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Could you elaborate on this?
Yes. In 2011, Nobel Prize winning chemist Daniel Shechtman discovered that quasicrystals have highly ordered atomic structures that do not repeat themselves, unlike traditional crystal formations. Brands in our portfolio apply this technological discovery to eyewear frames by using certain titanium and stainless steel alloys originally developed for the aerospace industry. As a result, these materials become extremely light, flexible, corrosion resistant, and most importantly anti allergenic. While a traditional metal frame may permanently deform when bent, these special alloys can return to their original shape thanks to shape memory properties. These engineering marvels offer end users an almost weightless feeling, all day comfort, and durability that lasts for years.

You state that you offer value to stores, not just products. What does creating value mean for Aspendos Optik?
For us, value is anything that makes a customer walk into a store and say, there is something different here. I define the elements that create this value as differentiation power, operational peace of mind, and knowledge and training. We provide our partners with products that have a story and character, allowing them to stand one step ahead of the competition. This enables them to compete through quality and style rather than price. On the operational side, we eliminate one of an optician’s biggest frustrations, unavailable stock and long waiting times, through fast logistics, easily accessible customer service, and flexible payment terms. While they focus on their business, we secure the background operations. We share the story, material features, and design philosophy behind every product we sell. We do not just give them a product but a story they can tell their customers. These trainings and information flows directly increase the motivation and sales performance of retail staff.

What is Aspendos Optik’s approach to digital marketing? Do you engage in direct to consumer sales or advertising?
Our digital marketing strategy is built around producing valuable content in line with our quiet luxury positioning. We do not engage in mass advertising aimed directly at end consumers. The Aspendos Optik website functions as a refined digital showroom presenting our brands and collections. Our existing partners can access exclusive content and place orders through a dedicated e dealer system integrated into the showroom. On social media, through our Instagram account aspendosoptiktr and Facebook page aspendos optikk, we produce professional content that communicates our brands’ stories, design details, and philosophies. Our partners can easily share this content on their own channels to reach customers. In short, our vision for digital presence and commerce is shaped around providing our partners with the most comfortable and authentic distributor experience possible.

Can we expect new brand investments or surprises from Aspendos Optik in the short and medium term?
Absolutely. In the short term, we are focused on presenting special capsule collections and Turkey exclusive designs from our existing brands to our partners. In the medium term, we continue to search for a new brand that will complement the characters in our portfolio. We are particularly keeping an eye on niche brands that combine technology with fashion, operate in the smart eyewear segment, or produce entirely under sustainable and circular economy principles.

As the Founder of Aspendos Optik, what does success mean to you and how do you measure it?
For me, success means never losing the excitement you feel for your work when you wake up in the morning. Numbers, market share, and turnover are of course important metrics, but true success lies in seeing the people you work with, both your team and business partners, grow and remain happy alongside you. When I founded Aspendos Optik, my five year vision was to become a brand associated with different and high quality eyewear in Turkey. Financially, we achieved this goal. Today, however, I realize that my true vision goes beyond that. I now see success not as a destination but as a journey. My definition of success today is knowing that a frame displayed in the showcase of one of our 553 partners turns into a smile on a customer’s face. Success is ensuring that every link in the value chain we create remains strong and fulfilled.

What are your thoughts on the Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair? How do you evaluate its contribution to the sector?
Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair plays a critical role in showcasing the strength and potential of the Turkish optical industry on the international stage. For wholesalers like us, it is a unique platform that allows us to present our vision and new collections to hundreds of partners simultaneously. More importantly, Silmo Istanbul has become a valuable source of feedback and inspiration for optical professionals. It gives us the opportunity to engage directly with partners from all across Anatolia, to understand their expectations and listen to the challenges they face. For this reason, I believe Silmo Istanbul’s contribution to the sector is invaluable.

Thank you for this valuable interview. Finally, could you share your thoughts on our magazine 4 your eyes?
I would like to thank you for featuring us in this precious publication. By bringing together innovations, diverse perspectives, and in depth analyses, you broaden the vision of all stakeholders in the industry. High quality medium like yours make a significant contribution not only to the commercial but also to the intellectual development of the sector.

January 2026