Interview

Dita

Posted on by Burcu Yıldız

The luxury brand is turning heads with its super-comfortable and high-quality Dita Lancier collection, featuring advanced lens technology and uncompromising craftsmanship.

Founded in 1995, Dita reinvented eyewear by transcending its conventions, creating a discreet luxury with product ranging from bold character frames to new interpretations of timeless shapes through innovative technology. With over 25 years in design and partners at the highest levels of manufacturing, Dita’s expertise is unparalleled, earning a coveted reputation as a true leader in optical innovation. Known for its distinctive and bold designs, especially in the striking shades of gold and black, Dita stands out as a premier eyewear brand. Last year, the brand introduced the Dita Lancier collection, which captivated with its contemporary flair and effortless elegance. We present an interview with Drew Oppermann, Vice President of Dita, about the unique features that set the Dita Lancier collection apart.

Hello Drew, there is no need to introduce Dita as an eyewear brand. However, could you please tell us something about the philosophy of the luxury brand? What makes Dita products stand out?
In everything we do at Dita, we believe in individuality and disrupting the status quo. The Dita brand is a category of one and there is no compromise on our product. We only work with the best Japanese factories that have master craftsmen who pass on their exceptional and unique skills from generation to generation.

You founded Dita Lancier last year. What was your motivation?
We relaunched our Dita Lancier collection last year with two new concepts – one on the sunglass side and one on the optical side. The motivation for the collection was to launch a brand with advanced sunglass lens technology that also appeals to the consumer who wants a stylish, super-comfortable, high-quality product. We then added an exceptional optical collection that is incredibly lightweight, minimalist and fashion-forward using custom manufacturing methods and the finest materials from Japan.

How does the Dita Lancier collection differ from the classic Dita collection in terms of product design and use?
The Dita collection is strong with many bold shapes and colors, including its signature black and gold combinations on many styles. The Dita Lancier collection is trendy and lightweight with exceptional comfort, wearable shapes and earth tones.

What are some of the typical designs we see in Dita Lancier?
You will find a wide range of designs in the Dita Lancier collection. On the optical side, we have a combination of classic, fashion-forward and retro shapes in both high-quality titanium and Japanese acetate. Our sunglass collection includes a variety of navigator, aviator, modified round and square shapes using mixed materials and custom features.

Dita Lancier is also positioned in a sports environment. Which sports are you most associated with?
The Dita Lancier sunglass collection is not a sports sunglasscollection per se. Dita Lancier is an active lifestyle sunglass brand. Our proprietary sun lenses work incredibly well for a variety of activities.

A high-quality visual experience is especially important. What sets your lenses apart?
The custom color tint formulas of our sunglass lenses, combined with an extremely high quality AR coating and polarization (where applicable), make our lenses unique. The clarity and color contrast of all 3 lenses is second to none. You just have to try on a pair of Dita Lancier sunglasses to experience the difference.

You differentiate between Land, Sea and Air. What are the special features of the lenses for land activities?
Our Land lens is the best combination of full polarization and high contrast. The Dita Lancier Land lens meets the realities of everyday activities by dramatically reducing blinding glare while fully preserving natural depth perception. For road and trail environments, the brown polarized Land lens contrasts with reds, greens and yellows. Full polarization and high contrast provide increased clarity, revealing vivid colors and optimal visibility on land.

What sets the Sea category apart?
Our Sea lenses offer the ultimate in glare reduction for all water activities: beach, boating, sailing, fishing. The Dita Lancier Sea lens features fully embedded polarization technology that eliminates most reflected surface glare without sacrificing contrast in and around open water. This gray lens contrasts reds and skin tones against the blue background of the ocean and sky. It has maximum polarization.

And what about the Air category?
Our Air lenses are non-polarized for maximum contrast without compromising depth perception in all light conditions. Not only are these lenses great for hiking, skiing and mountaineering, they are also great for pilots who cannot wear polarized lenses. The improved contrast and depth perception make them the best choice for any ball hitting sport such as golf, handball or tennis.

What material do you prefer? Is there a material difference between sunglasses and optical glasses?
Actually, we don’t differentiate too much between optical and sun in terms of materials. All Dita Lancier metals in both the optical and sun collections are high quality titanium. We use Japanese acetates in both, which are cured longer than standard acetates. This allows the acetate to be thinner without breaking and to withstand more extreme temperatures without deforming. The only difference is that only our Sun collection uses a super lightweight nylon material for the more athletic sunglasses.

Source: Spectr

March 2024

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Sales Point

Lagom Optik

Posted on by Burcu Yıldız

LAGOM OPTİK
Stady and Accurate

Silmo Istanbul is growing each year with a larger service area and number of exhibitors, increasing the opportunities to follow innovations in the sector and establish collaborations.

Hello Mrs. Ece & Mr. Melih. First of all, could you introduce yourself a little bit and tell us about how your path crossed with the optical industry?
Ece Derman: Hello, I was born in Bursa in 1987. My career, which started with my business administration education, continued for 12 years in visual management positions in two different global retail stores. Inspired by my husband’s experience in the optical industry, I decided to open a new chapter in my life. Together with my husband, we studied and graduated from the opticianry department. We opened our own optical store in April 2023.

Melih Derman: Hi, I was born in Bursa in 1987. In 2010, I started working in a local optical store in Bursa and gained my first experience in the sector. During the 13 years I spent here, I gained in-depth knowledge about eyeglass models, lens technologies and customer needs. In this process, I closely followed the developments in our sector and tried to master new technologies and trends. We serve our friends and customers in our newly opened store.

Could you tell us about the establishment phase of Lagom Optik?
In our founding philosophy, we wanted to adopt a different approach from commercial stores by emphasizing that health and fashion are inseparable in the eyewear industry. We see those who visit our store not only as customers, but also as people who come to get support and help from us. In line with our goal of creating a concept store that combines health and fashion in a sector where visuality is at the forefront, we aim to provide excellent service in our store by combining modern technologies with the best quality. We also use innovative technologies such as computer-aided digital focusing machines to offer customized solutions to the needs of the people who seek our support.

What are the most sold optical and sunglasses brands in your store?
It may not be the right approach for us to distinguish the most sold brands in our store because every brand is really valuable for us. In our store, regardless of the brand, we try to direct the person to whichever eyeglass model that suits the person’s face and is comfortable in terms of health and comfort. Because our brand preference can also change according to the budget and wishes of the person. That is why we offer a wide collection of optical frames and sunglasses. Tom Ford, Prada, Miu Miu, Giorgio Armani, Emporio Armani, Burberry, Moschino, Dsquared2, David Beckham, Ray-Ban, Garrett Leight California, Yohji Yamamoto, Oliver Peoples, Kaleos, Mooshu, Vanity Effect, Snob Milano, Kyme, Mykita, French Retro, Entourage Of 7, Markus T, For Art’s Sake London, Vycoz, Frank Custom, Hally & Son, UDM Unique Design Milano, Movitra, Bust Out, Projekt Produkt are some of the brands we can give examples.

Do you include products from every segment in your store? How do you think having different product segments reflects on your sales?
The name of our store Lagom is a Swedish word and it means “Not too little, not too much. Just accurate”, in short, it means “balanced”. It is important for us to reflect the art of balanced living to our product diversity in our store. We include products from every segment in our store. We address different customer needs by offering a wide range of products.

How do you inform your customers about the changes and campaigns in your store?
As Lagom Optik, we announce the changes and campaigns in our store to our customers mainly through social media and we attach importance to this. We share the campaigns and in-store innovations we organize through our Facebook and Instagram pages, and interact with our customers by sharing information about new glasses. Thus, we aim to increase customer satisfaction by providing fast, effective and up-to-date communication.

Street stores or being located in a shopping mall? What is your preference and what are the reasons?
Actually, street retailing and shopping mall retailing do not fully fit our store. Our first priority was to add a unique character to our store by getting away from the classical optical store culture and to prepare an environment where we can keep the energy high. Our location is one of the busiest main lines of Bursa, that is, a location where pedestrian traffic is low but vehicle traffic is intense. Our reason for choosing this location was to provide the best service to our friends and customers who come to our store to shop by spending the energy we save by preventing possible loss of time. We preferred to increase visibility by adapting our store to the inner city rather than the pedestrian traffic. Although these are contrary to the classical understanding of retailing, we have a large parking lot for our customers who come by car and we are within walking distance to the metro line in our city for our customers who want to come by public transportation. In this way, we have the advantage of providing easy access to our customers and integrating our store into the city life.

As a retailer, what are your views on the price competition between you and your colleagues?
As Lagom Optik, we are aware that price competition is important in the retail sector, but our priority is always to provide good and impeccable service. Maximizing customer satisfaction and providing a shopping experience supported by quality products and expertise is our priority.

Are in-sector sales and training briefings sufficient? Do you organize training programs for your store employees?
As Lagom Optik, we manage our own development individually. We actively use various online resources and industry information to follow the changes and innovations in the optical sector and to understand the developments in the sector in order to provide the best service to those who prefer our store. We constantly update and improve ourselves by participating in various online trainings and sectoral events. We also ask our authorized friends from optical lens companies to visit our store periodically and make presentations about lens technologies. In this way, we keep our knowledge fresh and acquire new technological information. We focus on increasing our knowledge and skills to make our store more competitive and to offer the best optical experience.

How would you evaluate the 10th Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair with its new and larger service area?
As Lagom Optik, we see the developments and growth in the 10th year of Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair very positively. The growth of the fair with a larger service area and the number of exhibitors every year increases the opportunities to follow the innovations in the sector and to establish collaborations. By bringing together the dynamism and innovations in the sector, the fair inspires us and guides us to provide a better service to our customers.

Thank you very much for this valuable interview. Finally, could you give us your comments on the transition of our magazine 4 youreyes to digital publishing?
The transition of your magazine to a digital platform has the potential to offer a faster and more interactive experience to your readers. We wish 4 youreyes a strong presence and continued success.

March 2024

 

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Wholesaler Interview

Optic844

Posted on by Burcu Yıldız

OPTIC 844

Growing Stronger

“First of all, Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair fulfills a very important task for the optical sector, where I think that sharing and unity are lacking.”

Hello Mr. Volkan. First of all, could you tell us a little bit about yourself and your story of entering the sector?
Hello. After completing my university education and gaining countless important experiences, I visited the optical fair of the period during the search for sponsors for the WTA Istanbul Tennis Cup tournament organized by the construction company where I was the training and sales coordinator in 2005. After the contacts and fieldwork I made here, we agreed with Optimist Optik, the Turkish distributor of Tag Heuer, one of the most important brands of the period, to sponsor the organization. Before and during the organization, I had the chance to work with both Optimist Optik and Gökhan Şahinler and Banu Baran, who carried out the agency works of the company. After the organization, I entered the sector as the Training and Marketing coordinator at Optimist Optik. I would like to thank them very much for guiding me to enter the optical sector, which I have been in with pleasure for a long time and had the chance to work in very important companies and at the end of this long road, I established my own company.

You are the distributor of important brands such as Woodys and Randolph in Turkey. What could you tell our readers about these brands?
Randolph is actually a brand with very special sunglasses that have been in the spotlight for many years, which we often see on movie and TV screens, but are less known because they are not even in the European market. In its 51st year, the company has been the sole supplier of the American army for the last 41 years. This is due to the extra features of the sunglass lenses and the special metal coatings that comply with military strength standards. An important part of the Randolph sunglasses collection consists of products with mineral lenses. In addition to the advantages of mineral lenses in terms of abbe value and contrast, all lenses have blue light blocking. The lenses are extra impact resistant and each has a special coating that prevents side and back reflections. All sunglasses are specially coated with metals such as gold, silver and chrome and are made in America. They are also the daily choice of many Hollywood stars. Woodys is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and continues to develop its collection and philosophy by adding to it every year. The glasses, which are blended with unique colors with special lamination technologies, blended with unique colors, with a unique structure by baking acetates obtained from natural components for 2 weeks, help end users to reflect their own style in terms of optical comfort and wearing comfort. The frames, which have an above-standard structure in terms of optical requirements, aim to provide the customers of optical establishments with comfort, quality, style and a sense of being different with a wide range of models. Sunglasses with the same features as optical frames reveal their difference in harmony with the slogan ‘Designed for special people’ inside the stem.

Does Optic 844 plan to add new brands to its brands or create its own brands?
Since we are a newly established company, our priority is to position the two brands we represent in the right way and make them products that the industry can benefit from to the maximum. Apart from this, we closely follow new brands and technologies in the sector. Our company is actually part of a dual structure and Optic 844 is a marketing company. Therefore, it is within our future vision to launch the brands that we think will be successful in our country with different formations.

What differences and innovations do you aim to offer to the optical sector?
I believe in the great potential of our sector and I think there is a long way to go. Therefore, I want to work in accordance with this idea. First of all, I aim to contribute to the development of the sector with our Prooptic training area, which can be used by our dealers and all sector stakeholders who request it. I have prepared a training program consisting of 5 main modules that are suitable not only for the features of our own brands but also for the needs of the sector. Here, we aim to share new information that the sector needs in every field and to clean the information pollution that prevents the healthy growth of our business. A person who does not know himself cannot improve himself. The seller who does not recognize the products he sells cannot improve himself. For this reason, we attach great importance to product information and ensuring that this information is transferred to end users and this will always be our priority. Our priority is to be a company that not only sells products but also supports selling them, a company that produces information, not gossip. In addition, we aim to introduce different brands to the Turkish market in accordance with the needs of the sector, specially for companies that are regionally or structurally adapted to the needs of the sector.

What is your strategy for expanding your distribution and sales network?
As we are a newly established company, I have to manage this process alone until the end of the year in order to maintain uninterrupted training and information flow along with the product. Afterwards, we will expand the team with colleagues who are established in their regions and have the same vision. I believe in the importance of effective visits and the frequency of these visits. After the stage of creating our dealer network, we will try to create a structure where our new teammates will make frequent and effective visits and I will spend more time on trainings and information sharing.

In the light of your experience in the sector, how would you evaluate the current state, development and near future of the Turkish optical sector?
As someone who has witnessed the growth of the sector for the last 19 years and has frequently listened to our esteemed elders before that, I think that the growth will continue unabated. In fact, I have the idea that the potential is not used well enough and that we will reach much better points with projects and economic formations that will realize the growth rate and the use of idle potential together. I think it is necessary to raise awareness of consumers about using glasses, to learn that they can get extra benefits by having better glasses and lenses, to analyze their needs correctly and to work on the fact that using more than one pair of glasses will change their lives positively. We are working on this issue on our behalf. There are important examples of the contribution of properly informed consumers to the sectoral volume. I believe that the proliferation of these examples will bring the sector to a new threshold.

Do you follow international fairs and what are your thoughts on this subject?
I have been following international fairs for many years. I follow the innovations and developments even in the fairs I cannot attend. I think these fairs are an important source about how our sector can develop in our country. In addition, it is an indispensable situation for determining the areas where we are lacking and following the trends and habits of using glasses abroad. It also sheds light on how to see the product diversity of the sector and not to get stuck in a small pool of brands.

How would you evaluate the Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair, which is being held for the 10th time with its new and larger service area, from the beginning to today as an exhibitor company?
I met the sector with a visit to an optical fair. I had the chance to participate in every subsequent fair. This year, I enjoyed Silmo Istanbul with my own company and stand. First of all, Silmo Istanbul fulfills a very important task for the optical sector, where I think that sharing and unity are lacking. It is a unifying organization that eliminates the disadvantages of competing in an environment where the potential is not fully utilized. My priority regarding the fair has always been based on developing relationships, information and ideas. With this approach, I believe that every moment spent at Silmo Istanbul contains developments that will reflect positively on business development afterwards. Annual results may vary according to the economic conjuncture, but the pleasure of the sector being together does not change. I hope that the fair, which no longer fits in its old spaces, will continue to grow in the coming years as an element that brings the sector together. The award ceremony held this year was also an indicator of the point reached.

Thank you very much for this valuable interview. Finally, can we learn your views on the evolution of our magazine 4 your eyes into digital publishing?
Publishing has been digitalized in many areas. I congratulate 4 your eyes magazine for carrying the principle of impartial publishing to the digital environment in order to share the shares related to the sector with more people and wish them continued success.

March 2024

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Wholesaler Interview

Ündemir Optik

Posted on by Burcu Yıldız

ÜNDERMİR OPTİK

synonymous with ic! berlin

Silmo Istanbul, which was held for the tenth time this year, has grown very professionally, innovatively and in step with the times. We are very happy to be a part of it.

Hello Ms. Gülçin & Ms. Ayşenur… Could you introduce yourself to our readers and tell us about how you decided to enter the optical sector?
Hello. I am Gülçin Ündemir, I graduated from Istanbul University, Faculty of Economics and my first introduction to the sector was when I applied to ic! berlin’s job advertisement during my higher education in Germany. I got a part-time job at the company during my studies and when I decided to return to Turkey, the company offered me a job. In 2014, after 6 months of preparation, we opened the Turkish office of the German company and until 2020, we established our sales network in Turkey as a limited liability company with foreign capital and introduced the ic! berlin brand to Turkish Opticians and end consumers. Despite the difficult economic and political atmosphere of the country, we have achieved success with a gradually increasing sales curve and the support of our dear customers who trust us and our product.
With which aims and objectives did you decide to establish your company?
Together with my sister Ayşenur Ündemir, we established our own company Ündemir Optik in 2021 and continued our activities as the distributor of the brand from where we left off. There was no major change for us because we were already a very independent office as the German company’s representatives in Turkey. All the responsibility was on us and the management belonged to us. So there were no changes during the transition period except for some official arrangements and applications. We quickly decided to establish the company upon the suggestion of Germany because our relationship with the brand for 12 years and our increasing sales graph was enough to motivate us. We spent a lot of effort to introduce the brand in our country and achieve success, and we achieved our goal. Moreover, since we were now distributors, we had the freedom to incorporate new brands. However, thanks to our belief in the brand, we decided that it would be better to spend maximum effort on a single brand during the transition period. After three years, we have signed agreements with new brands and we are ready to expand our product portfolio with new, high-end European brands that fit our vision and working principles.

As we all know, you have been the distributor of ic! berlin brand in Turkey for a long time. Could you give us detailed information about the brand?
Founded in Germany in 1996, ic! berlin is the inventor of the screwless temple system, as readers may know. The glasses are handmade in Berlin from flexible, screwless, impact-resistant, stainless German steel and other materials such as durable natural rubber and carbon. It is a lifestyle brand and even a pioneer among lifestyle brands. The eponymous city of Berlin is in its Dna. It’s not just a brand name. As someone who lived in Berlin for 3 years and spends certain times of the year there, I am a witness to how the brand parallels the design language of the city of Berlin. Berlin is a constantly evolving, transforming, multi-layered European metropolis and we can see all these qualities that make the city attractive in the ic! berlin brand. It has always been very enjoyable for me to watch the development and transformation of the brand. Because it has always grown for the better and forward-looking. From my point of view, the fact that Germans do not compromise on robustness and technology, which is also part of their culture, their design approach that always prioritizes function and quality, and the fact that they do not give up their own line while following the trends is a strategy worthy of appreciation.
You introduced ic! berlin’s 2024 collection at Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair. How was the feedback?
The feedback was extremely positive. The collection is always getting better and this is reflected in our sales. New alternative models have been added to some of our best-selling models. One of the advantages of my close relationship with the brand and the company and having worked under their roof for a long time is that I am in dialog from the Production Manager to the designers. In this way, my feedback on the needs of my market is taken into account. Some new models that were found successful only in our market were added to the collection and the results of this were the good reactions we received at the fair.

Could you share with us the main features of your brands, their interaction groups and their position in the sector?
We define ic! berlin as a technological design brand. It is a light, functional, durable, user-friendly product. The collection is extremely wide and has a very good distribution within itself. Thus, it appeals to a consumer group in the premium segment that can have different styles. There is a product group called Core Collection, which has timeless and classic designs; a product group with more innovative and extraordinary designs, a product group that is more on the pulse of fashion; a product group that includes our collaborations with Mercedes Benz and AMG, which includes our partnerships with famous designers and brands; a product group with engineering marvel designs that include different materials and innovations, such as our newly launched patented carboflex collection made of carbon. All these different product groups are united by one common point: superior quality and being from Berlin. Our brand primarily appeals to the end consumer who knows the answer to the question “What is good design?”, who is eager and open to learn even if they do not know the answer, and naturally to the optical stores that are curious, love their business and are open to development. We are eager to improve ourselves and contribute to expanding the vision of the sector. I think we have an idealistic attitude in this regard and we are glad that this is the case.
What is your strategy for expanding your distribution and sales network?
We participate in national and international fairs. These participations are effective in establishing the first contact with our new potential customers. We make store visits in most regions of Turkey. We take our customers who have been loving our brand for a certain period of time on a factory tour and let them get to know the story of the product more closely, and this is usually very effective and reflects positively on sales. Since this is a lifestyle product, the person selling the product needs to know it very well and, moreover, love it. For this reason, we do not have an overly expansionist sales policy. We have not suffered any damage from this policy so far. Telling the story of the brand and educating the staff is our favorite and the thing we emphasize the most. We are open and moderate to serve and support opticians all over Turkey who are open to this, who agree with us to adopt a common strategy, and who look at working with us as a cooperation.
Do you follow international fairs and what are your thoughts on this subject?
Of course we do, we participate in all fairs in Europe. We find it necessary and enjoyable to keep the pulse of the sector. Because I think these world-renowned fairs are very important for following global trends and creating business opportunities.
As an exhibitor, how would you evaluate the Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair, which was held for the 10th time with its new and larger service area?
Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair, organized for the tenth time this year, has shown a very professional, innovative and contemporary growth. Silmo Istanbul, continuing its journey on its own with its Parisian partners, has managed to prove its strength to the professionals of the sector. We are watching this growth and development story with love and pride.
Thank you very much for this valuable interview. Finally, could we learn your views on the evolution of our magazine 4 your eyes into digital publishing?
It is pleasing to see your magazine keeping up with the times and this inspires us. The news and interviews in the magazine are always up-to-date and prepared with great effort. We thank you very much for the devoted effort you provide to the sector.

February 2024

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Sales Point

As Optik Marmaris

Posted on by Burcu Yıldız

AS OPTİK MARMARİS

Visual Comfort & Aesthetics

Silmo Istanbul is an important event in terms of evaluating developments in the sector and establishing collaborations. It provides the opportunity to come together with professionals.

Hello Mr. Serhat. First of all, let’s get to know you a little bit and talk about your story of entering the sector…
Hello, I am Serhat Yelmen, born in 1984 in Izmit, I live in Marmaris and I am the founder of As Optik Marmaris store. I am a graduate of the Opticianry program and I have been working passionately in the opticianry sector for 22 years. My interest in this field dates back to 2002 when I started my apprenticeship. During my apprenticeship period, I had the opportunity to gain basic skills in the world of eyewear. In this process, I gained an awareness of the richness of the industry and how eyewear contributes to people’s quality of life. Opticianry has become not only a profession for me, but also a field where I improve people’s visual comfort and aesthetic understanding.
Could you tell us about the establishment of As Optik?
As Optik came to life in 2011 with my rich experience in the opticianry sector and the basic skills I gained from my apprenticeship period. I set out with an understanding that prioritizes customer satisfaction and focuses on the special needs of each customer. I had the chance to get to know the sector from the inside for a long time. By opening my own store in 2011, I aimed to offer solutions that meet both the aesthetic and functional needs of eyewear users. One of the most important elements that form the basis of As Optik is customer safety. I set out to not only sell eyeglasses to customers but also to offer quality solutions for their vision health. With these basic principles, As Optik continues to grow as a brand that offers personalized eyewear experiences and keeps customer satisfaction at the highest level.
How do you choose the optical and sunglasses brands you sell?
Our primary focus when choosing eyewear brands is quality. We consider technical features such as durability, visual appearance and UV protection in sunglasses. Design and fashionability are also important factors in meeting our customers’ expectations. After-sales support and warranty policies provided by our brands are also among the factors we consider to ensure customer satisfaction.

Designer brands are very popular in recent years. Do you also receive requests from your customers in this direction?
The demand for designer brands is increasing day by day. Our customers are interested in these brands because they like prominent designs, quality materials and a prestigious image. In order to respond to this demand, we allocate a large space in our store to the collections of various designer brands and ensure that our customers can easily access fashionable and quality products.
What are the after-sales services you provide to your customers? How do you think these services affect your future sales?
We pay special attention to after-sales services to maintain customer satisfaction. Warranty processes, repair facilities and consultancy services allow us to offer comprehensive support to make our customers’ eyewear experience hassle-free. The quality of these services positively impacts our future sales by increasing customer loyalty.
How do you inform your customers about changes and campaigns in your store?
We use various channels to inform our customers about the changes and campaigns organized in our stores. Email newsletters, social media platforms and in-store information materials are effective tools to inform our customers about innovations. In this way, we establish a strong communication with our customers and respond better to their expectations.
As a retailer, what are your views on the price competition between you and your colleagues?
We carefully analyze the price strategies of competitors in the sector and the services they offer to customers. This helps us understand the pricing strategies of other brands offering similar products and services and identify their competitive advantages. Price competition is important in the retail sector, but what matters most to us is the value we provide to customers. When quality products, reliable service and affordable prices are combined, our customers are satisfied. By achieving this balance, we remain competitive and strengthen customer loyalty. We hope that all our colleagues in the market will provide fair and competitive pricing and bring our sector to the level it deserves.

Is the sales and training information provided within the sector sufficient? Do you organize training programs for your store employees?
We attach importance to in-sector trainings and sales briefings in order to keep the level of knowledge and skills of our staff constantly updated. These trainings are critical in terms of providing the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively introduce new collections, give correct answers to technical questions and increase customer satisfaction. We also ensure that our staff maintain their professionalism by organizing regular training programs on customer relations and communication.
What do you think about the rates and awareness of eyeglass use in Turkey? What can be done to increase eyeglass use and who has a role to play?
Increasing eyeglass use requires the collaboration of many stakeholders and requires a combination of various strategies to create healthy eye habits across society. Health organizations, optical companies and government agencies can conduct awareness-raising campaigns in schools, online and on other visual platforms. Retail stores can organize discounts and campaigns for eyeglass purchases during certain periods and on special occasions. In collaboration with health professionals, eye health specialists can conduct regular eye examinations to determine the need for eyeglasses. Optical brands, the fashion industry and marketing teams can be pioneers in making eyewear fashionable and popular among younger age groups. Non-governmental organizations, health institutions and government-sponsored programs can be effective in this issue by organizing educational programs to raise family and community awareness, contributing to the use of eyeglasses to become a general family habit.
Do you follow international optical fairs and sectoral developments abroad?
We closely follow international optical fairs and sectoral developments. These fairs are important platforms to see innovations, new technologies and fashion in the sector. By integrating this information into our business, we aim to always offer our customers the most up-to-date and trendy products.
How would you evaluate the 10th Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair with its new and larger service area?
Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair is an important event in terms of evaluating the developments in the sector and establishing collaborations. The fair provides the opportunity to come together with other professionals in the sector and create opportunities for cooperation. Such fairs offer us an important perspective to understand the developments in the sector and customer demands. For this reason, I hope that Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair, which is held 10th time this year, will be better than the year before every year.
Thank you very much for this valuable interview. Finally, could you give us your comments on the transition of our magazine 4 your eyes to digital publishing?
Digital publishing is a great tool to keep up with developments in the industry and to provide customized content for customers. I think 4 your eyes has increased its readership with digital publishing and has become more effective in the sector by bringing the advantages of wide access.

 

 

February 2024

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Interview

Hug Spectacles

Posted on by Burcu Yıldız

New Touch to Luxury

The luxury German brand Hug Spectacles is considered one of the pioneers of understated elegance thanks to its rare ability to reduce aesthetics to the essentials.

German luxury eyewear brand Hug Spectacles applies timeless design concepts while paying great attention to the use of sustainable materials and raw materials. Its minimalist frames, far from popular lines and exaggeration, reflect the attention to detail and passion. We present an interview with Thomas Hobmaier, one of Hug’s Co-Founders, on what is curious about the brand.

Hug was started by yourself along with Frederic Utz and Jochen Gutbrod—three friends with a lot of history in the eyewear world. What made you want to start your own glasses company?
Fred and I had a store together for ten years—Steingasse 14 in Heidelberg. Whenever we selected glasses for the store, it was usually the case that we grabbed the same glasses at the same time—we noticed we had a very similar aesthetic sensibility, always quickly deciding on the same models and colours. Fred had said for years that we should finally make our own glasses, so that we could finally do everything the way we liked. After we got Jochen hooked we had all the skills on board. We were complete—design, brand builder and silverback—everyone wanted to build the same kind of product.
How do you three split what you do at Hug? What’s your day-to-day role?
Fred mainly takes care of the design. He also takes care of projects such as the look of our social media presence. Jochen realises our products—he takes care of the complete creation, procurement and distribution of all components and the correspondence with the production until the finished product is in our warehouse. He also has the greatest expertise in building eyewear, especially when it comes to technical details. I take care of brand building and sales. When it comes to our designs, my soft spot is definitely in the selection of colours. Every design is an interaction and we always finalise everything together. Starting from the design, we refine and adjust every angle and detail until we hit our result. Likewise, colour selection and deciding whether to add silver or gold attachments to accentuate the right style of eyewear is a collaborative process. Everyone has their own priorities, which are reflected in the individual decisions.

Your frames have a distinct timeless quality to them—where do you look for inspiration?
Inspiration in this sense is not quite necessary, because we all want to implement exactly what suits us. Logically, this looks different one year than the next, because you are constantly evolving and are influenced by everything that happens to you. If it doesn’t come out of you without you having to put something together in a big way, it can’t become authentic. In contrast, we are convinced that if you implement what you think is cool at all times, it will automatically always evolve and remain authentic, and thus independent and exciting.
From Robert Johnson to Gladys Bentley, each frame takes its name from a blues legend. Can you tell us more about how these blues pioneers influence the brand?
Fred plays guitar himself and loves this old blues sound and he listened to his old records a lot whilst designing the first collection. In the beginning, these were just working titles for the different models, but after we had Fred’s acetate guitar pick on the table we thought it was a nice shape for a rivet. Also, we all love music—it immediately conveys an emotion, and the blues was the basis for a lot of different styles of music, so it fit together pretty well with us creating our first collection. And last but not least, having this blues base means we can create other beautiful music themes and collections.
All your glasses are made in Germany. Is that another thing that’s crucial to the brand?
We need the proximity to production and the quality to get the result we want. We know of no one who can work with comparable precision and produce such beautiful surfaces.
Glasses are a very specific item—and one pair that might work for one person, might not work for another. How do you guys go about designing each pair? Do you start with a face in mind?
No, we always have a style in mind that we want to implement. This then also tells us whether it works as a large or small, feminine or masculine or unisex variant. Of course, we have shapes that work very well in several sizes. Otherwise, we simply pay attention to a nice balance within the collection.
What next for Hug? Have you got any new processes or ideas you’re working on at the minute you can talk about?
We have a lot of ideas and new projects in the back of our drawers that we really want to implement. But in order to do this consistently in our usual quality, it naturally takes time and we have learned to only talk about something concretely when we definitely know that it can be realised the way we want it. 

Source: Seen Journal

February 2024

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Sales Point

Soho Optik

Posted on by Burcu Yıldız

SOHO OPTİK

Tecnology and Fashion in One

“I think fairs like Silmo Istanbul are very important for following the developments in the sector and establishing new business contacts.”

Hello Mr. Barkın. First of all, could you introduce yourself a little and share your story of entering the optical industry?
Hello, I was born in Istanbul in 2002. I completed my primary and secondary education at Sev Private American College and high school education at Saint Joseph High School. I am currently studying Mechanical and Construction double major at Özyeğin University and Opticianry at Işık University. As someone who wants to start his own business since a young age, I have examined the sectors. I have determined that contact lenses, laser surgeries, intraocular lens surgeries and especially intraocular surgeries performed with smart lenses have seriously reduced the demand in the optical sector, that we are in the period of the most intensive use of our eyes in the history of humanity, that telescopic lenses, prismatic lenses, blue light blocking lenses used in front of computers have entered and will enter the application area much more with the advancement of technology, and that the need for sunglasses is increasing due to global warming. I entered this sector by combining my Mechanical Engineering and Optician skills, taking into account that I can make very qualified optical applications in this new period.
Could you tell us about the establishment phase of Soho Optik?
I received consultancy services from Özlem Arafal, one of the biggest doyen of this sector, for 1.5 years. Afterwards, we added Özlem Öz, who has tremendous experience in boutique retailing in the sector, to our staff and received consultancy from her for 8 months. After opening our store, we had the chance to add İskender İrdal, one of the other important names, to our team. With the creativity of this trio, which I see as the biggest chance of my life, we overcome the difficulties, adopting love and respect as the most important value, we are walking our way happily together and we aim to progress on much bigger roads together.
What are the most popular optical and sunglasses brands sold in your store?
Our collection consists of fashion brands as well as special brands that combine technology and fashion, which are frequently demanded by our customers, and designer brands that have been very popular in recent years. In this direction, the brands we sell the most in optics and sunglasses are designer brands such as Lunor, Tavat, Kador, Oliver Peoples, Lool and popular brands such as Serengeti, Etnia Barcelona, Prada, Miu Miu.

Do you have products from every segment in your store? How do you think having different product segments reflects on your sales?
We offer options for every taste and every style in different segments in our store. Our products are not just eyewear but fashion statements. Having different product segments allows us to increase our competitiveness in the sector, promise consumers a certain quality guarantee, create a loyal customer base and increase our sales volume. We are also trying to appeal to different customer groups by expanding our brand portfolio day by day. With this perspective, I believe that we are also contributing to the development of the national economy.
Street stores or being located in a shopping mall? What is your preference and what are the reasons?
I think the answer to this question depends on the area where the store is located. The choice should be made according to the shopping habits of the target audience in the region where you plan to open a store. We started by opening our first store on Bağdat Street, one of the most important streets of Istanbul. The stores opened on the street have a customer profile that they have been building for years. Stores opened in shopping centers, on the other hand, offer physical and social differences to the consumer and therefore the customer profile changes. In line with our growth targets, we plan to open branches in shopping malls in locations where our target audience is located.

As a retailer, what are your views on price competition between you and your colleagues?
The pressure of intense price competition in the markets is increasing due to increasingly similar products, increasingly difficult product and service differentiation and decreasing profit rates. This situation has led us to restructure our marketing. We are trying to use various methods and techniques to realize and sustain long-term customer loyalty and, in this context, customer loyalty. The competitive power of companies that know and anticipate the current and future needs of customers and implement management strategies such as product development and diversification to meet these needs very quickly and before anyone else will always be high. Our biggest goal is to increase the number of loyal customers. This is achieved by ensuring that the customer is satisfied with the service provided and leaves your company satisfied.
What do you think about the rate and awareness of eyeglass use in our country? What can be done to increase eyeglass use and who has a role to play?
I think that Turkish people do not have enough knowledge about eye health and eyeglass use and this situation needs to change. I think that the main factors preventing access to glasses are the insufficient number of ophthalmologists, opticians and opticianry establishments and the concentration of eye health services in big city centers. Especially in rural areas, services are difficult to reach. In my opinion, the development of the optical sector is directly linked to population characteristics, fashion, ease of access to glasses and the importance society attaches to eye health. The number of ophthalmologists, opticians and opticianry establishments is lower than in developed countries, but this number is increasing every year. This shows that it will be easier to access glasses in Turkey in the future.
How would you evaluate the 10th Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair with its new and larger service area?
I have been visiting Silmo Istanbul for two years now. I think that such fairs are very important for following the developments in the sector and establishing new business contacts. Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair is an international organization that supports the development of the optical sector and brings together suppliers, dealers and employees in this field. I believe that such events are important for the growth of the sector.
We are glad for this valuable interview. Finally, could we learn your comments about the transition of our magazine 4 your eyes to digital publishing?
4 your eyes’ transition to digital publishing will enable it to reach a much wider audience.  It will be much more easily accessible as the phenomenon of time and space will disappear. We wish your team continued success.

 

January 2024

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Interview

Cutler and Gross

Posted on by Burcu Yıldız

Quiet Luxury

Cutler and Gross, which is celebrating its 55th year in the world of premium eyewear with its iconic designs, continues to maintain its lasting legacy and grow rapidly.

Cutler and Gross combines timeless luxury with Italian craftsmanship to produce high-quality frames that are handmade in Cadore, Italy. The brand has gained a reputation for being fashion-forward and has been worn by a number of celebrities over the years. In the legendary early days, the partners Cutler and Gross had met each other at the optometry school in London’s Northampton Institute. It was the early 60s and the two were highly motivated to build an eyewear business together – a bold plan they would be able to make reality. Just two years later, the two joined forces and opened their first optical store in Knightsbridge, London. They sold handmade bespoke frames. Out of this optical shop grew their own eyewear brand, which launched in 1982 during Paris Fashion Week.
Celebrating its 55th anniversary this year, British premium eyewear brand Cutler and Gross continues to stand tall as a symbol of exceptional craftsmanship. With a rich archive of iconic designs dating back to 1971, Cutler and Gross represents the essence of quiet luxury and authenticity, crafted in their own factory in the Dolomites with meticulously supervised Italian production. We interview Jack Dooley, Sales Director and Product Leader at Cutler and Gross, about the brand’s enduring heritage and the driving forces behind its success.

Cutler and Gross celebrates its 55th anniversary in 2024. Given the legacy of exceptional craftsmanship that characterizes the brand, are you planning to honor this tradition during the upcoming celebration?
Of course – craftsmanship is the beating heart of the business; without our skilled artisans we would not be where we are today. We are passionate about communicating the craftsmanship story at every opportunity. From inception design, prototyping, production, to the final polish, there are so many steps to creating a piece of handmade eyewear – it can take anywhere from 9-12 months from start to finish. There’s true beauty in that.
Interestingly, the heart of your production beats in Italy. What role does that play in maintaining your high standards?
Because we own and operate our own factory and design studio in the Dolomites with over 70 employees, Italian manufacturing is truly at the center of the Cutler and Gross brand. We take care of every element of the design and manufacturing process in-house; from start to finish, the frames are handcrafted by expert craftsmen and women. In our factory, we only make products for Cutler and Gross, and the design studio is located on the top floor of the factory, much like the bridge on a ship, steering its course.

That’s a remarkable analogy.  How did Cutler and Gross develop this strategy?
We’ve always had very high standards, but a trip we took to a high-end Japanese factory in 2018 opened our eyes to some of the differences we could make in finishing to take our products to an even higher level. We saw the skill level of the people we already had in Italy, and how eager they were to push the standards of excellence. So, as a board, we set a goal to produce the highest quality acetate frames in Europe by 2023. It has been slow and steady progress, but with the help of our Creative Director Alessandro Marcer and General Manager Enrico Deppi in Italy, we have driven quality to unprecedented heights.
You’ve also managed to be a heritage brand while remaining relevant and modern…
The key to our success is our respect for our Dna and heritage, coupled with a creative need to improve and build on the beauty of what came before. We are heavily inspired and influenced by the shapes and silhouettes of an impressive 55 years of our own eyewear designs. There are over 5,000 Cutler and Gross styles in our extensive archive dating back to 1971, which is now housed in our design studio in Cadore, Italy.

Speaking of Dna, could you tell us more about the term “Quiet Luxury” which really describes Cutler and Gross very well?
Quiet luxury is the new buzzword for what we have been doing for over 50 years. Like a quality suit by Brunello Cucinelli or Loro Piana, our frames aren’t adorned with flashy emblems or external branding. We have a single logo in gold foil on the inside. We don’t need to show off, and our customers rarely feel the need to. The materials we use and the way we make them, creating a frame that fits beautifully and the tactile sense of quality, is what we consider most important.
Do you have any overarching principles that guide you to ensure that the Dna of the brand remains unchanged?
We have grown about 300% in 5 years. This success is linked to a few core values that we hold dear. Our design ethos is deeply rooted in the legacy of our founders, Tony Gross and Graham Cutler. Each new model undergoes a rigorous sign-off process to ensure it embodies the essence of a true Cutler and Gross frame. Authenticity is another fundamental principle we uphold, from using traditional techniques such as real riveted hinges and hand-finished frames, to drawing inspiration from real moments in time when our eyewear made its mark in the world of music, film and art. We avoid superficial trends. Another backbone of our brand is the dedicated people who have been part of our journey for decades, working alongside Tony Gross and Graham Cutler. They reinforce our integrity.

Looking to the future, how does Cutler and Gross plan to continue to grow and innovate while staying true to its heritage?
We have an aggressive growth strategy that includes both retail and wholesale. One of the most important elements of this growth strategy is to expand our product offerings to include more luxurious offerings such as titanium, retail-exclusive horn and other alternative fits.
What about retail and distribution?
We want to maintain and nurture our selective distribution model, selling only in our own boutiques and premium stores. We are always looking for opportunities to open new flagship stores in key cities around the world. We are also planning a complete renovation of all our existing retail stores. A key component will be the development of our bespoke offering, which harkens back to our origins and customizable lenses.
Are there any collaborations we should know about?
We have signed a five-year licensing agreement with luxury English jewelry manufacturer The Great Frog, which allows us to venture into the world of silver and gold eyewear. There are a few more collaborations in the pipeline over the next two years, which has always been part of our Dna, the cross-pollination with other design-led brands is a shot in the arm for creativity every season.

 

Source: Favrspecs

January 2024

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Wholesaler Interview

PRM Mağazacılık

Posted on by Burcu Yıldız

PRM MAĞAZACILIK

Young and Dynamic

Silmo Istanbul has become the locomotive of the Turkish optical sector in this ten-year development process and we are very happy and proud of this development as a company in the sector.

Hello Mr. Tankut, could you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you personally crossed paths with the optical industry?
Hello, I was born in Antakya in 1970. After completing my primary, secondary and high school education at Private Işık High School, I started my higher education at Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Chemical Engineering. Since I was raised knowing that university education is necessary but not sufficient for business life, I started business life in the first year of my university education in order to gain experience in business life. After completing my chemical engineering career, I completed my second university by completing my Economics education, which I believe contributed a lot to my business life. Our paths crossed with my partner at a time when I felt it was time to bring a different perspective to the sector. My partner is also a graduate of Marmara University Fine Arts and has worked in senior management positions on design in various brands for years. We set out with a shared vision and the belief that we were ready to take on a mission.

Although you are one of the young companies, you are drawing a successful graphic with your vision. How and when did you decide to establish Prm Mağazacılık?
We established Prm Mağazacılık Hizmetleri Ticaret A.Ş. in 2010 with the aim of bringing different brands to the Turkish market. While establishing our company, our primary goal was to position the brands in the right place and with the right strategies while ensuring that the brands we brought from abroad could fill certain gaps in the domestic market. In this way, we have met many new brands and products and as a result of the efforts we have made with our experienced team and focus groups consisting of consumers to bring them to the Turkish market, Meller was the eyewear brand that introduced us to the optical sector as well as many clothing and accessories brands that we have brought to the Turkish market.

Let’s talk a little bit about your brands. Could you share with us the main features of your brands, their interaction groups and their position in the sector?
Meller is a very young and dynamic brand established in Barcelona, Spain in 2010. Our Meller brand started to find its place in the Turkish market as of 2018 and as of today, we can say that it is a well-known and sought-after brand. It is one of the fashion brands that use social media most effectively. It is a fast dynamic brand that is preferred by new generations and follows the fashion of the day very quickly. Meller offers both quality and affordable products to consumers with a wide range of models and colors. Freesbee, our other brand, is our second optical eyewear brand that we have brought after the success of Meller and is an American California brand. With the same goals, Freesbee is produced in 100 percent acetate with high quality and accessible prices. Although it entered the sector in 2022, it has become a highly acclaimed and popular brand. With our special agreement with U.S, we have decided to make Turkey a regional supply center and we have made an agreement to carry out sub-distributorships abroad, especially in Europe, Arab countries and Russia, which are in our close geography, through Turkey.

What is your priority when determining the collections of your brands? What inspires you while designing your products?
For the collection selections, we primarily follow international fairs and combine the trends of the season with our own vision and gustom and make choices in accordance with our own market. Of course, our collection and model selections are also guided by current customer interest and demands. We supplement them with at least four collections and color variants per season. Since Freesbee and Meller have a very wide product and collection structure, we have a design team that works very meticulously to bring the most up-to-date models together with consumers. In addition to closely following the trends in the relevant season, our design team also analyzes customer tastes and behaviors in detail and makes model and color choices accordingly.

What is your strategy for expanding your distribution and sales network?
When expanding our distribution and sales network, we are working on a very careful strategy that we have worked on beforehand. Our roadmap is determined before the brand enters the country. We take great care to make sure that brands meet their consumers at the right points of sale and in the right way, rather than being everywhere and on every corner. In this regard, we go a little out of the ordinary and first create the tastes and consumers of the brands. Then, we establish and develop long-term collaborations with sales points that are in line with the dynamics of the brands. Our aim is to be on the supply and promotion side of a long-term and winning business model rather than selling products. We work with only one point of sale in each city except for big cities. Our primary goal is to create demand for brands. In this direction, I can say that we use social media channels very actively.
As a company investing in the sector, what are your thoughts and expectations about the development of the sector?
Obviously, we think that the Turkish optical sector is still developing compared to abroad and has a long way to go. We think that the cumbersome retailers who are still stuck in the old methods should make more efforts to adapt to the development processes and the current new system retail. We think that companies and brands that can no longer interact with their end customers through social media management and communication will have much more difficulties. We foresee that it will be much more difficult for companies and brands that do not have a message to give to their consumers and are not accessible at any time to survive in the next five to ten years compared to the last five to ten years. We also think that the sector needs more innovative and dynamic young managers and labor force with a vision. In addition, we think that the government’s support and incentives for companies, especially in the areas of exports and digital transformation, will increase their contribution to the free growth of the Turkish optical and retail market, and thus the sector’s place in the market may become more important.
Do you follow international fairs and what are your thoughts on this subject?
We think that fairs are a very important building block in sectoral growth and that it is necessary to follow the right fairs accordingly. Of course, we follow all the important fairs as visitors and exhibitors and I think we get the returns. Silmo Paris carries the banner at the forefront in international fairs in this regard, and we follow it regularly with great appreciation as it opens our vision.
As an exhibitor, how would you evaluate Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair, which is being held for the 10th time with its new and larger service area?
After following Silmo Istanbul closely as a visitor since the first year it was held, we participated as an exhibitor for the first time this year after the pandemic that intervened. Frankly speaking, before exhibiting in Silmo Istanbul, we did not fully understand how effective the fair was. At Silmo Istanbul, the visitors reflected their trust and appreciation for the fair to us and our brands and we received very positive feedback. We were very pleased with the demands we received, especially in the face of the intense demand of foreign customers. We have started distributorship negotiations with many neighboring countries for Freesbee and we have concluded this process with some of them. Silmo Istanbul has become the locomotive of the Turkish optical sector in this ten-year development process and we are very happy and proud of this development as a company in the sector.
Thank you very much for this valuable interview. Finally, can we learn your views on the evolution of our magazine 4 your eyes into digital publishing?
Frankly speaking, we think that 4 your eyes magazine has filled the sectoral gap very well in the process of the shift of printed publications to digital. We are eagerly waiting for the new episode to be published every month. Endless thanks to you for your meticulous and diligent work.

January 2024

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Interview

Mykita

Posted on by Burcu Yıldız

Unique and Sophisticated

Choosing new materials and technologies, finding new structures and producing them in a unique way, with its own methods and identity, defines Mykita’s Dna.

Berlin-based Mykita, one of the world’s best independent eyewear brands, continues to unveil its unique and sophisticated collections without compromising its Dna. Mykita, which prepares every collection from design to production in its own kitchen, has crowned its 20th anniversary with the Silmo d’OR 2023 Responsible Company award. We interviewed Moritz Krueger, Ceo and Creative Director of Mykita, about this meaningful award and much more at the Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair held between November 23-26, 2023.
Hello Moritz Krueger, Mykita is 20 years old and one of the best independent brands in the world. What motivated you the most when you started your brand? When you look back, did you make all your dreams reality?
First of all, I take it as a compliment that you think we are one of the best independent brands in the world. Thank you very much. I also know that you have been following our development for a long time, which is really great. I think our motivation for the foundation was born out of a pure desire to create our own brand and to reveal our autonomy, to make our own decisions, to find an unconventional path in the world of eyewear. As for the question of have we realized our dreams and goals, I think you always have to keep dreaming and keep evolving in some way. So it’s a never-ending, never-ending thing. But we didn’t get to where we are now with a grand strategy and forward thinking like the next step, so I would say that Mykita’s development has been an organic journey. When our dreams came true, we had the chance to work with so many great people around the world and customers who share the same passion as us.

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

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