Issue #94October 11th 2017

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John Richmond’s rebellious

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Borbonese dons eyewear along with Jet Set Group Distribution will start

in January 2018

Mykita’s forward thinking The renowned German brand as described by one of its founders: Moritz Krueger

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| Issue #94 | October 11th 2017

Moritz Krueger, CEO, Creative Director, and one of the founders of the renowned, pioneering brand of Germany, talks to WMIDO about the path taken by his company since 2003.

Your company was founded in 2003: could you tell us about the main steps taken by your company during its early years?Mykita was founded in Berlin. Our first premises were a former children’s day care, called Kita in German, which inspired the name Mykita. We discovered that we had a clear aesthetic vision, as well as a willingness to do things ourselves. A creative company in Berlin in the early 2000s required a different mindset than it would have if it were in London, Paris, or New York – it made us self-sufficient. With no one to manufacture our original designs the way we imagined it, we took the decision to set up in-house production. Developing our own tools and processes has since become a principle of how we operate. We made our debut in Tokyo, closely followed by Paris in 2004. The first Mykita collection only consisted of thirty super light stainless-steel glasses, but the innovative product design and minimal branding resonated with the international audience. Back in Berlin, we quickly had to step up production in order to supply an unexpected number of orders.

How is your company internationally organized?Today our company employs around 450 people worldwide. As well as the headquarters in Berlin, we own two subsidiaries: Mykita North America in New York, and Mykita Apac in Hong Kong. Our global distribution strategy is a mix of direct export and partner companies worldwide.Along with our 14 shops in cities across the globe, including Los Angeles, New York, Paris and Tokyo, our frames are available at selected opticians and fashion stores in over 80 countries.

You often organize collaborations with other designers: why did you decide to do this, and what is your latest one?The main reason behind each of our collaborations is to create a new product. It’s also an opportunity for us to expose ourselves to a strong, creative, outside point of view. This influences our design process and invigorates our company as a whole. Through a collaboration we develop a product that would otherwise never come into existence, and that’s exactly what is so exciting about it. Ultimately, each collaboration is really about the product. An indication of the strength of our collaborations is that most of them last for many years, such as those with Damir Doma, Bernhard Willhelm, and Maison Margiela. Our most recent collaboration projects include eyewear designs with designer Tim Coppens, as well as the Tokyo-based label Ambush, and the record label Perlon from Berlin.

You started in the eyewear field as an “avant-garde” designer: what is the future of eyewear?The future is now! We have never limited ourselves to the traditional confines of the eyewear industry, but always look to incorporate new technologies from other fields into our system where it makes sense. Interdisciplinary partnerships are vital to the way we operate and are key to our success. We are always pushing the boundaries of our materials and constructions. Our design process is the direct result of a constant pursuit of technical advancement.

Mykita’s forward thinking

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| Issue #94 | October 11th 2017

Jet Set Group and Borbonese have signed a multi-year license deal for the production and international distribution of Borbonese's sunglasses and eyeglasses collection. The collection, two years in the making, is produced completely in Italy using materials and working processes which are the result of meticulous technical research, as well as research into style. The brand's iconic symbols, such as its Occhio di Pernice (partridge eye) print and the screw, are interpreted through the use of special custom-made acetates, combined with quality materials, such as titanium, steel and gold. Distribution will start from January 2018, with the glasses being available in the world's most prestigious opticians, as well as in Borbonese's own-brand boutiques.

Borbonese dons eyewear along with Jet Set Group

Benetton Group chooses Mondottica

Benetton Group and Mondottica International announce the signing of an exclusive global licence agreement for the design, production and distribution of United Colors of Benetton branded eyewear.The initial agreement, for both women’s and men’s sunglasses and ophthalmic eyewear, will run through 2023 and the sunglass range produced by Mondottica will be available from SS18 and will be distributed exclusively through Benetton’s own retail network. From 2019 the distribution of the sunglass collections – along with ophthalmic eyewear – will be extended to Mondottica’s global wholesale network.Commenting on the new licence agreement, Mondottica Founder and CEO Michael Jardine said: “We are excited to have this opportunity to work with one of the world’s truly iconic and legendary brands. Benetton’s global reach mirrors ours perfectly in the eyewear market. We anticipate a long and fruitful association”.

450 relaunches GF Ferré in Italy

450, a company well-known for its brand Ultra Limited, has signed a three-year deal with Concepts to distribute GF Ferré eyeglasses and sunglasses throughout Italy."We are extremely proud to be able to distribute the GF Ferré brand in Italy following months of negotiations," 450’s board of directors told WMIDO. "The collection we are going to be relaunching fits in perfectly with our product portfolio since it is very different from Ultra Limited in terms of price, type and style. GF Ferré has always been symbolic of Italian style and, following careful design work and quality improvements, it is ready to make its way back onto the eyewear market", concluded the board of directors.Distribution in Italy will begin on 1 January 2018 but before this, the collection will be previewed from early October.

Essilor Gold sponsors 2nd World Congress of Optometry

Essilor participated in the second World Congress of Optometry (WCO) held in Hyderabad, India from 11 to 13 September 2017 as one of the event's Gold Sponsors.In line with the company's mission, "to improve life by improving eyesight," the congress, attended by 1200 professionals, focussed on matters such as "Accessibility, quality vision and eye health." The main focus was the WHO's "Universal Eye Health," a global action plan for the 2014-2019 period, which aims to reduce uncorrected refractive errors by 25%, by 2019. Conferences and seminars were given by experts from across the world and combined research with clinical practice. The Congress also aimed to define a programme for accessible eye treatment.

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| Issue #94 | October 11th 2017

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A veritable explosion of colours is at the heart of the new advertising campaign from Kaos, the youthful brand belonging to Area98. All of the ingredients that have made the brand a success – creativity, transgression, passion and energy – are channelled by the new images, which showcase a gritty, vibrant collection designed for bold personalities who feed off strong emotions. The decorations on the frames are underlined by exuberant colours which reflect in the details of the faces photographed, giving life to an innovative, extravagant form of expression, and one that most certainly does not fit the mould. A melting pot of unexpected sensations is sparked by the playful colour contrasts, evoking the unmistakeable “apparent chaos” which represents the brand’s core inspiration.

Paul Andrew Womenswear Creative Director Salvatore FerragamoUmberto Cabini President ADI Collezione Compasso d'Oro FoundationTim Hamilton Creative Director The North FaceLeo Scordo General Manager Cp Company

For the first time in 70 years, MoMA, the New York Museum of Modern Art, is housing an exhibition dedicated to the world of fashion: Items: Is Fashion Modern?The exhibition, open from 1 October to 28 January, explores the present, past, and even occasionally the future of 111 items - clothing and accessories - which have had, and continue to have, a big impact on the modern world (20th and 21st centuries). Items: Is Fashion Modern? features items such as Levi's 501s, the Breton shirt, the Little Black Dress, the sari, the kippah and the keffiyeh, as well as one of the most well-known icons of style ever: the legendary Ray-Ban Aviators, designed in 1937.

Ray-Ban arrives at MoMA

Atelier Swarovski enters the eyewear market together with Marcolin, which is responsible for the manufacture and production processes. The collection comes after ten years of jewellery and home ornament collections which have made the brand famous as the utmost creative expression of the Swarovski crystal. Nadja Swarovski, member of Swarovski's executive board, stated "We are excited to increase our range of products for Atelier Swarovski with its first eyewear collection, manufactured with expertise in Italy. These creations are a prestigious celebration of our crystal, and of the masterful craftsmanship, and pioneering design which form the foundations of the brand". Giovanni Zoppas, CEO of the Marcolin Group, added "Thanks to the use of high-quality materials, the precision of the crystal cuts, innovative techniques and detailed finishes, the collection complements our female product range in the luxury market". The collection will be available worldwide from January 2018.

Giovanni Zoppas, CEO of Marcolin

Kaos relies on colour for its new adv campaign

Atelier Swarovski launches eyewear with Marcolin

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Design, fashion & lifestyle

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On 20 September at the Zaha Hadid Gallery in London, two extraordinary designer pieces were showcased for the first time internationally, designed by Zaha Hadid Design and brought to life by the renowned sculpture workshop Leblon Delienne. The two pieces, inspired by the Star Wars universe, are the Amida Desk, which is inspired by the curves of Padmé Amidala’s regal dress, and the LE-A coffee table, which takes its inspiration from the Princess Leia’s iconic bun braids. The timeless appeal of these furniture pieces is emblematic of quality, innovation and entertainment. Leblon Delienne, Zaha Hadid Design and Lucasfilm, may the Force be with you!

| Issue #94 | October 11th 2017

The MAXXI Bvlgari Prize is an important project in supporting and promoting young artists. Founded as a follow-up to the MAXXI Prize, and thanks to the partnership with Bulgari, the prize continually updates itself and grows, aiming to promote and recognise the talent of Italian and international artists alike. The three finalists, chosen by Giovanna Melandri – President of the MAXXI Foundation – and Nicola Bulgari – Vice President of the Bulgari Group – are Talia Chetrit, Invernomuto (Simone Bertuzzi and Simone Trabucchi) and Diego Marcon. The finalists’ site-specific works will be exhibited at the MAXXI from May 2018. In October 2018, the jury will decide the winner, whose work will be bought by the museum.

John Richmond’s rebellious

Valentina Gallo: the iconic pump in a thousand coloursValentina Gallo, a young Italian designer known for her creativity and the quality of

her footwear, presents the latest version of her already iconic Tango Pump: a romantic classic which comes in an extensive range of colours. With vibrant varnishes and sensual velvets, combined with the elegance of organza flowers or the brand-new fur pom-poms, the pumps are transformed into a versatile fashion item that can be put together to match your style. The high quality of Made in Italy-branded materials comes together with the cosmopolitan style of It girls, and this marriage is enriched by the elegance of socialites. The Tango Pump comes in two different heights: 105mm for the more daring, and 80mm for those who prefer a more comfortable shoe.

The MAXXI and Bvlgari come together in the name of art

The British fashion designer returns to the catwalk for the Spring-Summer 2018 season with a fashion show that is bolshie and cannot be tamed, but also one that comes from the heart. John Richmond’s new concept of femininity combines the fearsome bosozuku gangs of Japan with Harlem’s breakbeat, together with the chic nature of Teddy Girls. On the catwalk, the female models will take to the runway with huge boomboxes, mounted on motorcycles and speeding along with the music at full blast. John Richmond himself declared: “With new wave, punk, electro and industrial sounds, this is a festival of the musical intelligentsia in which psychedelic tones and reflections of starkly contrasting cultures find a new aspect in fashion, which moves towards the future, maintaining its je ne sais quoi which has earned the brand renown”.

Star Wars in the world of Zaha Hadid