MYKITA - Berlin's eyewear institution

During the tour, some large boxes full of frames and other parts catch our eye and we enquire as to what they were. A man who has been working with MYKITA since the beginning comes over to explain, with a slight sadness in his voice, that they are to be recycled. He picks up various pieces and describes with enthusiasm which models (no longer in production) they belonged to. As he speaks, we get a sense of the passion the employees at MYKITA have for their work and the scope and scale of what this home-grown company has achieved in its thirteen years’ existence. But it seems that even with the move to these larger premises in 2014, there still isn’t enough room to keep this repository of history around. Then again, MYKITA doesn’t seem like the kind of company to dwell on the past.

After passing through marketing, sales, and their on-site photo studio, we come to the prototyping area. Here, a team of people are working on upcoming designs, with one man skilfully producing all of the physical prototypes by hand. As we look across samples of materials and various models lining the walls and tables, we wonder if we are looking at their next big hit or just one of the many designs that won’t make the cut.

We are introduced to a frame made of MYLON, their signature material. The process involved in creating it is high-tech and is the result of years of research. We hear terms like ‘polyamide powder’ and ‘CO2 laser sintering’; the whole thing feels beyond comprehension. What we are aware of, though, is that the product we hold in our hands is quite remarkable. It manages to have the artificial feel of plastic, yet with the natural warmness and texture of a material like wood. Above all, though, you can’t fail to notice its near-weightlessness. Slowly putting the frame down, expecting the slightest movement to break what felt like a fragile material, we are reassured that it’s extremely durable. The progressive nature of MYKITA, which produces innovations such as this, is perhaps the most striking thing about the company. They’re not looking to be yet another eyewear manufacturer. They’re looking to push the envelope, to innovate, and it doesn’t stop with materials.

Working with Volumental, a Swedish company that specialise in product customisation based on scans of the human body, MYKITA has developed their next innovation—MY VERY OWN. Using a 3D scanning device to capture the unique contours of an individual’s face, MVO allows the frame design to be micro-adjusted for the perfect fit. As well as this, customers are free to choose the colours of the frame, hinges, and lenses. It’s impressive tech, and once again shows MYKITA’s pioneering spirit.

Although MYKITA eyewear is assembled by hand, the headquarters of MYKITA feel like a well-oiled machine itself. Each person works in perfect synergy with the next, resulting in the high-quality eyewear that MYKITA are known for. It’s increasingly rare these days to find a global company that strives to keep everything under one roof, but as we leave the building, we realise that this is one of the key principles that has led to their success, and no doubt will continue to do so in the future.