In the past year, DC has seen the arrival of the affordable and trendy Warby Parker–with two new locations in Georgetown and Shaw–as well as the luxury brand Morgenthal Frederics at CityCenterDC. On April 11, DC is welcoming another new eyewear line to town: the Berlin-based Mykita.
The influx of independent optical shops in DC makes sense when you consider that glasses have become more of a style statement and collectable accessory, rather than basic vision correction (Exhibit A: The First Lady’s stylish makeup artist Carl Ray, who says he owns 16 pairs). At the prices that Warby Parker provides–$95 a pair–prescription glasses are even easier to collect, and with the luxury materials and detailed construction presented by Morgenthal Frederics and Mykita, glasses are now getting the fashion accessory treatment that was formerly reserved for your shoes and bags.
Mykita’s acetate and stainless steal frames are trendy and contemporary, and each is handmade in the Berlin headquarters. Mykita also markets a Mylon collection–lightweight frames made using Selective Laser Sintering, a form of 3D printing.
“Mykita designs often originate with an idea that pushes the possibilities of construction or material development, and then around that a new frame shape is born—it’s never the other way around,” says Moritz Krueger, Mykita’s creative director. “We think of a new formal element or desired functionality and then start exploring how to achieve it. That’s what leads to, after extensive experimenting and research, a new design.”
The storefronts themselves–of which the DC location will be Mykita’s second in the United States—are branded with Mykita’s modern design, featuring an all-white, backlit, perforated stainless steel wall that doubles as an art installation and a display for the eyewear, while repurposed flight attendant trolleys serve as in-shop storage.
Mykita is celebrating their grand opening on April 11 at 3001 M Street, NW. To learn more about Mykita, watch their mesmerizing video showing how their eyeglasses are made.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated.
Caroline Cunningham joined Washingtonian in 2014 after moving to the DC area from Cincinnati, where she interned and freelanced for Cincinnati Magazine and worked in content marketing. She currently resides in College Park.
