Disclaimer: you are about to read an article that I have had in mind for 3 or 4 years, because I love this brand so much. So much so that the famous “article on Dita” was often postponed, because I was afraid of not being complete enough. But after wearing the brand well, it's time for me to take the plunge!
Dita... This name probably reminds you of the famous Dita Von Teese , although we are going to talk about glasses here (and not burlesque stripping). However, these two universes are not that far apart !
John Juniper, one of the two founders, actually met Mrs. Dita Von Teese in 1993, before the company was founded. The story goes that he asked her if she wouldn't mind calling her future eyewear brand Dita , and she totally agreed!
This is the first step in creating one of the most respected eyewear brands in the industry.
A great moment in 2012: my visit to the Dita store in Los Angeles, during our road trip in the United States .
While opticians often have contrary opinions on certain brands, I noticed that Dita was unanimously approved by ALL the opticians I was able to question on this subject, even the most demanding .
It is therefore a brand respected by professionals in the sector and adored by many celebrities. But how did this brand manage to create such an irresistible attraction among its customers?
The history of Dita glasses
The first time I wore a pair of Dita in 2013, I had a bit of the same feeling as looking at a very beautiful watch : everything is impeccable, and it's an object that is impossible to wear in default. Even the opening of the branches does not suffer from any play, even though I have worn them very intensively for two years.
The brand was born in California, a sunny region where sunglasses are obviously an essential accessory .
Jeff and John, the first to wear their creations.
Above all, John and Jeff are childhood friends. They then took photos and videos in the world of board sports. This is a point that may seem trivial, but I think that having been immersed in an environment where freedom, creativity, surpassing oneself and risk-taking are very present notions, has greatly influenced their designs.
We therefore have: sunny American environment + inspiration from well-styled male icons of the 70s/80s = eyewear brand with strong designs.
Why such critical success for Dita?
When we ask them why Dita has had such success, they simply answer that it's all passion (well, their answer is typically American, I grant you). Or more precisely, they have always been extremely meticulous about details and their vision of the product .
For example, all glasses are assembled in Japan and for each different model, the frame is designed from scratch (they do not reuse the same frame from one model to another, except for certain variations of models like the Flight.004 and Flight.005 ).
Here is a pair from the old Lancier range, the very high-end line from Dita, which is already a high-end brand to begin with. So from top of the range to top of the range, that’s (an Inception of glasses) even more high-end! They pushed the finishes, the materials, the small details, for a pair that was close to €1000... We can clearly see the brand's obsession with always going further in the quality of their glasses (and the price too , we're not going to lie).
Besides, why manufacture in Japan? John and Jeff explain that the Japanese pay attention to detail that they have never been able to find elsewhere . Some workers in their factory have more than 20 years of experience. In addition to this, they specialize in small production volumes and high quality (“ low volumes for high quality ”). Exactly what Dita was looking for.
Even their acetate has a story. If Italian acetates are mainly used (the world leader is Mazzucchelli ), Dita uses Japanese acetates because they are denser, which makes polishing easier and limits deformation. And here too, acetate polishing uses a particular technique : bamboo polishing.
Usually, on commercial brands with large volumes, this is a step that must be as quick and inexpensive as possible . Dita, on the other hand, prefers to put her branches in a sort of barrel, which rotates with many pieces of hand-cut bamboo.
This detail is important, because it allows you to have pieces of different shapes and sizes which will come into contact with the acetate and give this particular polish , characteristic of Dita. Visually, it is quite difficult to explain, the shine of the polish is denser and “deep”.
We can see the bamboo polishing in this video.
Among the brand's characteristic details, we find the famous engraved diamond pattern. Next come the hexagonal rivets, which visually add a little something extra compared to normal rivets.
They are also strong supporters of the use of titanium for glasses, because it is a hypoallergenic metal, lightweight, and above all: it does not retain heat ! Practical for sunglasses…
Dita’s high-end positioning
I have sometimes mentioned it, the global eyewear market is a big cake shared by three big players:
- the enormous Luxoticca , which manufactures in particular for the brands Rayban and Persol , but also Oaxley and Oliver Peoples ! They are present in all price ranges . Their market share is so large that they are regularly in the spotlight due to US antitrust laws .
- Marcolin , which for example has the flagship Tom Ford license .
- Safilo , which makes glasses for Dior, Hugo Boss , etc.
As a result, Dita's strategy has always been to get by by offering the best possible quality. In fact, given that the market is an oligopoly , the offer is quite standardized .
It's about the same prices for the same quality everywhere, whether it's Tom Ford, Chanel or Dior glasses. And paradoxically, it is an opportunity that opens up to anyone who would like to offer something of better quality .
Funny thing, the brand has benefited from quite a huge amount of celebrity wear . For example, just on the Midnight Special model, Usher, 50 Cent, P. Diddy, Jamie Foxx and Nicolas Cage have been seen with it. Besides, legend has it that Dita never gave pairs to all these celebrities…
This is quite paradoxical, because to maintain an effect of exclusivity , Dita does not carry out an advertising campaign, is not an advertiser in fashion magazines (= no press insertions) and carefully avoids overly “mass” opticians. market”. She also took care to carry out several very specific collaborations with Japanese brands:
Dita x Visvim. The color of the acetate is truly unique!
Dita x Neighborhood , a cutting-edge Japanese brand, quickly becoming cult.
Dita also produces the Thom Brown eyewear collections, with vintage mountaineering inspiration!
Who are these high-end glasses for?
If you absolutely want a pair of glasses that everyone around you agrees with, with a very wise design, without risk, without waves, and if you are the type to find even the smallest pair of high-end sunglasses too “ostentatious”: Dita may not be the brand for you.
There will always be someone who finds that they are too big, too golden (in the case of gold colors), too “weird”, or even too expensive.
If, for you, Rayban's Wayfarers are already on the verge of eccentricity and what is socially acceptable, you better leave this article immediately.
That said, if you want a stronger, more daring design, with a real bias in terms of lines and volumes , I believe that the brand may be of great interest to you.
Usually, I recommend high-end purchases if you like beautiful objects , if you are sensitive to beautiful materials and finishes, in short, to a product that cannot be better designed and finished. Buy little, but have the best of the best.
In the case of sunglasses, it's a little different. If between a Zara shirt and a shirt costing more than €200 with a hand-mounted shoulder, the novice will not notice much of a difference, and the comfort will be practically the same.
But between entry-level and high-end sunglasses, the differences are much more marked , and justify a higher price, especially at Dita. In addition to the finishes and materials which are a cut above, there are two points that we don't necessarily think about that make the difference:
- design
- comfort
We will see how this translates into two models: the Midnight Special and the Union .
Test: the Midnight Special and their 70's inspiration
This was THE pair I desperately searched for for several months. I took advantage of a trip to New York to buy it much cheaper than in France.
That was the color I wanted initially. I loved the uncompromising shape of the glasses and this surprising “drop” of the glass at the temples.
At first, I wanted the silver-colored model, obviously more discreet , but after calling around ten opticians in Manhattan (they have since opened a flagship in New York on Lafayette Street), it was impossible to get my hands on Midnight Special in silver color!
And finally, this is the model that I took.
As a result, I found myself very perplexed by this golden model that I was given to try . My a priori were very classic: gold in glasses looks bling , especially me who had never stopped repeating that accessories should never convey an impression of wealth, people will look at me strangely, people will throw things at me. stones, I won't be able to leave my house anymore, the whole world will blame me...
This is what it looks like on my unshaven face.
And then Geoffrey, who was with me, reminded me that there is a time when you have to live your dreams rather than dream your life. Or rather, he told me to take them, arguing that the gold went well with my hair color, and that the shape matched my broad face. And then he reminded me that Usher had the same: the strong argument.
The quality of the photo isn't great, but it's definitely Usher in Dita Midnight Special!
And the following day, after an hour of wear, my observation was clear: they were much more comfortable than my Tom Fords (Martine model). The feeling of rigidity that I had with these was completely absent on the Dita. It felt a bit like I went from an average blazer fit to a Husbands blazer fit, in terms of feel.
The big difference is at the nose, where the gap in comfort between the two brands is even more marked.
This seems like a trivial detail, but it's rare that high-end brands take the trouble to put tips on the temples with acetate of varying thickness. It's the kind of little "feature" that contributes to the overall quality of the pair.
On the Midnight, the pads are mounted on thin titanium blades, which allows for great flexibility when the glasses are placed on each side of the nose. Combine that with the lightness of titanium , and that day I understood that I could never go back (and besides, I have never managed to find this same comfort with other brands).
Even the unfolding of the branches has "something more" than a pair of Tom Fords or Diors : it is softer, more subdued, and the branch does not fall under its own weight.
These are these small titanium blades which provide great flexibility once the pair is placed on the nose.
In terms of color, the gold comes from a “12K Gold” plating on the titanium branches. 12K Gold is actually an alloy made of 50% gold and 50% other metals. In French, we say that it is 12 carat gold .
Its interest is obviously its price compared to traditional gold plating, but also its resistance to contact with the skin (it is used for rings and bracelets). It is therefore the perfect material for glasses arms!
Look at the welds, it’s impeccable.
You can imagine that, as a product enthusiast that I am, I looked at these glasses from all angles during the return trip. And here too, it's perfect : each weld is perfectly executed, they don't "bleed", everything fits together to the millimeter. There is not the slightest play between the branches and the recess on the side of the glass, with a nylon thread crimping the impeccably made glass.
Even the “ Made in Japan ” is not only printed on the acetate like the majority of other brands do, but it is engraved in relief! In short, I fell in love with this pair.
The astonishing detail around the glass, where a nylon thread encircles it. We also find the brand's emblematic "diamond pattern".
I have been wearing them very intensively for over two years and they have absolutely not changed . However, I sometimes had a few scares (fall, compressed pair in the suitcase)... So this is what a quality pair is: absolute comfort and manufacturing that commands respect .
Screws, branches, lens insertion, nothing has changed in two years of intensive use.
It's a design very inspired by the 70s, and some will indeed point out to you that the glasses are very large, especially compared to this current trend of making small glasses (like Persol ), but it's precisely what I liked about this pair.
A design that goes a little against the grain, which does not seek consensus , but which draws its inspiration from a universe which is more than 40 years old! It's a purchase that I absolutely do not regret.
Last fun detail: the coloring of the lenses accentuates the orange hues around you in a very subtle way . As a result, whenever there is a beautiful sunset in the summer, you feel like you are in a movie taking place on Sunset Boulevard.
Testing the Union Model
For a second pair, I wanted to explore another direction. It is clear that Dita has nothing more to prove on the Flight , the Armada , the Condor and other Victoires , there really is something for all tastes and face shapes! With my pair of Midnight Special, it was a type of design that I had already experienced well.
The Union model, with mirrored lenses, and still the "diamond pattern" everywhere.
So I wanted to try the other iconic form in terms of men's eyewear, glasses with a "Wayfarer" type design (to use the cult model from Ray-Ban ). At Dita,this category is called “square” , and it continues to expand year after year.
I turned to the Union model, simply because I thought it looked good in the lookbook :)
The Dita Union on the lookbook. I immediately fell in love with the finesse of the design. No unsightly temples and lens rims!
So we have a version of the Wayfarer by Dita. This is not the only model of its kind, the brand offers others that are very similar: the Stateside , the Statesmen , and the Riad .
The name of this model comes from its inspiration, the Los Angeles Union train station, which mixes art deco and ( according to Wikipedia ) Spanish colonial architecture. It's a station that was put into service in 1939, and I find that the vintage touch is well transcribed in this pair, particularly with the shape of the lenses.
The starting point for these glasses is this place: Los Angeles Union Station.
Here we are on volumes that are the opposite of my Midnight Special , it is a shape that would be perfect for relatively thin faces , where Dita's "aviator" shapes will sit perfectly on fairly wide faces.
This is what it looks like on my face, it felt weird wearing smaller lenses! And what's more, I don't even have to smile.
With these glasses, I'm just wearing a Norse Project shirt. With the reflection of Maxime who takes the photo as a bonus!
Besides, why use acetate and not traditional plastic? Quite simply because acetate has a much better hold over time (deformation, resistance), the range of possible colors is more extensive, it is more comfortable and above all, it allows better finesse of work thanks to its density.
In fact, it is very difficult to shape a plastic pair by hand, unlike an acetate pair.
The engraving on the matte acetate is very well done.
Only small downside: the temples are a little short for me, but unfortunately, I am condemned to always wear glasses with somewhat short temples: these have a length of 145 mm, and it is rare to find longer (although that there are lengths in 147 or 150).
Parenthesis: how to choose the size of a pair of glasses?
It's time to take a quick aside on the sizing of a pair of glasses . You'll see, it's really stupid. A glasses size is made up of three numbers. In the case of the Union model, it is 49/19-145. Normally, your glasses size is even printed/engraved on one of the temples (except that the "/" is replaced by a square).
The first number (49 here) corresponds to the maximum width of the glass , in the horizontal direction. You can imagine that you will have to avoid 60 mm (see the Midnight Special ) if you have a thin face !
The second number is the width of the bridge (the bridge is the part that overhangs your nose and connects the two lenses). On the Union , it is 19 mm which separates the two lenses, while it is only 16 mm on the Midnight Special ). Here too, we intuitively understand that if you have a very narrow nose and you choose a wide bridge, the glasses will tend to slide towards the nostrils.
Finally, the last number simply corresponds to the length of the branches. There you go, you have just learned in 30 seconds how to read the size of a pair of glasses!
I haven't found an equivalent in French, but you understand me!
IMPORTANT (and because I know that this can easily fall into overthinking ): I strongly advise you not to start from this element to choose your pair . Don't say to yourself "well, I need a 55/17-140 because I think a 50/18-137 wouldn't suit me" . No, now, by thinking like that, you're in for a good headache.
It is the fitting that takes precedence over everything else, your overall feeling and your tastes which must first guide your choice. Afterwards, have fun looking at the size to give yourself some reference points. But most importantly, it should NEVER, EVER, EVER be the first thing you look at on a pair .
And as such, I'll tell you a little anecdote: the Midnight Special suits my wide face better, I feel more comfortable, especially at the temples. Except… they have smaller dimensions than Unions!
The Midnight certainly have a 60 mm wide lens, while the Union have a 49 mm lens, BUT the Midnight are narrower and have shorter temples (16 mm bridge width and 140 mm temple length, against 19 mm and 145 mm on the Union ).
So, the feeling when trying it on is essential , because everything on paper would have led me to think that the Union was more suited to my face. This is why I insist once again: do not focus on sizing to the millimeter, although this is a very reassuring element, because it is quantitative and rational (the exact opposite of your taste). End of parenthesis.
The finishes of the Union model
In terms of materials, we are still on the 12-carat gold-plated titanium temples, but this time with matte black acetate for the most beautiful effect.
The matte texture of acetate is uncommon in eyewear, where it is often used in a shiny texture.
The pads here are different, their construction is more classic and they do not achieve the excellent comfort of the Midnight . Very logically, the same goes for feeling.
The plates are certainly more classic, but they are still high-end plates in gold-plated titanium, with the "D" and the "diamond pattern" engraved on them! On the outer sides of the lenses, you see a small black protuberance with a screw that is used to remove the glass.
The famous “hex rivets”, small design elements which have been carefully chosen to provide a little differentiation. Also note that although the lenses have a gold mirror effect, they still have a certain transparency to make them easier to wear.
In conclusion, we are faced with a very beautiful pair, with a design much easier to wear than the brand's "aviators", but which brilliantly retains its identity.
The final word: Dita, “power sunglasses”?
We sometimes talk about “power look”, “power suit” or “power shoes” to designate pieces in which “you feel like a lion” as Lino Ieluzzi would say . Well, I think every man should experience the pleasure of wearing power sunglasses at least once.
Dita excels perfectly in this category, and as long as you like the brand's bold approach and quest for quality (especially if you are tired of only seeing Persol or Ray Ban ), I can only encourage you to run and try some models!
Jamie Foxx approves of Dita.
