Mykita: precious items for niche sectors
Invest in research and development because brands that know how to be innovative will be successful. This is the belief about the future of the eyewear industry expressed by Philipp Haffmans, design director at Mykita, during the 2011 edition of MIDO.
“Innovative brands will be very successful. Investing in research and development is always the best strategy” Haffmans said, underscoring that it is a good moment for the company precisely because of its characteristics: “Given that MYKITA operates in a niche sector, we weren’t affected by the crisis nearly as much. Even during the crisis we had a period of growth so we will continue on this road”.
MIDO is always a huge business opportunity and Philipp Haffmans has clear ideas about what he expects from the next few days in Milan: “To meet suppliers and clients, sell eyewear and, in the evening, enjoy a great steak and some excellent red wine!”.
Joking apart, what are your main new products?
“We carried out various experiments with MYLON, the new patented material. We’re presenting some exceptional items created with our collaborators, designers Bernhard Wilhelm and Romain Kremer. And obviously we’re presenting the new metal and acetate models in our main collections”.
As to colors, tradition and change go hand in hand: “Black –Haffmans said – is always wonderful, but there’s also a tendency to use very strong, bright colors like bright orange, for example”.
Which is your favorite model, the number one? “Number one in what way? The most sold or the most beautiful? There is always a big difference between the models I prefer and those that are more commercially successful. One model we are presenting is called MARTIN and perhaps it will be number one in terms of sales, but the most admired will be JOANIE".
Philipp Haffmans, who describes himself as a “hedonist”, has considerable experience in eyewear. “When I was studying design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin, I took part in an eyewear design competition: that was when I laid the foundations for my future in this sector”.
He also has a philosophy or aim that is not always easy to fulfill: “To create and live in a corporate environment that makes everyone feel at home”.
