Exclusive Dita

Over the past three years, the company has grown 300%. Rosario Toscano, its Managing Director, illustrates its journey.Tell us about Dita's current positioning on the market.Dita has been growing rapidly with a growth rate of 40% over the first 5 months of 2017. It is most certainly the fastest-growing independent brand in the luxury segment of fashion eyewear. Through its premises in California, Ireland, Hong Kong and Japan, strategically positioned to better serve the key markets, it markets its products worldwide, boasting a distribution network which counts six proprietary points of sale (in the United States and in Japan) and more than 3,000 authorised retailers across the world, through its highly-qualified sales force. What are your future objectives in the short- and mid-term?The company and brands have great potential. Our main objective is to continue to grow in expanding markets and boost product distribution, while maintaining selectivity and positioning in compliance with each brand in our portfolio, whether current or future. In the mid- and long-term, Dita is going to launch two new brands, one in the super-luxury segment, with glasses created and produced using revolutionary techniques and materials, and a second brand that features special lenses for driving cars, boats and planes.You bought the brand Christian Roth in 2015. How have you developed this brand in terms of creativity and distribution?Christian Roth is a brand with a great heritage. Christian Roth and Eric Domege were fashion eyewear pioneers in the ’80s, and designed some of the most extravagant, innovative glasses of all time. We have developed brand promotion by celebrating the ones which were the most important milestones and creations, reproposing iconic models with a modern twist and letting the consumer in on the history and values behind the product.And what about Thom Browne?Again for Thom Browne, as regards product promotion, we can definitely count on the reputation of the brand and the designer: Thom is considered one of the top designers in the world at the moment. The two brands' close collaboration has resulted in a product that reflects ready-to-wear design features and cutting-edge technology and manufacturing of Dita production. Product features, the production process and the ensuing price all call for focusing on selective distribution and taking care of product design and finishing phases in great detail.You are one of the most important players in luxury eyewear. What is the future of this segment?The eyewear market is worth 90 billion dollars and it is growing exponentially. A significant slice is represented by the luxury eyewear segment that promises growth rates of 60-70%. This trend will increase in the future also due to fashion giants such as LVMH and Kering that are taking action to make the eyewear experience similar to that of the fashion world. Eyewear is now a fashion accessory that is no longer seen as a purely functional accessory. It is thus a sought-after product, so eyewear choice is increasingly important along with the expression of the style and personality of each of us.What do you think about large luxury groups entering our sector?Just as I mentioned in the last answer: the luxury eyewear segment is, without a doubt, an interesting business opportunity and large luxury groups can use brand awareness and synergies to develop their own eyewear line in house. Of course, they will have to respect expectations and reflect the quality and positioning of each brand in the glasses.Will we see you at the September edition of Date?There will be a lot of news. Of course we will attend Date as we have for years with Dita, Thom Browne and Christian Roth, but we do not want to spoil any surprises! The fair will most definitely be successful, also considering the fact that Silmo will be taking place in October this year.