DaTE, the international fair for avant-garde eyewear, will take place from Saturday 11th to Monday 13th September in Florence, at the Leopolda station. The event aims to be a strategic meeting opportunity, attracting companies which are known worldwide for their eyewear innovation and design, for their exclusive and selected products. As the ninth edition of DaTE approaches, we have interviewed some of the key players.
In this interview we meet Giuseppe Pizzuto from Movitra.
Giving the avant-garde form is the essence of DaTE. What form has your brand taken and how does it interpret the avant-garde?
The “Avant-garde” is something that proposes new forms of expression in contrast to tradition; a trait in whoever dares to think outside the box, of visionaries, of the brave-hearted.
We have invented a completely unique pair of glasses, introducing a totally innovative closing mechanism. At first, it was just the germ of an idea but we were determined to bring it into being, and as we met different manufacturers, we asked ourselves why no-one had come up with this type of closure before. The answer can be found in our approach to the eyewear world as “outsiders”: uncontaminated creators without any preconceived restrictions or frameworks; these are our strengths that we never want to lose, at any stage of the creation and production of our glasses! Every eyewear brand is unique in its own way, with something different to present. But only MOVITRA offers this unique and innovative mechanism. Thus, we aim to present a truly different pair of glasses to the market: there are glasses, and then there are glasses “that turn”, MOVITRA glasses.
The materials are a key element of unique and original collections which do not neglect sustainability. Which ones have you chosen for the DaTe 2021 collections?
Metal, metal, and metal. At this edition of DaTE, we will present a new capsule collection linked to a model we are truly fond of, our ERROR 404. We are focusing strongly on this material because at this moment in time it is the best way to guarantee optimum performance of our mechanism. Steel, titanium, and Niclafor are other materials often used in our collections.
Exclusivity, transgression, design. These are all concepts that have distinguished DaTE since it began. Which of these qualities most represent your brand and why?
Exclusivity and design, definitely. Exclusivity because we have something truly different and unique as compared with others. Design because we offer a highly innovative and technological product that imposes upon us a rigid approach in our design and planning. Basically, a design that’s even more at the service of functionalism.
How does the Italian market perceive eyewear with high level of design, focused on craftsmanship and high-tech?
Based on my knowledge of the sector, the independent eyewear industry is earning itself a growing space and awareness. Today’s public is much more educated and informed in their purchases, always in search of unique products of quality and design. Although there is a very large range of offer, technology and social media now allow people to discover more easily which brands satisfy their tastes and needs. Actually, it is often the brands themselves which identify their target customers thanks to technology.
The customer is today bombarded with messages promoting artisan goods, innovative and quality products... but what will win the day, now and always, is the truth. Many artisan and innovative products are offered at the moment but in a context that calls for frequent communication and requires that promises be kept - it is ever more of a challenge to maintain your positioning over time.
This is the first measurement of how a top design pair of glasses is perceived, a truly crafted and innovative product. The second is the product itself, the sensation created by the glasses when tried on and worn. In my opinion, you don’t need technical expertise to understand whether you have a quality product in your hand that deserves its price tag or not. This, the perceived value of the product, is what makes a difference in the long-term and even longer in the future, in a market with an increasingly large range of options and numerous quality brands.