DITA Eyewear
Flagship Retail Stores
Experience Vision
Customer Experience Strategy
Sales Programme
Training Programme
Experience Design
Service Design
Spatial Design
Flagship Retail Stores
Experience Vision
Customer Experience Strategy
Sales Programme
Training Programme
Experience Design
Service Design
Spatial Design
Warm Minimalism:
Natural Materials & Modern Forms
Many contemporary artists and designers, deem context and tradition irrelevant, choosing to take a purely personal approach to their craft. Dita takes an exception to this reductionist approach to modernism, choosing context and tradition as the foundation of the environment.
Conceived as one part optical laboratory, one part showroom, the space balances an ascetic strength, with textural and sculptural details. Designed in collaboration with architectural practice TagFront under the leadership of brothers Mandi and Mehdi Rafaty the design philosophy was informed by the concept of ‘Warm Minimalism’ a balance of natural materials and modern forms.
“Japan’s rich history of craft, design, and culture has informed our work since the beginning,” explain John Juniper and Jeff Solorio, who co-founded Dita in 1995. “This flagship is more than just a celebration of contemporary design – it’s an opportunity for patrons to experience Dita’s innovative products and craftsmanship like never before.”
Sculptural displays and the juxtaposition materials reign supreme underscoring Dita’s appreciation of craft with inspiration being drawn from Japan’s influence on European design in the first half of the 20th century. Initial research included movements such as the Vienna Succession all seen through a contemporary lens.
Natural Materials & Modern Forms
Many contemporary artists and designers, deem context and tradition irrelevant, choosing to take a purely personal approach to their craft. Dita takes an exception to this reductionist approach to modernism, choosing context and tradition as the foundation of the environment.
Conceived as one part optical laboratory, one part showroom, the space balances an ascetic strength, with textural and sculptural details. Designed in collaboration with architectural practice TagFront under the leadership of brothers Mandi and Mehdi Rafaty the design philosophy was informed by the concept of ‘Warm Minimalism’ a balance of natural materials and modern forms.
“Japan’s rich history of craft, design, and culture has informed our work since the beginning,” explain John Juniper and Jeff Solorio, who co-founded Dita in 1995. “This flagship is more than just a celebration of contemporary design – it’s an opportunity for patrons to experience Dita’s innovative products and craftsmanship like never before.”
Sculptural displays and the juxtaposition materials reign supreme underscoring Dita’s appreciation of craft with inspiration being drawn from Japan’s influence on European design in the first half of the 20th century. Initial research included movements such as the Vienna Succession all seen through a contemporary lens.
Inside, the space is split into two areas. The smaller, more pared-back zone to the left of the entrance houses the DITA LAB, where customers can personalise their eyewear with custom sunglass or prescription RX lenses. White surfaces and strict grids add to the clinical concept of this area, while the stone keeps it warm and inviting.
On the other side of the store, a larger room acts as a showroom, where customers can browse, try on products, and learn about the brand. Here, dark shelves arranged in columns of different widths are used to present the brand’s eyewear collections, which include its own line, and ranges by two other Dita Group brands: New York fashion designer Thom Browne and newly acquired fashion brand Christian Roth.
Design Direction
DITA Group
Creative Direction—
Dustin Edward Arnold
Project Management—
Christina Tino
DITA Group
Creative Direction—
Dustin Edward Arnold
Project Management—
Christina Tino
Architecture
Tag Front
Principal Architects—
Mehdi Rafaty & Mandi Rafaty
Designer—Heidi Tay
Designer—Sean Lee
Designer—Farhad Hooshivar
Tag Front
Principal Architects—
Mehdi Rafaty & Mandi Rafaty
Designer—Heidi Tay
Designer—Sean Lee
Designer—Farhad Hooshivar
Construction
D. Brain Co., Ltd.
Project Management
Supernova Inc.
General Contractor
D. Brain Co., Ltd.
D. Brain Co., Ltd.
Project Management
Supernova Inc.
General Contractor
D. Brain Co., Ltd.
DITA Showroom
& DITA Lab
& DITA Lab
The Dita Lab is staffed by eyewear technicians who can personalize any frame with sunglass or prescription RX lenses. In sun a variety of different lenses are on offer which can be cut to any of the frames available within the showroom, enabling you to personalize your product.
In optical, we are able to read eyes and fill prescription within the Dita Lab, so it can be a ‘one stop shop’ for prescription RX lenses and any frame of your choosing. In addition, the Dita Lab also offers maintenance in any cases of small repairs and polishing in order to keep your frame looking brand new.
Materials
Clear satin Glass panel
Made by melting together several minerals at very high temperatures. Silica in the form of sand is the main ingredient and this is combined with soda ash and limestone and melted in a furnace at temperatures of 1700°C. A perfect matte finish is applied to the surface for beautiful light diffusing effects within the space.
Bronze Satin Glass Panel
Luminous, smooth, and subtle. This bronze satin glass panel is used for is overall warmth an emotive effects within the space. Providing a break from the brushed stone surfaces.
DITA Eyewear
Fixtures
Spatial Design
Fixtures
Spatial Design
DITA’s fixture system, a modular approach to design.
The majority of DITA’s B2B business is driven by high-end opticians who provide in-person consultations. Therefore the brand’s visual merchandising and display package was of primary importance.
Consistency of form, material finishings, shipping, assembly and alignment with the core brand identity all were under consideration for the final design solution.
Designed as a modular system, the fixtures are designed to accomodate a variety of contexts and situations. From featuring a suspended hero product and their subsequent colorways, to accomodating literature or signage for individual products. This was achieved by designing a removable tray that was milled on either side with space for collateral and and frame hangers to live.
Two product risers were designed one to accomodate up to three products and the other for up to six. Primarily designed for desktop displays the merchanding package also included a logo block which also functioned as a visual advertising holder, this was achieve by simply milling a slot in the bottom of the logo block the same width as the card.
The majority of DITA’s B2B business is driven by high-end opticians who provide in-person consultations. Therefore the brand’s visual merchandising and display package was of primary importance.
Consistency of form, material finishings, shipping, assembly and alignment with the core brand identity all were under consideration for the final design solution.
Designed as a modular system, the fixtures are designed to accomodate a variety of contexts and situations. From featuring a suspended hero product and their subsequent colorways, to accomodating literature or signage for individual products. This was achieved by designing a removable tray that was milled on either side with space for collateral and and frame hangers to live.
Two product risers were designed one to accomodate up to three products and the other for up to six. Primarily designed for desktop displays the merchanding package also included a logo block which also functioned as a visual advertising holder, this was achieve by simply milling a slot in the bottom of the logo block the same width as the card.
Window merchanding was also addressed as well as desktop merchanding with a simple to assemble pedastle which could be flat packed for global shipping to accounts.
Credits
Creative Direction & Design—
Dustin Edward Arnold
3D Renders—
Han Roh, Louis Lee
Creative Direction & Design—
Dustin Edward Arnold
3D Renders—
Han Roh, Louis Lee
DITA Aoyama
5-8-8 Minami Aoyama Minato
Tokyo Japan
DITA Seoul
21 Apgujeong-ro 10-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul S. Korea
21 Apgujeong-ro 10-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul S. Korea
Brushed Brass Detailing
Historically malleabal and workable, brass also has a harmonious musical aspect, making it the metal of choice for construction of musical instruments. Within the space brass is used as subtle accents.
Pietra Grey marble
Pietra Grey marble is a gorgeous contemporary marble. Imported from specialized quarries such as the Carrara region of Northwest Italy’s Apuan Alps. Each piece is hand selected and utterly unique. This marble is made up of warm grey tones and striking white veining throughout.
Design Direction
DITA Group
Creative Direction—
Dustin Edward Arnold
Project Management—
Han Roh
DITA Group
Creative Direction—
Dustin Edward Arnold
Project Management—
Han Roh
Architecture
Jong Kim Associates
Jong Kim Associates
DITA Group
Modular Tradeshow Environmental Design
Paris - Milano
Design Direction
DITA Group
Creative Direction—
Dustin Edward Arnold
Project Management—
Christina Tino
Architecture
Tag Front
Principal Architects—
Mehdi Rafaty & Mandi Rafaty
Designer—Heidi Tay
Designer—Sean Lee
Designer—Farhad Hooshivar
DITA Group
Creative Direction—
Dustin Edward Arnold
Project Management—
Christina Tino
Architecture
Tag Front
Principal Architects—
Mehdi Rafaty & Mandi Rafaty
Designer—Heidi Tay
Designer—Sean Lee
Designer—Farhad Hooshivar
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DITA Madison
946B Madison Ave,
New York, New York 10021
946B Madison Ave,
New York, New York 10021