A PRAGMATIC VIEW: When Mykita and OAMC came together for an eyewear collaboration, so did two like-minded founders, both fans of 1960s-era frames.
“We look at eyewear from that period because it was designed with a very pragmatic mindset: Lenses dictated shapes, materials followed function and construction was visible and honest,” said Moritz Krueger, founder of Berlin-based Mykita, referring to himself and OAMC’s Luke Meier. “There was less emphasis on styling and more attention to performance, fit and durability. That approach feels very relevant today.”
That said, the Mykita + OAMC capsule that launches Thursday has visual oomph since the hybrid frames combine stainless style with Mylon, a proprietary Mykita material whose matte surface is vaguely reminiscent of tools and field equipment.
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Meanwhile, the flat lenses lend a boxy geometry to the squared-up navigator style, and the panto shape boasts a double bridge.
According to Krueger, Meier brought “a clear visual and cultural perspective, grounded in utility and restraint. We translated that through Mykita’s engineering, materials and manufacturing processes.”
For his part, Meier said he appreciated the ingenuity of Mykita, built on “independent thinking” and an “extreme pursuit of deep knowledge.”
Indeed, the flat lenses called for Mylon inserts in the steel frame structure. “This also gave us the freedom to integrate subtle side shields that reduce reflections,” Krueger said.
Incidentally, Mylon was born from a method for rapid prototyping of automotive parts that Krueger discovered at an industrial exhibition in 2008, which the eyewear firm refined, trailblazing its use in the sector and allowing high-volume frames with low weight.
“We both gravitate toward objects that are defined by purpose,” Krueger said. “There’s a shared appreciation for clarity in form and for details that come from necessity rather than decoration. That mindset shaped the visual direction more than any single reference.”
Meier, who recently wound up a six-year tenure designing Jil Sander with his wife Lucie, cofounded his OAMC brand in 2013, having previously worked at Supreme.
The Mykita + OAMC frames are available at Kith Japan, Kith Korea, The Webster, select optical partners and Mykita’s physical and online stores.
