Morgenthal Frederics is turning to the founders of Dita to broaden its appeal beyond the collectors who buy its buffalo horn frames by the dozen.
On October 15, the New York eyewear brand launched its first collection under creative directors John Juniper and Jeff Solorio. Priced from $795-$2,995, the fall 2026 collection puts greater emphasis on sculpted acetate and detailed titanium frames, giving the brand new ways to attract customers while retaining the horn designs that have built its following.
Juniper and Solorio co-founded Dita in Los Angeles in 1995, developing a luxury eyewear business known for Japanese manufacturing and distinctive frames. According to the company, its frames have appeared on Steve Martin in “Only Murders in the Building,” while Spike Lee has worn custom Knicks-orange buffalo horn designs courtside. Collaborations are another part of MF’s plans for 2027. The brand has previously worked with Oscar de la Renta, Monse, Rosie Assoulin and Sabyasachi, bringing its eyewear expertise to established fashion labels.
“We have some more exciting ones coming up,” Kaczor said, describing prospective partners as luxury brands “rich in their heritage and culture.” She declined to name the collaborators.
Their appointment also extends their work within MF owner New Look Vision Group: Earlier this year, they debuted their first collection for sister brand Robert Marc, which dropped “NYC” from its name as part of a push for broader international recognition. At MF, the opportunity is to make the rest of the assortment as compelling as its signature material.
“Morgenthal Frederics already had tremendous authority in horn,” designer John Juniper said in an interview. “We saw an opportunity to give acetate and titanium an equally distinct point of view through stronger proportions, more dimensional surfaces and details that reveal themselves over time.”
MF traces its roots to Frederics Opticians, founded in Manhattan in 1913, and adopted its current name in 1986. Today, it operates 13 U.S. boutiques, selling its own frames alongside styles from Cartier, Chrome Hearts and Jacques Marie Mage. The company said approximately 75–80% of its clients are repeat customers and that the business grew around 10% in 2025. It did not disclose revenue.
Chief retail officer Jess Kaczor said the designers’ existing following could bring new customers into those stores. For established clients, the collection adds new shapes and details without abandoning the fit and personal service they expect.
The new designers are not looking to change the formula. “We deliberately resisted the idea of change for its own sake,” designer Solorio said. “Horn remains the pinnacle of the collection, and the expertise of the opticians remains central to how the product is experienced.” Horn glasses take months to make, but new styles from acetate are produced faster.
Among the new styles from the designers, Signal Sun uses a sculpted acetate material to give the frame more volume from the front and sides. Scratch combines acetate and titanium, with custom metalwork on the temples and purple temple tips. The designers said their understanding of opticians’ needs helped them refine the balance and construction of the more substantial acetate designs.
Their work across two sister brands also requires keeping each recognizable. “We are not interested in importing the language of one brand into another,” they said.
For MF, the brand’s signature is closely tied to customers who treat eyewear as a collection. Kaczor said some horn clients buy 10 or 20 pieces at a time, supported by relationships with opticians who have worked for the business for decades. At around $3,000 a frame, a 20-pair purchase could total as much as $60,000 in a go.
Kaczor credits the brand opticians for customer loyalty. “This is a career field for [the opticians]. This isn’t just a retail sales position for them,” said Kaczor. She said the relationships with clients are, therefore, deeper and more long-term.
As a result, MF is developing a more hands-on experience for its custom horn program in 2027, using color palettes and material chips to bring customers into the design process, supported by the opticians. Kaczor compared it to commissioning a custom suit or pair of shoes. “We want to bring the client into the experience a little bit more,” she said.
Long-term loyalty is important for the brand. The company already offers refurbishment, collecting horn frames from customers and sending them back to Germany for restoration. As with all time-poor luxury clients, time is money — appointments can also take place over Zoom or through concierge visits to customers’ homes and offices.
For existing clients, having measurements on file allows opticians to recommend frames over WhatsApp and prepare orders remotely. “We know you love this style. We have your measurements. We’ll get it all ready for you. We’ll box it up and send it,” Kaczor said, describing that exchange.
That service has included going as far as taking an Uber to the airport to deliver glasses to clients departing for France. “We always tell the store staff nothing is off the table,” she said. “Whatever the client needs, we will go out of our way to make sure it happens.”
