MYKITA

If you have a couple hundred of Euros to spare or simply know someone who knows someone who works at Mykita, I have one advice for you.

BUY.

Mykita is a Berlin based company producing luxe designer sunglasses. Whether you go for rimless, semi rimless or plastic design, all are edgy and contemporary and will definitely catch your eye. (see what I did there?) Ignore the ludicrious price tag, since these are so durable, you can even sit on it and bend it, it basically bounces back to its original shape.

Service was snobby, but otherwise a clean, modern store to peruse and drool over sunglasses that I'll never purchase.

I bought my first pair of Mykita glasses this fall. I am extremely nearsighted (-7.5) with trifocals (continuous) and was afraid the large frames I chose would look ridiculous with my thick lenses, but they were so well made (Zeiss lenses) that they look great. These are beautiful frames, designed and made with obvious craft and care.

The most important thing, though, was the excellent service. Armida helped me, and was patient, informative, and very helpful. There was a problem with the lens prescription that I brought from the US, and they ended up having to remake the expensive lenses after re-testing my eyes in the shop. Their optometrist is SUPERB and very knowledgeable. They made it all right, and were exceptionally fair about it, and now I absolutely love my glasses. I would go to Mykita again, for sure. These are not inexpensive glasses - but if you want the best, Mykita is a great destination. Thanks so much, Armida and all at Alexanderplatz!

I was in desperate need of a new pair of glasses after I managed to break my already-in-need-of-replacement glasses at a music festival (yeah, I'm a rockstar). But hey, who doesn't want German glasses? They're the coolest, right? Well, if you're talking Mykita, yup, right!

The woman who helped me find my frames was patient and thorough. I tried on like 15 pairs before we decided on a lovely pair of green frames that are a bit bigger than I had planned to get, but look awesome on me. She then put them aside for me and promptly made an appointment for me to have my eyes checked.

The eye exam was with the sweetest optician from Barcelona. My eye exam was kind of fun. Who's ever been able to say that before?

The next day, my news glasses were ready! When I went into pick them up the staff that had helped me remembered my name and welcomed me warmly, asking me how my week had been. If I lived in Berlin full time, I'd probably go make regular friends with them :) It was such a great shopping experience!

Realize that these are not cheap glasses. You're get high German design, and high German quality of lenses. But, they'll help you with the VAT return forms so you can get some money back (assuming you don't live in the EU, otherwise, well, good for you that you guys get so many amazing social services for that VAT!)