How a self-funded brand turned $25 running shades - the kind with names like Flamingos on a Booze Cruise - into a sport-eyewear company doing roughly $47 million a year.
DITA Eyewear is a Los Angeles-founded luxury eyewear house that designs and handcrafts high-end sunglasses and optical frames in Japan. Founded in 1995 by childhood friends Jeff Solorio and John Juniper, DITA is known for meticulous production - a single pair can involve more than 100 steps and months of finishing using beta-titanium and premium acetates. The brand sells direct through dita.com, its own flagship boutiques, and a network of premium optical retailers, and has built a cult following among musicians, athletes, and film celebrities. It positions itself as 'A Category of One' in discreet, design-led luxury eyewear.
Novelship is a Singapore-based online marketplace for buying and selling authentic sneakers, streetwear, apparel and collectibles across Asia-Pacific. Founded in 2018, it connects buyers and sellers through a bid-and-ask model, verifies every item in-house before it ships, and has grown into one of the region's largest platforms for limited-edition drops from brands like Nike, Jordan, Adidas, New Balance and ASICS.