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The Gothic Chapel and Romanesque courtyard of Instituto Cultural Helénico became the setting for an evening created to discover the tradition, techniques, and Japanese craftsmanship behind the making of DITA eyewear.
The Gothic Chapel and Romanesque courtyard of Instituto Cultural Helénico were transformed for an evening dedicated to Japanese craftsmanship in luxury eyewear. Tangerine Supply Co and La Infinita Compañía created an experience centered on the dedication, precision, and techniques that continue to shape pieces whose handcrafted production can take up to ten months.
The purpose went beyond presenting a selection of eyewear. The evening sought to bring guests closer to the work behind each piece and, in particular, to the tradition of Japanese craftsmanship that forms part of DITA’s identity.
Under the concept of Luxury Curation, Tangerine Supply Co brings together a portfolio of sunglasses and optical frames from premium brands including T. Henri, DITA, Valentino, Akoni, and Balmain, alongside selected beauty offerings such as niche fragrance house Ilmin and apparel brands including BALR.
An Experience Built Around Japanese Craftsmanship
From the moment guests arrived, the space began to unfold the narrative of the evening.
An ephemeral garden installation created by architect Oscar Jiménez of BePlant evoked Japan and guided guests into a sensory experience connecting design, art, and craftsmanship.
At its center was an interactive exhibition dedicated to the history of DITA, some of its most recognizable models, and the craftsmanship behind their production. The brand brings together American creativity and design with Japanese craftsmanship and techniques that have made the production process an essential part of its eyewear.
Rather than simply displaying the finished product, the exhibition offered an opportunity to understand the value of the process: the time, precision, and manual work required to transform an idea into a pair of glasses.
During the exhibition, guests enjoyed a glass of red wine accompanied by a Lady Godiva chocolate, Lady Godiva edition, from Bodega Santo Tomás.
The evening also brought together figures connected to the worlds of eyewear and luxury. Mark Russak, Commercial Manager at DITA; Natalia Velez, director of Ilmin; Rodrigo Alday, founder of Tangerine Supply Co; and Oscar Santander, country manager of Tangerine Supply Co, were among the hosts.
Guests included Zaira Marino, director of Fashion Group International; Gaby Rodríguez; artist Rodrigo de la Sierra; Miguel Herrera; Mónica Quintero; Héctor Alonso; and Paulina Madrazo, among others.
Japan as the Connecting Thread
The experience continued with small gestures connected to Japanese culture and the idea of looking toward the future.
Guests received fortune cookies with personalized messages and were invited to choose an omamori, traditional Japanese amulets associated with wishes for happiness, abundance, health, safe travels, and good fortune.
The experience then moved into the Gothic Chapel for one of the central moments of the evening.
Members of La Infinita Compañía, under the direction of Rodrigo González, presented an interpretation of the ballet Madame Butterfly. González, a choreographer, dancer, and director, has been recognized twice with the Lunas del Auditorio.
Following the performance, Rodrigo Alday, founder of Tangerine Supply Co, thanked the guests — many of whom had traveled from outside Mexico specifically for the event — before introducing the evening’s main surprise.
Mirai: Looking Toward the Future
The highlight of the evening came with the premiere of Mirai, a contemporary dance piece created specifically by Rodrigo González for Tangerine Supply Co.
Commissioned as part of Tangerine Supply Co’s program supporting the Fine Arts, the work drew inspiration from Japanese craftsmanship and contemporary Japan to reflect on relationships, the passage of time, and visions of the future.
The piece was performed by dancers Paulina del Carmen and Carlos Coronel, who wore DITA eyewear throughout the choreography. The performance was accompanied by live cello from Erick Villasierra, with music by Tomaso Albinoni.
In this way, the craftsmanship at the heart of the exhibition found another form of expression onstage: movement, music, and eyewear converged in a work created specifically for the occasion.
The Models That Tell DITA’s Story
Following Mirai, guests were invited to discover additional ephemeral exhibition spaces throughout the venue.
The selection included iconic DITA pieces, among them eyewear associated with Ironman and the Flight.006, as well as the Hydra by T. Henri and other pieces from Tangerine Supply Co’s historical collection.
The exhibition offered another way to discover DITA’s history and the evolution of a brand that has made Japanese craftsmanship one of the central elements of its approach to luxury eyewear.
The pieces became tangible evidence of the idea that had shaped the entire evening: behind a finished object lies a chain of knowledge, precision, time, and human work.
An Evening Built Around Japan
The experience eventually returned to the Romanesque courtyard of Instituto Cultural Helénico, where guests enjoyed a Japanese dinner and a cocktail program created especially for the occasion.
Several of the cocktails referenced pieces and codes from the DITA universe. The Mach series inspired a blend of whisky, vermouth, and passion fruit; the brand’s Japanese connection appeared in another combination based on sake and elderflower liqueur, while Tangerine Supply Co introduced a Mexican accent through a cocktail made with mezcal and mandarin.
The selection was completed with Oro de Oaxaca aged mezcal.
Between Japanese dishes and a live food station, violinist Sara Maiki provided the soundtrack for the closing celebration while wearing pieces from DITA’s eyewear portfolio.
From the ephemeral architecture and exhibition to dance, music, and gastronomy, every moment returned to the same starting point: making visible the work that usually remains unseen behind a pair of glasses.
Tangerine Supply Co thus turned the evening into a tribute to Japanese craftsmanship and, through DITA, to an understanding of luxury in which value lies not only in the finished object, but also in the time, precision, and hands required to create it.
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Statement, Alan González S., Selene Alaide. ©
