Some accessories never go out of style. Just ask Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Andy Warhol or Beyoncé, all of whom have been associated with Morgenthal Frederics, the storied New York eyewear brand that has spent more than a century making glasses worth looking at.
Now, the 113-year-old luxury label is entering a new chapter, appointing DITA founders John Juniper and Jeff Solorio as creative directors. The eyewear veterans, known for turning frames into serious fashion statements, are bringing their design expertise to a brand already synonymous with exceptional craftsmanship.
Their first collection, Heritage in Motion, debuts alongside the announcement, marking the beginning of what promises to be a fresh direction for the heritage house.
For the uninitiated, Morgenthal Frederics is something of an insider’s secret in the luxury eyewear world. Its signature? One-of-a-kind frames handcrafted from natural buffalo horn, an extraordinarily labor-intensive process that can take months and command prices upwards of $3,000.
And the clientele is every bit as interesting as the craftsmanship.
During the 1980s, the brand’s Madison Avenue opticians fitted some of New York’s most recognizable cultural figures, including Warhol, Jackie O, Estée Lauder and author Tom Wolfe. It was the kind of discreet, old-school luxury experience that attracted people who could wear absolutely anything but wanted something nobody else had.
That appeal has hardly faded. Beyoncé, Michelle Obama, Mick Jagger, LeBron James and Whoopi Goldberg are among the notable names who have worn the brand.
More recently, Demi Moore wore Morgenthal Frederics while serving on the jury at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, while Steve Martin has sported his frames throughout every season of Only Murders in the Building. Broadway star Tom Francis wore the label to the 2025 Tony Awards during his Sunset Boulevard run and subsequently collaborated with the brand on a capsule collection.
Morgenthal Frederics also has an established relationship with the fashion world, having collaborated with Oscar de la Renta, Ferragamo and Indian couture house Sabyasachi, whose eyewear partnership remains in production. In 2021, the brand even partnered with American Ballet Theatre on a campaign.
For Juniper and Solor
