i visited frankfurt for a few days and thought "while here I should get some nice glasses". I was hoping to find something unique and limited, something I can't get in L.A. I did some research, read some shopping guides and the biggest name in frankfurt is rainer brenner optik, so i went there.
first of all it was a very conservative, stiff and cold atmosphere when i entered the store. staff was overly friendly, but fake. the store was packed with all the big brands like prada, gucci, armani etc. - nothing special. most of what they had I had seen in L.A. and for cheaper. even for Frankfurt's standards this place was way overpriced. There were even some "who buys this" frames made of real gold and very average looking "mum and dad" frames. either the lady who helped me didn't understand what i like or she had bad taste. i didn't like anything she showed me. this store is totally overrated, and over-hyped in all the guides. makes you wonder, how much must they be paying to get into these guides?
after a very disappointing experience, some friends suggested to go to markus nikolai optic. there I was received with a warm and open vibe and found this great pair of mykita glasses which I was surprised to find out that they were made in germany. Their selection was ace and they had so many styles I loved I ended up buying two pairs. read more