Sandpaper in the Case, 424 and DITA Rough Up the Aviator on Melrose Place
Guillermo Andrade’s 424 and DITA released just 100 pairs of a titanium aviator that owners are invited to scuff themselves.
On September 18, Guillermo Andrade’s 424 and DITA released the Artoa.92, a limited aviator designed in Los Angeles and handcrafted in Japan. Only 100 pairs exist worldwide, 50 with Pigeon Blood lenses and 50 with Smoke, and one place to find them is the 424 flagship at 8441 Melrose Place.
The frame reworks DITA’s signature titanium aviator through Andrade’s distressed design language, finished in yellow gold, with a custom diagonal gradient lens on the Pigeon Blood pairs. The concept is called Perfection, Disturbed. Each pair arrives pristine in a custom leather case with a piece of sandpaper tucked inside, an invitation to wear the frame down over time.
For Andrade, DITA was a longtime reference point. “DITA has been in my world for as long as I’ve been paying attention to design. Every detail they create is intentional,” he said. The sandpaper is the point. “It’s not about making something look old. It’s about giving perfection a story,” he said.
DITA came to the project from the other direction, as a house built on precision. “424 challenged us to embrace the beauty of wear, texture, and individuality without compromising the craftsmanship that defines DITA. The result is something that feels honest to both brands,” said KC Clarke, the company’s chief marketing officer.
The Pigeon Blood pairs have already sold out at DITA.com, where the Smoke version is still available. The release was also stocked at DITA’s U.S. flagship stores and on Melrose Place.
