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| New Lines and Launches...
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Younger Optics Now Offers Drivewear Hold Messages
TORRANCE, Calif.—Younger Optics has begun using on-hold phone messages to promote its Drivewear lenses. The Torrance-based lens maker offers two messages, one tailored for the optical retailer and the other for the wholesale optical lab. Both messages are approximately 22 seconds long and available to download for free through the Drivewear Web site, www.drivewearlens.com.
“These hold messages are the most recent addition to a growing number of educational and selling tools we’re providing at both the laboratory and dispenser levels to help get the word out about Drivewear lenses,” said David Rips, president and chief executive officer of Younger Optics.
Drivewear lenses are now available in standard-index single-vision, Image progressive semi-finished lens blanks in a prescription range of -8.00 to +6.00D, and finished planos, all of which are available through authorized wholesale labs. |
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I See Temples!
BERLIN - ic! Berlin, a company known for their innovative no screw hinge design, has introduced their first interchangeable temple collection.
Now consumers can play around with the ic! hinge and modify their glasses using new temples depending on their mood. With 12 styles: Indian Summer, Filter, Tag 1, Tag 2, Target, Speed, Jet, Triton, Orchid, Asymmetric, Square and Harp, available in chrome, gold and gun metal, there’s a different sunglass look for every day of the week. |
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No Small Change |
| Show Me the Money
It seems like prices just keep rising and the demand for luxury goods is exploding. It isn’t unusual now to see sunglasses set with gemstones and precious metals. Some styles now have wholesale prices that are higher than what most other frames retail for and it is creating a new super luxury high-end market where sunglasses can retail up to $130,000. But it all comes down to a basic principle of economics—supply and demand. If there were no demand for extravagant and expensive sunglasses then there would be no supply. Here, Sun Advisor shows you four brands that are putting the “platinum” in Platinum Card.
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NYC’s Newest “Special Treasure”
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Luxottica Retail to Launch Luxury Sunwear Chain Ilori
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Luxottica’s new luxury retail concept, Ilori. |
CINCINNATI—Luxottica Group will open the first unit of a planned chain of luxury, customer-service oriented sunwear-only stores called Ilori in New York City’s upscale SoHo area late in August. Seven more Ilori locations, including one on Los Angeles’ shopping mecca Rodeo Drive, are planned by year-end.
“Ilori is a new concept that will bring together a unique view of sunwear product, offering new styles, trends, niche brands and service that you don’t typically find today in specialty sunglass stores,” said Valerio Giacobbi, executive vice president of Luxottica Group.
Retail prices in the new stores will move from an opening point of about $200 up to the $4,000 to $5,000 range. The company has no specific plans to offer Rx sun lenses at Ilori, which is an African word for “special treasure,” although such lenses might be made available as a customer service.
Luxottica executives said the company’s goal is to open from 100 to 150 Ilori stores in the U.S. in the next three years. They also did not rule out the possibility of eventually taking the concept beyond the U.S.
Giacobbi said the Ilori’s sales associates—referred to as “stylists”—will develop relationships with their customers that include providing them with information about sunwear brands and trends, tracking their previous purchases and notifying them of new merchandise arrivals when appropriate.
Although Giacobbi declined to provide details on the number of SKUs or specific sunwear brands the Ilori stores will carry, he said the merchandise mix will encompass a selection of Luxottica sun collections including special colorations and limited edition styles as well as luxury styles from outside suppliers, including “emerging designers and niche brands.
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The first unit of the Ilori chain in NYC’s SoHo neighborhood.
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The target Ilori customer is primarily female, aged 30 and up, sophisticated and well-traveled, and someone who already owns multiple pairs of sunglasses. The Ilori stores are not expected to cannibalize sales from Luxottica Retail’s Sunglass Hut location, according to Giacobbi, because Sunglass Hut’s merchandise, in addition to being lower-priced, is geared toward both fashion and function and to both males and females, and those stores are more self-service.
Michael Hanson, who previously headed business development for Sunglass Hut, is general manager of Ilori, reporting to Jack Kraus, VP of Luxottica Retail’s sunwear division. Ilori will have its own marketing and buying team, according to Giacobbi.
Creation of the new Ilori chain is part of an overall move by Luxottica to expand the luxury eyewear business in general, said Pierre Fay, executive vice president of
Luxottica wholesale N.A. Luxottica recently reorganized its Chanel sales force to provide more support to wholesale customers, he said, and has established a new luxury sales force to handle its Bulgari, Ralph Lauren Purple Label and Persol collections, as well as the new line of Tiffany eyewear Luxottica will introduce next year.
“Today, luxury retailing in general is growing very quickly, and we have invested heavily in the category,” Fay said. “We expect to learn from our experience with Ilori and transfer that experience, where it makes sense, to our wholesale customers.”
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Celebrating “50 Years of 20/20”
How One California Practice Looks to the Past While Keeping an Eye on Its Future |
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The founder of Griffin Optometric, Ted Griffin, OD, in 1957 when the practice first opened.
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| Pictured, left to right are Drs. Patrick Griffin, Powers Griffin and Randy Griffin. |
SAN CLEMENTE, Calif.—Back in 1957, Ted Griffin, OD, started Griffin Optometric. Today, the now three-practice group run by his sons, Drs. Powers, Randy and Patrick Griffin, is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a blast to the past.
Running the tagline, “50 Years of 20/20” across the bottom of the external windows and decorating their San Clemente flagship location with memorabilia from the decade the practice was founded, the group is celebrating their long history of success with the community in a fun and upbeat way. “One of the girls in the office has a lot of ‘50’s era collectibles so we thought it would be fun to decorate with a lot of 1950’s inspired pieces and kitsch throughout the practice,” said Patrick Griffin, OD. “We have little vignettes; around the office with fun kitchenware, old alarm clocks, salt & pepper shakers, there is even a re-furbished 1958 Lambretta motor scooter in the middle of the office.”
Throughout all of the memorabilia, this Orange County optometric group has incorporated modern eyewear and sunwear pieces that are influenced by the 1950’s era. “There are beautiful zyls and colors that look and feel modern but they work so well when placed in that kind of setting you can see they are updates and re-interpretations of retro pieces,” summarized Griffin.
With brands like Dolce & Gabbana, Dior, Prada, Maui Jim, Oakley, Oliver Peoples, Fendi and Alain Mikli, it isn’t surprising that a lot the sunwear is an updated take on classic styles. “Our patients are quality minded but very fashion-forwarded thinking,” added Griffin.
Prices of course have suffered with the passing of time, with the average non-Rx sunglass sale ringing in between $175 and $275 and Rx-able between $250 and $650. “Rx is a big factor in determining the product mix so a bulk of our offerings are Rx-able. People get disappointed if they fall in love with a frame and then we have to tell them we can’t put their lenses in it,” said Griffin.
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| The refurbished 1958 Lambretta Li 150 Series One motor scooter decorating the lobby of the Griffin Optometric Group’s San Clemente flagship location. |
One of the many vignettes around the dispensary that mixes modern day eyewear with 1950’s kitsch and collectibles.
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Prices, however, may have been the only thing to change. When Ted Griffin, OD opened the practice in 1957, involvement in his community was important to him. It is a legacy that has not only been passed down to his sons but one that has thrived. In addition to their community activism, it was important that their friends and neighbors share with them in their accomplishment. “I think people have really appreciated the celebratory nature of our 50th anniversary and that we have avoided the whole self-promotion aspect. We aren’t pushing hard for sales. We sincerely appreciate our success and wanted to say thank you to our patients and that we look forward to continuing to serve our community in the future,” concluded Griffin. |
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Sizzling Summer Styles
Sàfilo on E!
LOS ANGELES—A number of Sàfilo brands were mentioned in a program on the E! network called "E!'s Sizzling Summer Preview."
The show included a sunglass trend segment shot in the Beverly Center where Eden Wexler, public relations manager for Sàfilo, was interviewed and Sàfilo sunglass brands Gucci, Dior, Emporio Armani, Juicy Couture and Hugo Boss were featured.
The program began airing in May and will be running nationally and internationally in heavy rotation throughout the summer.
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Eden Wexler, PR manager for Sàfilo, points out the summer’s hottest styles for the E! channel’s summer style preview |
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New Lines and Launches...
Costa Del Mar
Costa Del Mar adds the Man o War to its core collection. The new Man o War features easily removable side shields to provide maximum protection against wind, dust and glare. The side shields guard against back light, reducing the glare of sunlight from behind, allowing wearers to focus on what is in front of them. Costa Del Mar developed an innovative, co-injection technology to allow the side shields to be easily taken on and off, giving wearers options to apply in any outdoor environment. Available in black, shiny tortoise and silver, the lens options span the full palette of Costa 400 or 580 glass or optical-grade CR-39 polarized offerings.
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Diesel
Diesel from Sàfilo re-interprets the classic Sister Yes shades for the 21st century. The original Sister Yes model was launched in 1995 and technical innovations have made these high-performance shades even more effective than their predecessors. The oversized scratch-resistant lens provides maximum protection and zero distortion. The lens is cut blunt on the outside and rounded on the inside, so droplets of water flow away from the field of vision. Three metal rings snap-fasten the arms to the lenses eliminating the need for screws. The six color combinations include basic black with silver detailing, copper and black, deep brown with gold, gunmetal grey with red, and smoky grey with black.
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Kenneth Cole New York Sun
Marcolin USA released its new Kenneth Cole New York Sun collection, consisting of 12 styles designed specifically for the optical market. Included in the new releases are oversized Jackie O zyls, classic rectangles and trendy aviators. Colors range from rich horn hues to shiny blacks and sophisticated gold finishes with such contemporary details as leather temples, metal inserts, plaques and studding. A touch of metal and shiny finishes add modern flavor to the oversized, retro-inspired designs. All the styles are Rxable and come with a black half-moon zipper case.
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ProDesign
ProDesign Denmark launches its first sunglass collection with a mix of fashion and technology. ProDesign embodies the elements of Danish design, clean, simple lines, consistent high quality and the ability to combine lightness of form with functional strength, into its eyewear to create a look that is unmistakably Danish. Targeting consumers looking for style and function, the line features high-quality polarized lenses, four in mineral glass and five in NXT. Lenses are scratch and impact-resistant with an anti-glare treatment. Frames are acetate in five or six colors. The sunglasses are Rxable and are generally unisex with some distinctive masculine and feminine designs.
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Urband
Urband continues to cultivate its originality as an accessible collection emphasizing a strong identity with its 2007-2008 sun collection releases targeted to men and women who appreciate urban chic. All of the styles feature a patented, screwless technology, the S-Clip. Frames are constructed of Mazzucchelli zyl and beta titanium and are equipped with a thin or thick “turtleneck” endpiece. Urband sunglasses are equipped with polyamide lenses by SOLA. These lenses have superior impact- and scratch-resistance and provide maximum UV protection. Two of the sunglasses have leather temples and all come with a case featuring a detachable cord.
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