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| New lines and launches...
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Sun enthusiasts who need Rx’s don’t have to sacrifice style and function today.
Rudy Project Technically Cool Eyewear has expanded its Authentic Sun Rx Program to include new RxDirect interchangeable prescription lenses on its best-selling rimless performance models. Now on Rudy Project’s Ketyum, Rydon and Rydon II models, the program is offered via Sola Sunlens’ Sola Technologies to use CAD analysis of the frame shape, groove design, wrap angle, pantoscopic tilt and PD to offer perfectly cut lenses for active, sports customer.
Polaroid’s iRx RPM is new and features a “variable focus” design that allows drivers a total view of the dashboard and the road, day or night. The standard plastic lens offers a wide far zone and a generous intermediate zone, maximizing visual perception and performance while driving. Thirteen polarized color options, including smoke, chocolate, forest, sunset, rose and violet, are available to reduce glare and improve comfort on the road, including a unique lens color containing a Melanin lens additive that reduces glare and increases acuity for night driving.
WileyX Eyewear, known for its High Velocity Protection of American troops, offers Blink, part of its Climate Control Eyewear Series, featuring Filter 8 polarized lenses with a removable Seal-Tek gasket.
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New Looks Spice Up Cords and Chains
Basic eyewear cords are getting an infusion of fashion to ‘read’ like jewelry.
Unique hooks and clasps in metals and plastics feature semi-precious stones and beads. From Face à Face, the 10-year-old French company known for its distinctive, architectural frames, a new line of eyewear jewelry features a range of new necklaces in its sleek ID Luxe line, while Hook Perles features sterling silver clasps paired with glass bead chains.
Croakies debuts the latest addition to its Terra Cord line of eyewear retainers: Terra Max, Terra Middi and Terra Micro, available in three sizes to accommodate all types of frames. Terra Max, for example, is styled to fit the widest of designer temples, while Terra Micro firmly grasps the slimmest titanium and stainless temples.
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| The latest in construction, shapes and materials
Leather and Studs
Rock stars and shades are synonymous and rocker-influenced, tough-but-cool trends are becoming evident in spring’s sunwear styles. From gothic graphics and fleur-de-lys to metal studs and grommets, embellishments run from street-smart to street-smooth. New materials, like horn and leather, for trim or temple treatments, and big shapes, from rectangles to glam curved styles, often oversized, contribute to the mystique and mystery.
Here, some examples from, left, Persol, center, Chrome Hearts, and Vogue.
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 Sun
for Weekend Warriors
Columbia
Sportswear, will break its first consumer advertising
campaign to support its Columbia sunwear collection. The ads, which
will run in Backpacker Magazine and Men’s Health in the upcoming
May and June issues, look to enhance brand awareness featuring
the highly technical sunwear style, High Approach. Ads feature
tagline, “Every
Weekend Warrior Needs a Good Shield.” |
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| What profitable retailers do to succeed with sun
Walking on RxSunshine
ECPs and optical
retailers are seeing the wisdom of committing to Rx sunwear, taking
advantage of a growing pool of customers who don’t want to
sacrifice ‘cool’ for needing an Rx, and may not be aware
of prescription sunwear potential for sun styles that are in style.
Impactful
in-store sunwear presentations and merchandising
are essential for optical locations, retailers tell Sun Advisor.
Focusing on displays by brand or by trend (color or shape, fashion
or sport) is the most effective and can be accomplished with as
little as 100 pieces if display room is tight.
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Sunwear is featured in specialized displays
at
Fraser Optical |
Chet
Steinmetz, OD, says the selection is the draw for the young, affluent
patients at Visual Effects in Chicago. He keeps his visible high-end
collection in line with price points offered for ophthalmic frames.
At Fraser Optical in Fraser, Mich., freestanding displays and oversized
posters encourage patients to consider buying their sunwear. Andrew
Stefani, optical director, notes that showcasing hot sunglass styles
always generates attention and peaks interest in Rx possibilities.
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Money-making tips for merchandising, POP and display
Luxottica Sun Centers “Change Your View”
A major program for retailers, designed to help them better merchandise and highlight sunwear, both plano and Rx, is offered this year by Luxottica. The Sun Center program features such sunwear names as Ray-Ban, Revo, Person, Vogue, Arnette, AK Anne Klein and others in point-of-purchase signage, banners and a major 90-piece frame tower. Luxottica’s program also includes education and training seminars. The goal is to help ECPs educate patients on the relationship of quality sunwear to eye health, prescribing more Rx sunwear by presenting a wider variety of ‘real’ sunglasses from which to choose, and reinforce and inspire customers about the many facets of quality sunwear.
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Barrymore in Missoni
Actress Drew Barrymore draws attention to Allison USA’s Missoni eyewear in a new ad campaign, featuring sunwear with ‘60s-themed Missoni fashions for spring/summer 2006.
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Berry for Versace
Halle Berry is the face that graces eyewear ads this spring for Versace, including Luxottica’s Versace sunwear, sporting the style VE2048. |
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Cartier Raps with Dupri
Cartier teams up with rapper Jermaine Dupri with a limited edition luxury eyewear line. Wood and platinum styles can be special ordered, with part of proceeds targeting Hurrican Relief Fund. |
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Who Likes Mike
Mariah Carey dons shades by Michael Kors from Marchon, style MCS104. |
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Out and About
Celebs spotted in new Oliver Peoples’ shades include Oscar-winner, Jamie Foxx, in Atlas. |
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“Soprano” Chooses Giorgio Armani
Mobster Tony Soprano chose a new Giorgio Armani pair of shades in the premiere episode of “The Sopranos” series this year. |
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Oakley’s Olympians
Sunglasses, helmets and ski goggles were worn by many American Olympic medal winners this year, including Shaun White, who took home the gold for Men’s Halfpipe and Gretchen Bleiler, who won a silver for Halfpipe Snowboarding, each wearing the A Frame goggle |
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New Lines and Launches...
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BCBG Max Azria Sun
ClearVision
Optical embodies bohemian elegance from the runways with 12
women’s and seven men’s
styles. Shapes range from curvy butterfly,
owl-eye and rounds to square and rectangle pieces in shades
of black, brown, burgundy and leopard,
tortoise patterns, cutout temples, stone embellishments. |
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Columbia Sportswear
L’Amy Inc. brings Columbia Sportswear’s
outdoor gear to the eyes, targeting
active men and women looking for edgy sports styles
that also offer function. The Diagonal
Secure Fit system is a technology
that holds temple tips close to the head, even during rigorous
activities. High quality sun lenses. |
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Dolce & Gabbana
Luxottica brings luxe materials with a glamourous edge to new line of 15 styles, mix of plastic and metals, taking direction from the 1960s and 1970s. Soft lines, large shapes, some with Swarovski crystal accents, vintage-style rivets and unique logos.
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Fendi Sun
Marchon debuts a range of new sun styles for its Fendi collection, including three new ‘Fendi So 80’s pieces in fun, hip shapes as well as new pieces for women within the sculpted Liberty group and the classic Pekin stripe influence. Several new men’s styles are bowing, with unique logo treatments in fashion and sport-influenced styles.
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Tom Ford
Marcolin brings the sexy, sleek designs from one of fashion’s leading designers to eyewear with a debut collection inspired by the 1970s and such male glamour icons as Cary Grant. Oversized aviators, rich tortoise and horn-influenced plastics with metals and accents such as rivets and distinctive “T’ logo treatments.
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Juicy Couture
Safilo USA brings bling with Juicy Couture Shades of Couture, a range of plastics and combinations, from big Jackie O shapes and chunky wraparounds to girly aviators and heavy metal shields and rimless/semi-rimless styles. Iconic logos, playful charms and sayings like “Dude, Where’s My Couture.” Lenses with 100% UV protection.
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Oakley Women’s Sun
The first women-specific sunglass collection, with three styles, featuring Oakley’s High Definition Optics, brings style to sport. Script and Grapevine feature 8.75 base curves; Dart uses lightweight C-5 alloy. Plutonite lenses in black gradient, brown gradient, dark bronze and gray tints.
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Starck Colors
The collaboration of designer Philippe Starck with eyewear innovator Alain Mikli brings bold-colored, triple laminates in tones of purple, ruby, emerald green featuring a white accent. Square shapes and thick temples, with the Starck screw-free bio-vision hing which allows temples to swivel 360 degrees.
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Vera Wang Luxe Sun
Couteur Designs, division of Kenmark Group, showcases glamour looks, five-style series, limited edition. Two zyls, three metals, including aviator, oversized rounds and ovals, embellished with baguette stones and jewels. With case and square brown jewelry box, authenticity plaque. |
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