Eyeglasses.com Blog

‘Sports’

Interested in purchasing a new pair of Oakley sunglasses? If so, you should take a look at this new collection before buying a pair. This new pair of from Oakley, and it is called Airbrake. This collection of designer eyeglasses was specifically made for those interested in the snow. Unlike earlier frames from Oakley, this the first snow goggle that uses the company’s SwitchLock Technology. This technology is something special. Utilizing this technology, Airbrake lets athletes quickly switch to the lens that provides the best combination of filtering, color balance and visual contrast. We have not seen a pair of designer eyeglasses such as this in the past. An integrated lever releases the currently mounted lens so an alternate can be installed instantly with minimal handling. A lot of time was clearly spent into creating these designer eyeglasses. The strap on the frames outriggers balance pressure and is designed to work with or without a helmet. The goggle is further enhanced with a triple layer of face foam that take away moisture while distributing pressure. What is great about this collection is that the company provides choices. Two lenses are included with each goggle. One is provided for low light and one for bright light. Additionally, 12 lenses are available in an array of performance colors. According to the Oakley President, these designer eyeglasses frames maximize vision and protection while letting the athlete adapt quickly and easily to changing light conditions. In addition to this, these sports frames brings all the comfort, durability and style that we expect from the brand. We are very bullish on these designer eyeglasses, particular because of the advertising that will go behind the collection. In particular, snowboarding superstar and world-famous gold medalist Shaun White will serve as an ambassador. As many know, there is no one that is better regarded in the industry than Shaun.

FERRAGAMO AND MARCHON IN LICENSING AGREEMENT Salvatore Ferragamo SpA, holding company of the Ferragamo Group, one of the leading players in the global luxury sector, has signed a licensing agreement with Marchon Group to design, promote and distribute worldwide sunglasses and ophthalmic frames for both men and women. The Salvatore Ferragamo eyewear collection will debut at retail January 2012 and will be sold in Ferragamo shops, department and specialty stores, and select optical shops worldwide. (Article reprinted with permission from Jobson Publishing at 20/20 Lenses & Technology. By Gloria Nicola) V.P.I. DISTRIBUTES LAURA BIAGIOTTI EYEWEAR V.P.I. Canada Limited has been appointed exclusive North American distributor for Italian-made Laura Biagiotti Sunglasses. Consisting of 15   styles for women of all  ages, the collection features colored enamels with Swarovksi stone accents. SMILEN SIGNS WITH U.S. ARMY Smilen Eyewear has signed a trademark licensing agreement with the U.S. Army, via the Beanstalk Group, to produce eyewear, sport frames and ready-made readers using the U.S. Army trademark(s). Distribution will be throughout the United States, its territories and possessions, and Canada. Proceeds from sales of U.S. Army licensed products provide support to the U.S. Army licensing program, and by federal law, all net revenue must be devoted to U.S. Army morale, welfare and recreation programs. POLAROID LAUNCHES ECO-FRIENDLY SUNGLASSES As part of the company’s commitment to the environment, innovation and technology, Polaroid Eyewear is an official sponsor and sunglass supplier to PlanetSolar, a boat that set a goal of sailing around the world using only solar power. Along the way, it offers educational exhibitions on exploring better ways to protect our planet. In conjunction with this project, Polaroid has developed special edition PlanetSolar sunglasses. The frames are made primarily from eco-polymers derived from castor oil plants; the lenses are Polaroid’s latest UltraSight gray mirror lenses made of polymers derived from cotton and wood-based celluloses created FERRAGAMO AND MARCHON IN LICENSING AGREEMENTby using the company’s proprietary Thermofusion production technology.

Transitions Optical hosted its annual Transitions Championship in Innisbrook, Fla. last month. The week-long PGA Tour golf event, held at the Innisbrook resort, focused on the importance of healthy vision and the critical role vision plays in sports performance and a healthy lifestyle. (Article reprinted with permission from Jobson Publishing at 20/20 Lenses & Technology. By Andrew Karp.) The event kicked off with the “Think About Your Eyes Family Walk” benefiting Prevent Blindness Florida on Sunday, March 13, during which participants walked the course the pros play and enjoyed a family barbecue and entertainment for families with children by Radio Disney. New to tournament week this year was the renaming of the former “Live Your Vision Pavilion” to the “Think About Your Eyes Pavilion,” based on Transitions’ affiliation with the Foundation for Eye Health Awareness and its “Think About Your Eyes” campaign. The pavilion, which offered information, education and hands-on experiences including sports-vision demonstrations, meet and greets with the pros, health and wellness screenings and more, was located behind the 18th green in an area called the “Healthy Sight Village.” Other activities within the Healthy Sight Village included the “LensCrafters Kids’ Zone,” featuring complimentary vision screenings and entertainment for children, free books and read-alouds with mobile literacy unit “Bess the Book Bus”; tours of a mobile eye exam clinic called “Eyenstein,” created by Transitions and VSP Vision Care; and the “Competitive Advantage” area developed by Nike, Transitions and VSP, where attendees learned about the impact on vision and putting and received putting makeovers and tips, and participated in putting drills. Oakley again hosted its “Rolling O” golf experience as well as an Oakley Pro-Am for local club professionals. Callaway had a presence within the Healthy Sight Village, offering demos and sales opportunities for Neox Transitions SolFx in Callaway eyewear and showcasing the new Callaway Razr driver. Transitions Optical says the tournament benefited over 100 local Tampa Bay area charities. The tournament has made a charitable contribution of more than $25 million in the last 34 years. In addition to the charitable impact, the tournament has contributed more than $19 million to the local economy. INTERCAST LAUNCHES NEW AD CAMPAIGN FOR NXT LENSES Intercast Europe, a subsidiary of PPG Industries, has recently launched its new advertising campaign for NXT lenses, “The Language of Light.” Professional and consumer brochures, print advertising and a new website, , are all part of the launch effort. Plans call for the new campaign, which began in September, to run in both Europe and North America and will highlight “Pure Performance and Pure Experience” for all people and all passions while also supporting the full-range of the NXT lens portfolio, including plano and prescription lenses as well as visors for snow goggles. LYTLE ADDS SALES DUTIES AT SHAMIR Shamir Insight has promoted Matt Lytle, vice president of marketing, to vice president sales and marketing. He takes over as head of Shamir’s sales force from Lance Bergeron, who has retired from the company after a 40-year optical industry career. Lytle joined Shamir in 2006 as the vice president of marketing. He has refocused Shamir’s brand identity by updating the company’s marketing message, ad campaigns and website. He has launched several key promotions and programs, including Shamir’s Autograph II Authenticity program and their Freeform Certification Program. Under Lytle’s direction, Shamir’s in-house marketing team has received several awards for their unique advertising campaigns, including two Hermes Awards, two CEBA Awards and a Davey Award. He has also overseen Shamir’s sales and client services department for the past two years. In his new role, Lytle will oversee Shamir’s North American sales force, which includes four regional managers, 35 account executives and the educational team.

Sport eyewear protects the eyes, improves performance and reflects the personal style of any athlete, sport enthusiast or outdoor lover. 20/20 is committed to delivering the message of sport eyewear power. Eyecare professionals should be the equipment managers well versed in every aspect of sport technology. Over the years 20/20has witnessed the sport eyewear market rev up on the vendor side. Optical retailers need to be the leaders in delivering the goods and the good news in this niche to consumers. Tune up your sport game with this Sport Eyewear MarketPulse. (Article reprinted with permission from Jobson Publishing at 20/20 Lenses & Technology. By Patrisha Zabrycki) A significant 71 percent of respondents said they do not purchase sport eyeglass frames at optical trade shows. Trade shows are a prime time to talk tech with sport eyewear representatives and to get all the intricate information on eyewear framed for specific sports. Consumers look to optical professionals as the authority on frame and lens advancements. Dispensaries are essentially the most powerful and enduring “mom and pop” stores on Main Street, giving customers that all-important, one-on-one attention. You are the expert sport specialty store and need to stock up on products as well as knowledge. Make a point to seek out marketing, merchandising and detailed product information from sport specialty vendors—trade shows are a key time to make these connections. Being well-informed about sport products helps edge out those big box stores intent on pushing products rather than pairing eyewear with the right eyes. A healthy dose of respondents (62 percent) said they suggest sport eyewear to their patients. Pump up this effort by asking all patients about their weekend activities, lifestyle and sporting hobbies. While fitting patients for eyeglasses or contact lenses bring up the added benefits of having specific eyewear to suit their lifestyle and activity needs. Explain the importance of polycarbonate lenses, titanium, memory metals and other high-tech frame materials and components. Sport eyewear is not only for athletes. Instill the virtues of proprietary lens characteristics as a key component for specific activities especially where glare and visual stress from the sun can hinder vision.

Focus your eye on the course. 40 percent of respondents said they do not value endorsements from athletes for sport eyewear. Consumers identify with athletes, so let sports stars help you dispense sport eyewear. Display images and posters of famous athletes wearing the sport glasses you stock. Connect with sales reps at shows and via dispensary visits to gain access to all valued and available marketing and merchandising materials. Don’t be part of the 34 percent of respondents who abstain from using marketing materials from sport eyewear manufacturers. Be sure to package the power of sport. Incorporate all the accoutrements of athletic eyewear into your sales pitch: floatable cases, cords, retainers and anti-fog sprays. Surprisingly only 50 percent of respondents said they participate in a manufacturer’s Rx program. This number is drastically low especially as throngs of uber-active baby boomers reach eyewear maturity and the inescapable reality of presbyopia. Those boomers need to be suited up with high-tech and high-quality prescription sport eyewear. All too often stories recur from consumers turned away from optical retailers because the store does not dispense sport-specific Rx lenses for sport wrap frames with challenging base curves. Do not lose out on this all-important business. Join forces with manufacturers to get in on the Rx sport game. Vendor-centric Rx programs are the ultimate “team” aspect of sport eyewear for the savvy optical pro. The sport optical arena abounds with opportunity as well as responsibility. Sport eyewear is technically and functionally on a stratospheric level of scientific accomplishment that leaves fashion eyewear on the feather and tulle-dusted runways when it comes to amping up performance. Everything from the lenses to the frames and cases make marketing and prescribing sport eyewear a perfect matchup for top eyecare professionals. So… start your engines and DRIVE to your optimum sporting business.

Former NFL quarterback Ron “Jaws” Jaworski recently hosted his annual fall golf classic at the Valleybrook Country Club in New Jersey. Jaws was joined on the links by celebrity friends: former Flyers players, Dave Schultz and Brian Propp; former Sixers player, Gerald Henderson; and former Eagles players, Mike Chalenski, Mike Mamula and Joe Pagliei.

For this year’s charity tournament the Jaws Youth Fund partnered with Wal-Mart and A&A Optical to support the South Jersey Eye Center’s “Sight First for Kids” program, which provides complimentary eye exams and eyewear to uninsured and under-insured children. A&A was on hand to donate its kid-friendly Jalapeños and PEZ frames to the South Jersey Eye Center. The South Jersey Mobile Eye Unit and Philadelphia Eagles Eye Mobile were also available to provide on-site vision screenings. (Article reprinted with permission from Jobson Publishing at 20/20 Lenses & Technology. By Patrisha Zabrycki)

The Vuelta is finally coming back to Italy with Vincenzo Nibali, the Italian cyclist known as the Shark of the Strait. Nibali won the grueling Spanish race now in its 65th year. And those yellow Rudy Project shades were with him every pedal of the way.

“This has been a very difficult, highly contested Vuelta,” Nibali tells 20/20. “I managed to win it day by day, paying attention to everything: from the bonuses for group positions, to my diet and to the sprint finishes. The last few days were the hardest: it seemed that everyone was racing against me. In the end, ending up on the top of the podium is one of the greatest experiences of my life. I am filled with emotion and it will take a few days for the full significance of winning the red jersey to really sink in.”

Nibali’s spec of choice is Rudy Project’s Noyz Racing Pro in fluo yellow. (Article reprinted with permission from Jobson Publishing at 20/20 Lenses & Technology. By James Spina.)

“Nibali’s success in Spain,” says Simone Barbazza, marketing director at Rudy Project, “fills us with pride and is yet further confirmation of the class and quality of the athletes who choose our products.”

TWO MAJOR EYEWEAR MAGAZINES TO SHARE FUTURE� » As of now, 20/20 Europe, the most widespread, specialized eyewear magazine in Europe for the last 20 years, and VEDERE International, founded in 1953 and maintaining a pan-European distribution since 1971, will be published as a single magazine, together with L+T European Lenses + Technology in an international, multilingual edition. The new editorial format resulting from this partnership is structured in three distinctive sections. 20/20 Europe in co-edition with VEDERE International will be distributed in 19 European countries and will participate in the major international eyewear shows in Europe and other continents. Both editorial units will stay active—in London under the supervision of Clodagh Norton (Boyd Norton Associates) for 20/20 Europe, and in Milan, Edizioni Ariminum srl for VEDERE International. Sales management for France, Italy, United Kingdom and Spain is Studio Zanasi s.a.s. Isabella Morpurgo, publisher of VEDERE International, is heading the North and East European markets (Austria, Germany, Denmark, Benelux, Switzerland, Scandinavia, Liechtenstein, Czech Republic, Poland and East Europe). MARCHON CREATES 3D DIVISION AND SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH REALD� » Marchon Eyewear establishes Marchon 3D, a new business division. Additionally, Marchon and RealD Inc., a leading provider of 3D technology for cinema, consumer electronics and professional applications, have signed a global licensing agreement to use the RealD brand for sales of Marchon 3D eyewear. Marchon 3D will distribute its RealD-compatible 3D glasses in cinemas, retail locations, e-commerce sites and through electronic equipment manufacturers worldwide. Marchon Eyewear will market designer 3D eyewear and prescription 3D lenses to eyecare professionals. Marchon 3D eyewear features a range of circular, polarized 3D lens technologies, including four-base, six-base and eventually eight-base curves. The lenses will block 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays and can be used as conventional sunglasses. The initial eyewear will be plano, but Rx lenses are anticipated. MODO LAUNCHES US OPEN TENNIS SUNGLASSES� » Modo Eyewear and the United States Tennis Association (USTA) introduce licensed US Open Sunglasses for the tournament, taking place August 30 to September 12, 2010. The style is unisex and comes in classic “US Open blue.” Lenses are AR-coated High Chromatic Definition, providing natural color contrast. PIXEL OPTICS AND ASPEX EYEWEAR COMPLETE NORTH AMERICAN LICENSE FOR ELECTRONIC EYEGLASS FRAMES� » Pixel Optics and Aspex Eyewear Group have successfully completed their license negotiations and have executed agreements. Under the terms of the license, Aspex becomes exclusive licensee for emPower! electronic eyeglass frames for North America and will manufacture, distribute and sell emPower! electronic eyeglass frames capable of housing Pixel’s electronic focusing eyeglass lenses.� emPower! is the name of Pixel’s electronic focusing eyewear, which uses electro-optics to change focus without moving parts as fast as the blink of an eye. CHRISTIAN ROTH AND CHARMANT END LICENSING PARTNERSHIP� » Luxury eyewear brand Christian Roth announced its licensing partnership with Japan-based Charmant Inc. will terminate at the end of 2010. Since 1998 Charmant Group has produced and distributed Christian Roth sun and ophthalmic frames to a select group of international retailers. Beginning in 2011 Roth designers and co-founders Christian Roth and Eric Domege will regain control of all Christian Roth trademarks. Since its launch in 1984, Christian Roth has been a pioneer in high-fashion titanium and handmade acetate frames and sunglasses. VILLA EYEWEAR TO DISTRIBUTE JOHN RICHMOND� » Under a licensing agreement with Allison, Villa Eyewear has the exclusive distribution rights in the U.S. for John Richmond Eyewear and Sunwear (pictured). The 2010 collection consists of 12 ophthalmic frames and nine sunglasses heavily influenced by rock ’n’ roll and street culture. PRO GOLFER GREG NORMAN AND ASPEX TO LAUNCH GREG NORMAN EYEWEAR� » Aspex Eyewear Group has signed a licensing agreement with professional golfer and entrepreneur Greg Norman, through his company, Great White Shark Enterprises, to design, manufacture and distribute internationally a line of Greg Norman eyewear. The eyewear is slated to debut in the first quarter of 2011 with ophthalmic, optical and non-optical sunglass collections distributed through independent eyewear professionals.

Marchon Eyewear launches its Nike Vintage Vision Collection, the first collection available through Nike Sportswear (NSW), a new category for Nike Eyewear that specializes in bringing performance product icons from Nike’s past back to life for contemporary consumers. Taking its cues from both sport and cultural icons from the company’s early days in the 1970s, the six-piece sport sunglass line blends retro styling with modern, updated optics. All of the designs feature classic sport eyewear shapes, materials and colorations reminiscent of their original inspirations, whether they be skiing, jogging or motor sports or images of European skiers or such Hollywood icons as Steve McQueen and Paul Newman. Subtle product detailing and lens treatments hint at modern performance updates. (Article reprinted with permission from Jobson Publishing at 20/20 Lenses & Technology.) 
PHILOSOPHY:
“The Nike consumer understands the deeply routed history of the Nike brand. Our first NSW collection is rooted in the 1970s heritage and retains the authenticity from that vintage era,” says Andy Skitmore, senior vice president Nike Vision. “Individual style, bold colors, logos and details are all intricate parts of the debut collection. Nike has taken the bold and classic shapes from the time period when the Nike brand was first established and has reinterpreted them with a modern twist.”

MARKETING:
Merchandising materials include a six-place bleacher display, large cardboard window display and large and small countercards. Additional materials are still being finalized. Each style comes with a case reminiscent of a vintage bomber jacket.

PRICE POINT:
$$$$ to $$$$$. For additional information, contact Marchon Eyewear, (800) 645-1300; web site: www.marchon.com

INSIGHT
Though designed to align with Nike’s heritage product, the retro styling and contemporary optics make the Vintage Vision Collection eyewear relevant across Nike’s many consumer categories.   

Marchon Eyewear launches the Lacoste Eyewear Collection. Included are 49 ophthalmic frames and 36 sunglasses, each piece reminiscent of the long established Lacoste brand. Inspired by the Lacoste design legacy, the frames and sunglasses include vibrant color blocking, striping and piping, the brand’s signature pique texture and the ever recognizable croc logo. Precise style, which maintains an effortless fluidity and chic elegance, is translated to the eyewear. High-tech, functional details, such as interchangeable temples and temples with magnetic tips that extend to form a combination headband and neckband further enhance the collection. (Article reprinted with permission from Jobson Publishing at 20/20 Lenses & Technology.) 
PHILOSOPHY:
“The entirely new Lacoste Eyewear Collection is a fresh perspective on sunwear and ophthalmics, offering new technology, functionality, design techniques and an exciting experience for consumers,” says Christophe Chenut, CEO of Lacoste S.A.

MARKETING:
Merchandising materials include one- and four-place displays, a12-place, open countertop display, window materials, color story display, posters, double-sided banner, mirror, pique logo cube and croc window clings in two sizes.

PRICE POINT:
$$ to $$$. For additional information, contact Marchon Eyewear, (800) 645-1300; web site: www.marchon.com

INSIGHT
Founded in 1933 by legendary tennis player Rene Lacoste with Andre Gillier, the owner and president of the largest French knitwear manufacturing firm at the time, Lacoste is an apparel company that sells high-end clothing, footwear, perfume, leather goods, watches, eyewear and most famously tennis shirts. In recent years, Lacoste has introduced a home line of sheets and towels. The company can be recognized by its green crocodile logo, a reference to the nickname “The Crocodile” given to Rene Lacoste by the U.S. press.   

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