All Eyewear Intelligence articles in Volume 18, Issue 1
View all stories from this issue.
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News briefs
A Specsavers store in Newport, U.K. is now home to...
A Specsavers store in Newport, U.K. is now home to the Austin Friars Eye Treatment Centre, the first specialist eye treatment centre integrated with a high-street optician in the U.K. The facility was inaugurated by Vaughan Gething AM, the Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport, on Jan. 16. ...
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Article
LVMH reportedly eyes Marcolin, Safilo under pressure
According to media reports, which could not be confirmed at the time of going to press, the French fashion group LVMH is expected to buy a 10 percent stake in Marcolin as it plans to create its own eyewear hub, along the lines of the Kering Eyewear project. If the ...
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Article
Glasses for rent - Europe looks at the Italian example
Here is another interesting business model: The first store entirely dedicated to the rental of eyewear opened its doors a few months ago in Rome. Called Affittaocchiali, it's part of a growing network founded two years earlier by an optical retailer, Marco Tricarico, at his outlet at Ferentino, in the ...
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Article
Essilor and Luxottica merge
We had already predicted the likely merger at some point between Essilor International and the Luxottica Group. The biggest new step in the ongoing consolidation and verticalization of the industry was announced at the beginning of last week. We have collected additional information and comments since we sent out an ...
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News briefs
WooDone, an Italian company specializing in wooden spectacle frames, has...
WooDone, an Italian company specializing in wooden spectacle frames, has announced the launch of a SC405 line of ski goggles. According to the brand, the model is the first step toward a future version made in wood that will be released at the end of the year. The SC405 goggle ...
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Article
Challenges and opportunities in the mega merger
Investment analysts generally greeted the announcement with enthusiasm, but some of them expressed fears about possible anti-trust challenges. Some competitors claimed that the move will antagonize independent retailers who may be pressured to buy more products from Essilor and Luxottica at high prices.There is also some suspicion that Lenscrafters and ...
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Short stops
Olivier Cantet, a former top executive of Lafuma, Rip Curl...
Olivier Cantet, a former top executive of Lafuma, Rip Curl and Oakley, is going to be the new managing director of Jules, a French chain of about 400 apparel stores owned by the Mulliez family
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News briefs
Rodenstock is organizing an exhibition called “How We See the...
Rodenstock is organizing an exhibition called “How We See the World” in Munich's museum of urban and contemporary art, MUCA, from Jan. 26 to Feb. 5. The entry is free. The different stations and exhibits tell stories of technical masterpieces, of people who created them and of their emotions and ...
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Short stops
The German Marc Cain line of eyewear will be distributed...
The German Marc Cain line of eyewear will be distributed in Canada by Mood Eyewear
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Short stops
Renewing its partnership with Byblos earlier than scheduled, Swinger International...
Renewing its partnership with Byblos earlier than scheduled, Swinger International has extended its Jet Set Group's license with the Italian fashion brand through 2020
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Article
Ocuco buys a Dutch software company
Claiming that the deal has reinforced its position as the world's largest and most international supplier of software for optical retail stores and laboratories, Ocuco announced earlier this month its acquisition of B&F Group, a leading store management software provider in the Netherlands in the optical sector and others.About half ...
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News briefs
John Menon, a former president of the British Contact Lens...
John Menon, a former president of the British Contact Lens Association (BCLA), died in his sleep on Dec. 10. He had reportedly suffered a number of strokes in recent years, and was also affected by macular degeneration. Menon, who served as president of BCLA from 1982-83, was awarded honorary BCLA ...
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News briefs
See Concept, a French eyewear brand, has changed its name...
See Concept, a French eyewear brand, has changed its name and is now called Izipizi. See Concept was launched in 2010 by Charles Brun, Xavier Aguera and Quentin Couturier. The new playful name is meant to convey a dynamic and innovative image for the brand. Izipizi realizes 70 percent of ...
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News briefs
Vinyl Factory, the French brand of music-inspired eyewear has signed...
Vinyl Factory, the French brand of music-inspired eyewear has signed an exclusive distribution agreement for the U.S. market with Mad Vision, the Florida-based distributor whose portfolio also includes Red Bull Racing Eyewear, iHuman, Von Arkel and The Little Prince. Vinyl Factory recently signed distribution agreements in Sweden, Italy and Greece ...
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News briefs
The biggest German online store for contact lenses, Kontaktlinsenlounge.de, has...
The biggest German online store for contact lenses, Kontaktlinsenlounge.de, has signed a cooperation agreement with Alcon Vision Care. If interested, the 25,000 members of the website are able to receive the new Air Optix plus HydraGlyde monthly disposable lens free of charge for testing purposes. With Alcon's marketing campaign, interested ...
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News briefs
Safilo has partnered with Interaxon, a Canadian technology company best...
Safilo has partnered with Interaxon, a Canadian technology company best known for its Muse headband, which provides users with live feedback on their brain activity during meditation. This move marks the entry of Safilo in the wearable technologies' sector, which it is doing under the Safilox name. First presented at ...
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News briefs
Ben Fletcher, managing director at Boots Opticians in the U.K.,...
Ben Fletcher, managing director at Boots Opticians in the U.K., has stepped down from his position after six years in the company. Fletcher had initially joined Boots U.K. in 2011 as commercial finance director before being promoted managing director in 2013. He will pursue other opportunities outside the optical business ...
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News briefs
La Shaperie, a location in Paris best known for being...
La Shaperie, a location in Paris best known for being both an optical and a barber shop, has opened a second boutique in the French capital. The new boutique is located at 312 rue Saint-Martin, in the 3rd district of France's capital city. The other boutique is located in rue ...
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News briefs
Victor Gros Distribution, the French company behind the Traction Productions...
Victor Gros Distribution, the French company behind the Traction Productions brand, has taken over Fidela, another eyewear company with its own production unit in the Jura region. A new entity named Fidela 1820 will be created, in reference to the year the company was founded. Fidela had revenues of about ...
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News briefs
Susan J. Chiles has been picked to be the new...
Susan J. Chiles has been picked to be the new managing director of the World Council of Optometry (WCO). She comes with more than 20 years of experience in corporate marketing, communications and brand management. She has been most recently the marketing communication manager in the affiliate relations and membership ...
