[button link=”https://www.arredanegozi.it/2019/03/eyewear-retail-e-visual-merchandising/” icon=”none” target=”” color=”a30b0b” textcolor=”ffffff”]TESTO ITALIANO[/button]
This issue opens with a question: how many people look at the eyewear world as a mere accessory to correct defective vision or a must to personalize their appearance?
The XT Retail staff decided to let you visit the fair and stroll in Bologna and show as the eyewear sector is quietly marking the catwalk of the most famous designers.
“Life is fascinating: look at it through the right glasses!”, from the French writer Alexandre Dumas. This feeling anticipated the designers’ rush to project and manufacture eyewear products increasingly innovative and different in order to reflect the personality of everyone: therefore anyone can buy “the right eyewear”!
From the mythical glasses of John Lennon to the round and thick frame of the Swiss architect le Corbusier, whether prescription lenses or sunglasses, the eyewear represents the identification element: eccentric, vintage, strange, each to his own, anyone can manifest his own talent.
Hence each character has its own frame and each frame symbolize the person. This is the reason why the eyewear design has become an interesting and popular sector, not only for designers, but also from famous names in the furnishing industry and renowned architects, who are involved in realizing works of art. The models change and also the materials used.
The frames become more and more strange with original contours while materials beautify. Once, privileged materials were plastic and metal, by now laminate, wood and marble are employed.
The instrument for correcting defective vision, nowadays has become a fashion accessory designed by known stylists.
The evolution that has affected the optician sector over the years, bring spectacles to be an essential complement for fashion or elegance, determining a considerable attendance for operators to the International Exhibitions, the most important event for sale and promotion of the product: since 1970, our nation annually hosts the biggest international area dedicated to optics and eyewear.
MIDO (Milan Eyewear Show)
The Milan Eyewear Show MIDO will take place on February 23, with just three days to go, within the Milan Rho Pavilions will present the new famous entries for the current 2019. Design and innovation are the keywords for this edition, characteristics among the first projects unveiled. .
Worth to be mentioned the new Furla Collection by De Rigo, with metallic and acetate geometric shapes enriched by glitters and decors, the Roboter Collection made by the French brand Baars Eyewear, with futuristic frames, carefully handmade, the designs of Tiziano Tabacchi for MIC-Made in Cadore, which inspired by natural elements, create an eyewear which tells the Dolomites, well recognisable by its logo, rather then the originality of the French Company Morel with the launch of the first 3D Lightec Collection, which gathers comfort, elegance and innovation.
PITTI UOMO
Eyewear sector also appeared in the recent Pitti Uomo Edition held in Florence in January (8-11). The eyewear which had a prominent role in the previous edition within EYE POP corners focused on most innovating companies, has been confirmed again this year by the proposals in the POP UP stores.
The exhibitors attending this year were focused on men’s lifestyle, without excluding accessories, and showing unique products. E.g. the Pektre Sunglasses brand which deals an impactful and provocative collection: the mask VINCENT with an ultra-modern front, DECHIRICO, a singular model, circular and shaded lenses, detached from the bottom and FRIDA with a glamourous cat design as atypical and original articles. And not just this, as this edition ended in the Made in Italy name.
The exhibitors proved the true quality of the Italian craftsmanship, as the eyewear sector stands out in the latest years, certified by The BESPOKE DUDES EYEWEAR, the made in Italy collections combining professionalism and knowledge.
The staff of XT Retail, attending at Pitti, has had the pleasure to visit their stand and see their products. We asked Mr Fabio Attanasio, Co-Founder of the famous brand, kindly answered to our questions:
- Which retail goals did you forecast for the first 2019 quarter?
The first 2019 quarter we will be engaged with many industry fairs and the main goal is to consolidate the retail network by selecting the sales points.
- Do you think to launch a particular product?
Our latest models, Twill, Cordovan and Solaro were presented in occasion of the 95th Pitti Uomo Edition .
- How do you see the market over next year?
We see the reaffirmation of the positive trend as for metal frames and we feel confident that the market will support the companies, like our, always focused on classic, quality craftsmanship and Made in Italy.
At the end, for all of us involved in the retail and visual merchandising sector, it is interesting to ask how the revolution, interesting the world of optics, has also affected the in-store displaying system.
In fact, in addition to the exhibitions the eyewear sector has a prominent position in the shop-window asking for a greater visibility. Although, complicated the displaying of this article, as for its size and transparency, it is possible to find a solution and give it more prominence. .
The eyewear has a leading role on the scene and the displaying becomes the story of the product, not a simple presentation. The window tells the origin of the brand, avoiding the standardization while searching for furnishings enable to emphasize the product.
The scenography often consisting in backdrops with captivating images and relying on the brands, thus obtains a fundamental role on visual, becoming also the support for the eyewear
AROUND THE CITY
To confirm our dissertation we strolled on Bologna streets, where we cannot find true shop-windows ready to exhibit, like museums, the products on sale.
In the downtown, the historic Via D’Azeglio, among the shop-windows, the Optic store, whose named the street, suggests a rich and heterogeneous selection of glasses.
Among the recommended brands, stands out the historic Italian brand specialised in prescription glasses and sunglasses, as Persol owned by Luxottica Group. Its original design, which over the years has become unmistakable symbol of the brand and icon representing the Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni, the articles are positioned on cardboard displays, clear visible and enlightened by small intense spotlights enable to accentuate the details of the Italian product.
From the famous Italian brand to the prestigious brand of the American designer and director, TOM FORD, icon of the luxury brand.
Here the eyewear with innovative materials, original and modern color combine style and classic shapes. In this case also the POP materials highlight the name of the brand, while selected products are displayed frontal or three-quarter and illuminated by small top-down spots.
Continuing through the streets of the center, reaching via Rizzoli, the optician shop-window, located a few meters from the towers, offers sunglasses and eyewear of the renowned NY Moscot brand.
Appreciated and worn by International celebrities, such as Andy Warhol, Johnny Deep and Tim Burton, the new Originals Collection, inspired by classic models, has been reinvented with titanium splashes and gold blended with new colors of the lenses, such as turquoise and the crystal. Also in this case, the display in the window recalls elements of cardboard industry, where the brand is clearly legible, with bronze and gold mannequins wearing glasses.
The same shop-window houses the collection of British designer Linda Farrow, at the acme of luxury eyewear. The “Linda Farrow Luxe” Collection is, in fact, by now one of the most fashionable and avant-garde collections, with adv on glossy covers of fashion magazines.
In this case too, the shop-window becomes the ideal stage for the presentation of the product that, from an ironic object to a fashion accessory, has conquered the scene!
by Dalila Cellura e Paolo Zanardi – XT Retail
by AN shopfitting magazine no.149 ©
