Conversant with style

Featuring frames
S
potting a gap in the frame
market is one thing, getting
the product to fill that gap
is quite another, but The
Eyewear Company (TEC)
believes it has done both.
Some of the collections the
Gloucestershire-based company
represents are already known here
in the UK, but it’s safe to say that
the others will be soon. TEC is the
UK distributor for frames by Munic
Eyewear, Robert La Roche, Converse,
Cosmopolitan, Lauren Hutton and
Colani, along with the lightweight
SwissFlex line.
Established by experienced frame
representative Robert Wilson, the
business has been in development for
a year. A good part of this time has
been spent travelling to international
trade shows to find ‘cutting edge and
progressive’ styles.
Wilson believes there is demand
for independents to be supported
with well-designed product that is not
available in the multiples or at vastly
discounted prices on the internet. He
describes some of the collections as
sitting nicely under the first tier of
branded lines.
‘We set out to achieve two cutting
edge ranges, which we have with
Munic Eyewear and Robert La
Roche and two well-known names in
Converse and Cosmopolitan. We spent
time assessing the quality, look and feel
of the collections, going for those that
will work in the UK,’ says Wilson.
The Converse and Cosmopolitan
brands from US firm REM Eyewear
were ideal for the target area and TEC
was enthusiastic to get them on board,
along with REM’s Lauren Hutton
frame brand, which Wilson describes as
a classic line suited to the older woman.
Taking on Converse is particularly
timely as the company hopes to see
some added interest from a vast €78m
European marketing campaign in 2008
to mark Converse’s 100th anniversary.
Converse is a sub brand of Nike and
has one of the biggest selling trainers
ever and a turnover of $1.4bn. The
substantial frame range extends from
children’s designs to those for adults,
and incorporates a competitively
priced, lightweight carbon sunglass
range with polarised lenses. There is
also a retro Heritage collection.
Ninety per cent of the eyewear is
branded with the small Converse star
and Wilson describes the brand as
appealing to the indie ‘Emo’ scene and
adult generations and an ideal way
for independents to attract a younger
clientele at the right price. Colourful
16 | Optician | 15.02.08
Conversant
with style
The Eyewear Company wants to strike up rewarding relationships
with independents and offers well-designed frames that are not
available in multiples or on the internet. Optician reports
Converse
(above) and
Cosmopolitan
(right) from
US firm REM
Eyewear
were ideal
brands for
the target
area
POS backs up the eyewear, including
miniature Converse shoes.
The Munic Eyewear line has never
been available in this market before, and
features a predominance of titanium
models, boosted with a selection of
polished acetates in slightly larger
shapes and more traditional colours.
Designer Marcus Riess, a master
optician, comes from a family of
opticians in Munich and is inspired
by the 1950s, 60s and 70s. He went
into frame design 18 years ago and the
collection, manufactured in Japan, is
subtle with a contemporary twist.
‘There’s not a lot in the UK to appeal
to the 40-plus guy unless you choose
something boring, and this line with
its fabulous quality bridges this gap,’
says Wilson. The polished finishing
on the metal frames in particular is
similar to the metallic finishes on luxury
cars. Colours tend to be understated
in browns, blacks and blues as well
as cranberry, chocolate and purple for
women.
‘The frames are beautifully finished.
Marcus has got it spot on. He is very
particular and you can see it in the
finishing and when you open the
joints,’ Wilson adds.
In plastics, the shapes go from
traditional through to trendy,
incorporating round eyes, and several
models feature keyhole bridges.
‘The plastics are very reasonably
priced, certainly for that quality and
understated fashion is what it is all
about. Sometimes plastic frames can age
you, but when worn by younger people
they take on a whole new meaning,’
adds Wilson.
opticianonline.net
Featuring frames
Commercial styles
When it comes to Robert La Roche,
TEC was particularly keen to distribute
the frames as the Austrian company has
introduced designs more in keeping
with the UK market. Now branding is
found on the inner sides of the frames
and softer colours have been added to
broaden the appeal of the range.
The brand name Robert La Roche
was founded in Vienna in 1973 and
Wilson explains that the company
gave frames a modern image at a time
when they were seen as an unpleasant
necessity.
‘It’s nice to tell people the story and
let them pick them up and try them
on. There is a diverse range of shapes
and colours, with darker reds and
aubergines, as well as lovely greens
and high selling greys, browns and
blacks.’
Award-winning line
The Swissflex rimless range by EyeSystems is most famous for being
the eyewear choice of Sven-Göran
Eriksson. It is an award-winning
lightweight micro crystalline polymer
flex line which TEC has taken on in
three design variations – Classic, Basic
Ad
11/2/08 9:37 am Page 1
andL5
Motion.
Robert La Roche frames now come in
softer colours
‘We looked at the range and asked
why no one has picked it up. Swissflex
has indicated that some 90,000 units
were sold in the UK when the range
was exclusive to Vision Express,’ says
Wilson.
He adds that the frame material
is inert and the eyewear has been
approved by NASA to go into space.
The screwless designs, weighing
as little as 2g, come in a number of
bridge sizes, suited to children through
to those requiring larger bridges.
They can be teamed up with different
colours, patterns and thicknesses for
bespoke designs whose sides can also
be detached and changed.
SwissFlex will be glazed by LR
Precision Optics in Ireland which has
invested heavily in machinery to meet
the quality needs, giving the facility for
48-hour turnaround.
Wilson explains that considerable
time has been spent setting up
the company’s office and getting
the systems in place for ordering,
invoicing and stock fulfilment, with a
likely move to a new dedicated office
later this year.
He describes the service mission
of the company as ‘total account
management’, with independents
rewarded for commitment in three
categories. These are companion,
associate and partnership accounts,
with the level of mutual commitment
increasing with each type.
‘We want our stockists to minimise
wasting space on their shelves and to
maximise sell-through, so we have
an option to implement a full stock
management plan to remove nonsellers,’ he says.
Having taken the frames on the road
already, Wilson is confident TEC can
help the independent sector to meet the
challenges ahead. ●
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15.02.08 | Optician | 17