The new collection presents new sunglasses with timeless shapes and technical details aimed at guaranteeing the best fitting and maximum comfort, and also stylish and on-trend sunglasses and optical frames for men and women, emphasized by playful colors on the frames and on the lenses, as well as by the distinctive Polaroid rainbow detail as an unexpected touch.

In addition, the active sports collection offers new colorful unisex styles, matching maximum comfort and top quality of vision thanks to polarized lenses perfect for outdoor workouts and complementing all athleisure outfits.

The cool collection presents stylish and trendy sunglasses and optical frames for men and women, in lightweight polycarbonate or metal, emphasized by playful colors on the frames and on the lenses, as well as by the distinctive Polaroid rainbow detail as an unexpected touch.

The essential collection introduces new sunglasses with timeless shapes and technical details aimed at guaranteeing the best fitting and maximum comfort.

The active sports collection offers new colorful unisex styles, matching maximum comfort and top quality of vision thanks to polarized lenses perfect for outdoor workouts and complementing all athleisure outfits.

The kids’ collection introduces a new selection of sunglasses for the little ones, particularly comfortable thanks to their lightweight frames and lively color combinations.

The Safilo India team is going to host a grand dealer meet in Mumbai. The two-day dealer meet will start on February 27, 2023. Safilo will showcase its extensive range of fashion eyewear at this meet. Dealers can benefit from being able to see it all under one roof, no-minimum-order-quantity condition, 30-days delivery timelines and of course the impeccable promise of quality that every Safilo product offers.

The dealer meet will be an excellent opportunity for opticians to browse through the latest eyewear collections of the company, book them at attractive prices and know about the new product offerings. Needless to say, such dealer meets are your chance to catch up with  fellow opticians, learn from peers, know what’s trending and stay ahead of the curve in the eyewear industry. 

Safilo India is also organising a meet and greet with Bollywood actor – Tiger Shroff at Inorbit Mall in Mumbai on February 27, 2023!

Here is a snapshot of the invite:

Vision Rx Lab has successfully tapped the power of current Artificial Intelligence to create Nova Ai lenses – the new generation progressive lenses, which comes with a high level of precision and exceptional customisation, achieved through its cutting-edge technologies. Vision Rx Lab’s mission is to bring the best innovations in eyewear solutions and with this endeavour it introduced the new age Nova Ai lenses to its patrons in the Middle East at the VisionPlus Expo 2022 in Dubai. 

‘Ocular Dynamics’ is the term used to describe the visual method employed to observe the environment. The link between the eye-head motions is how ‘ocular dynamics’ is assessed in order to comprehend the distinctive manner that each person sees. ‘Ocular Dynamics’ is employed from a young age, yet it changes over time as our oculomotor system develops and reacts to environmental stimuli. To guarantee a precise and trustworthy diagnosis, Nova Ai incorporates the analysis and interpretation of ocular dynamics.

The supporting ecosystem conducts a thorough study to gather data on prescription, wear position, and selected frame. The development of progressive lenses depends on the interpretation of data. The wearer receives unfettered natural vision that is customised to their style of looking, with a visual solution provided with complete data and the utmost meticulousness possible with ‘Metamorph technology’ for a truly individualised visual experience.

The high-end customised progressive lenses so designed with Nova Ai technology come with outstanding features to delight the wearers. The advanced Binocular Balancing System balances and minimises the blurriness on both sides of the corridor. Maxi View Technology offers a wide amount of natural vision, and Bespoke Visual Fields which is achieved through Ocular Dynamics.

Digital Profile technology enables a comfortable position when using handheld devices. Digi-Contour technology provides a contrast-rich image with a wider field of vision, while Slim-tech is the technology behind its excellent aesthetics and lightness. Multi Aspheric Technology and Aberration Filter System 2.0 reduce aberrations, and its improved near vision with optimised inset correctly aligns the reading zone.

Nova Ai is the technological gift that the consumer has been waiting for, if they want highly customised lenses with the best possible visual quality using the most recent technological developments and precise instruments like VR devices. 

The festive season in India brings with it in an atmosphere of happiness and cheer, and an opportunity to celebrate with loved ones. In a bid to capture the grandeur and warmth of Indian festivities, Versace launches a limited-edition Eyewear Collection
featuring two iconic Sun styles, meticulously crafted for ‘him’ and ‘her’.

The two exclusive styles will be available in havana with brown gradient lenses and feature the iconic Gold Greca on the temple. Both the styles have “Celebrating India” imprinted within the right temple, making these styles special for the Indian market. The two sunglasses will be available in a golden gift box wrapped in a cheerful festive spirit, making it a perfect gifting option for loved ones—be it for festivities, anniversaries, and weddings.

Sanjay brings to the role a wealth of experience acquired over the last 30 years in different positions in different organizations within the industry and has a deep knowledge of the India optical market. With his firm belief on “Employee first philosophy as engaged employees create magic together working as a TEAM”. The appointment as MD will see Sanjay step-up to lead the delivery of Hoya Lens India expansion plans, supporting eye-care practitioners through an increasingly challenging and evolving India retail and South-Asia retail environment.

Optical frames that serve a vivacious female audience, these new models express a fresh and dramatic vibe. The new styles alternate square and rounded shapes showcasing the best of British design and using the finest materials from all over the world.

The new styles are Rock Up, a bold square shape that gives an immediate superpower to any look, and Love Yourself, a gentle oval with a fine-tuned, arched brow that enhances the structure of the face with a subtle lift that every woman adores. The colour palette includes striking camos in yellow & blue, green & turquoise, and red & pink, plus complex black and red marbles.

Be Mine and sister model Divine feature a unique rounded eyeshape and square shape respectively, both with a fine-tuned, arched brow that creates a modern and precise silhouette. Both are enhanced by the use of confident angles and natural vertical symmetry, and stainless steel sides, some of which feature gorgeous ombré colour blends.

Be Mine colourways include stunning shades of blue marble with blue sides or blush with rose gold sides, black with black-to-red ombré sides and dramatic grey marble with black-to-silver ombré sides.

Divine colourways include a split blue & mocha Havana acetate with mocha sides, and beautiful red stripe acetate paired with black-to-red ombré sides. Also available in black acetate with striking black-to-copper ombré sides, and latte Havana acetate with gold sides.

These exciting new styles respond to the needs of a sophisticated but playful wearer looking for eyewear that suits all occasions. Expertly designed, high-quality pieces characterized by the carefully curated use of unique materials and a deep understanding of optical design.

Speaking on Shree Ramniklal Modi’s demise, Mr.Siraj Bolar, Editor-in-Chief of VisionPlus Magazine said, “My most remembered occasion of spending some time with him was when I had interviewed him during the shaping up of my dream project of the time, ‘Visionaries’ Coffee Table Book, an account on the stalwarts who had contributed in the shaping up of the Indian Optical Industry. I still have the flashback of that meeting in his office in Kalbadevi, Mumbai.”

Having started his optical journey with Ganko, Ramniklal Modi started his own venture in 1968. He went on to build one of the most respected wholesale and retail businesses in Mumbai. He had been actively involved in the functioning of Alankar Opticians right till the end and was an inspiration for a whole generation.

Mr Dilip Kothari of Ganko shared a few words remembering the stalwart. “Ramnikbhai was my teacher and friend. I feel orphaned and at loss for words today. The Alankar family has been an extension of the Ganko family, which shares a huge history and legacy. It’s a huge personal loss for us and for the Indian optical industry. Our deepest condolences to the entire Alankar family and staff. May his soul rest in peace!”

This new direct-to-consumer strategy for the US market coincides with the historic eyewear brand’s 65th anniversary this year and is the further evolution of the brand’s existing website.

With digital transformation being one of the cornerstones of Safilo’s 2020-2024 Business Plan, the Company sees the new Carrera D2C site – dedicated exclusively to sunglasses – as a unique opportunity to boost competitiveness and improve its market position by enhancing its direct relationship with consumers and stakeholders.

This investment is also intended to enhance brand awareness thus creating more brand relevance which will benefit all U.S. wholesale customers. The new digital platform has been uniquely designed to promote Carrera’s growth potential through an extensive and uniquely curated product assortment to better meet the needs and desires of a broad consumer base across the U.S.

Adopting an agile approach based on flexibility and continuous improvement, the e-commerce site promises a top-level purchasing experience for the end consumer. The site is now live, with best-selling sun frames and a tailored assortment available. Exclusive colors and styles will be launched exclusively on the platform shortly.

Over the last months, Safilo has been steadily working on increasingly smarter and more efficient customer-oriented B2B and B2C platforms including the recently launched You&Safilo B2B platform and a new Customer Relationship Management system for the EMEA markets.

“E-commerce is a new way to engage a new, emerging and expanding consumer base and it’s essential for monitoring trends and to have a better understanding of what the U.S. customer is looking for in order to be able to develop new products more in line with the market needs. The U.S. optical channel will greatly benefit from this information fed to our product development team” – said Angelo Trocchia, CEO of Safilo Group. “We see the growth of Carrera via an omni-channel approach as a positive for all distribution channels and are proud of our commitment to make Carrera a deservedly more relevant brand in the market. Furthermore, this marks a significant step in our e-commerce growth plans and is in line with the company’s entire digital transformation strategy which has been evolving rapidly in recent months,” added Trocchia.

The year that has gone by has taught us a lot. From embracing the new norms of masking, social distancing and sanitising to the accelerated digitisation, the pandemic has a lot of positives. All we need to do is widen our perspective. Even in the case of optical trade, the business has been impacted. But things are finally looking up as the world slowly begins its return to normalcy. Eyewear retailers across the country are getting ready to welcome the post-pandemic customer. Let’s take a look at the changing dynamics in an optician’s store. 

The New Customer 

Your post-pandemic customer is very different. He / She wants a shorter yet fruitful shopping experience. Even eyewear seems to be evolving – from a health requirement to a fashion accessory and even protective equipment now. After all, the lockdown, prevailing uncertainty and focus on health have reshaped the customer behaviour. However, opticians need not worry. The eyewear distributors are empathetic to the new normal and are stepping up their game to support

the opticians. From virtual tryouts to online appointment booking apps, the distributors are helping opticians to get accustomed to this new normal. Some brands like Safilo are also investing in marketing campaigns to help build trust and confidence in customers to shop at stores. 

The Opticians’ Focus 

For eyewear retailers, the sole focus should be on giving their customers the best possible shopping experience. And here is how you can do it: 

• Familiarise yourself with the safety protocols that are the new focus area in the post covid era
• Do not hesitate to take questions from the customer. You have to address their concerns to fuel their confidence in the in-store purchase
• Take feedback and criticism positively. Remember this new scenario is a learning opportunity
• Seek support from eyewear distributors. They have various programmes and initiatives specifically designed to help opticians accustom themselves to the new normal

Optical Business Is Set To Grow

The key challenge that every other retail business is facing, is getting the customer to visit the store. Despite the mushrooming of online stores, touch-feel remain a pertinent part of eyewear purchasing. This ensures that a steady footfall of serious buyers is continued for optical retailers. 

Roy Rana, Sales Head-Wholesale and Distribution, Safilo says, “Eyewear business is a semi-essential category, the recovery for this sector is expected to be much faster. The category may start with mid or low price points, but soon it will touch the high price points within a month or two. On an absolute value, the recovery may start slow, but we can expect to reach 70% of what it was in 2019 by August 2021.” 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 2.2 Billion people are suffering from eye blindness and vision impairment. A similar number of people across the globe suffer from vision impairment. So clearly, the requirement for eyewear will not go down. All of this puts the optical trade on the front foot for recovery and opticians have a lot of growth avenues to explore in this new era.