OPTICALPRISM | COVER STORY
Ben Sherman MILL
Stacey from Spectacle Eyeworks
... everyone in the industry agrees : Nothing can replace the value of face-to-face interactions . and ECPs are discovering new ways of doing business together and with their patients .”
However , everyone in the industry agrees : Nothing can replace the value of face-to-face interactions , also , that the return of trunk shows and fully interactive appointments will be welcomed by all .
That means the resumption of Vision Expo West in Vegas this fall . That ’ s where you ’ ll probably see COS with its new EOS View collection from Silhouette . The full-rim specs offer your customers the perfect mix of both trendy and classic colours and shapes .
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WE WANT BRICK AND MORTAR !
As vaccines lead the charge in our return to whatever you might call “ the new normal ,” it ’ s clear that eyewear will never be exclusively an online business , Maui Jim ’ s marketing director Jeff Speiran has learned .
“ We ’ ve discovered that while there is a push on the e-commerce side of many businesses and industries , bricks-and-mortar remains the dominant source of eyewear retail and will continue to be our primary focus ,” he says .
Maui Jim ophthalmic will launch styles this fall that features a new material , hexetate .
“ Hexetate combines the beauty and colour-richness captured in acetate in a final product that is lighter and more flexible than acetate frames similar in size ,” explains Sperian .
Meanwhile , Maui Jim ’ s sister brand , Zeal Optics , continues to forge its entire collection from renewable plant-based materials .
For Centennial Group ’ s Linda Mulford-Hum , the biggest change she ’ s seen in the industry is with the attitude of her co-workers and colleagues .
“ We all need to appreciate what we have and how easily it can be taken away . Centennial has always been there for our customers and we plan to build stronger relationships with our customers and suppliers who are rebuilding their businesses back to pre-pandemic levels .”
Part of getting your customers back into the shop is to offer those trusted heritage brands like Ben Sherman , the official outfitter of Great Britain at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo . OP
20 OPTICALPRISM | August Digital 2021