Optical Prism July 2014 | Page 18

-S a tion N SU Shades b y K e l l y Wa t e r h o u s e T here isn’t a parent out there who hasn’t lathered their child in sunscreen to protect them from the harmful rays of UVA and UVB exposure. Eyecare professionals (ECPs) know that the same message of protection and prevention is equally essential to eyes, especially young eyes. So how do you get children to wear sunglasses regularly? Make the sunglasses cool. And by cool, we mean hot. “More than ever parents are seeking their tweens/child’s approval when buying products. This means that kids today have more influence when making purchases than in the past,” said Jeanine Navarro, Lacoste Regional Brand Manager at Marchon. “This can be challenging as both are looking at eyewear from very different perspectives. Eyewear needs to be both fashionable and design oriented for the tweens, while the durability and functionality of the frames need to appeal to the parents.” The Young Athlete Sun collection satisfies both, with sunglasses designed to fit ages 8 to 14 years old. “Kids eyewear today is about self expression,” Navarro said. “Patterns and playful design details that add a certain cool factor to the eyewear. Ultra lightweight frames with color, color, color.” He says the 2014 collection is infused with vibrant colors and design details such as flash mirror lenses and tonal color combinations. And for that extra edge of fun, the series will introduce five new glow-in-the-dark optical styles, including Wayfarers.  16 O P T I C A L P R I S M | J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 4