OPTICAL FRAMES
Marchon Named Company
Quick Take: Marchon Eyewear, Inc. is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and distributors of quality eyewear and sunwear. The company markets its products under prestigious brand names including: Calvin Klein Collection, ck Calvin Klein, Calvin Klein Jeans, Chloé, Diane von Furstenberg, Dragon Alliance, Emilio Pucci, Fendi, Flexon®, Jil Sander, Karl Lagerfeld, Lacoste, Michael Kors, Nautica, Nike, Nine West, Salvatore Ferragamo, Sean John, and Valentino. Headquartered in New York, with regional offices in Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Venice, Marchon distributes its products through numerous local sales offices serving over 80,000 accounts in more than 100 countries.
www.marchon.com
Nike Named Men’s Frame Brand
Quick Take: Nike, Inc., based near Beaverton, Oregon, is the world’s leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly owned Nike subsidiaries include Converse Inc., which designs, markets and distributes athletic footwear, apparel and accessories; Cole Haan, which designs, markets and distributes luxury shoes, handbags, accessories and coats; Umbro Ltd., a leading United Kingdom-based global football (soccer) brand; and Hurley International LLC, which designs, markets and distributes action sports and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories.
www.marchon.com
Kate Spade Named Women’s Frame Brand
Quick Take: In 1993, Kate Spade designed the utilitarian bag she’d been craving for years but couldn’t find anywhere and so began a revolution in the accessories market. Simple silhouettes with clever details and crisp palettes soon established a visual shorthand for the brand that’s recognizable the world over. In 2007, Kate Spade turned the reins over to the design powerhouse Liz Claiborne Inc., now Fifth & Pacific Companies Inc., and Deborah Lloyd, formerly of Banana Republic and Burberry took the helm as creative director with an aim to broadening the line while honoring Kate’s rich history. Today you’ll find the brand on the arms of women everywhere – with 43 specialty shops in the United States, a thriving e-commerce business, 97 shops internationally, new flagships in Brazil and London and distribution in more than 400 doors worldwide.
www.safilo.com
Nike Named Teen’s Frame Brand
Quick Take: Nike's Young Athletes Collection is a custom optical collection, with fresh young styling, colorations and fit designed for the 9-15 year old demographic. Brilliant colors burst on frames and are combined for innovative contrast. Logos are specific to gender, offering fun interpretations of the Nike logo for youth. Each style, emblazoned with pattern or color, is vividly styled for the generation in mind, yet does not compromise the ingenuity of Nike’s highly advanced technology.
www.marchon.com
Disney Named Kids’ Frame Brand (Tie)
Quick Take: Disney Eyewear, the legendary classic kids' brand, is committed to deliver the fun, while never skimping on the quality. Bright colors and stylish shapes make up this collection of adorable metal and plastic designs that are kid tough and fashion conscious. With spring hinges available on all styles, and comfort cables for the toddlers, Disney Eyewear keeps pace with the active lifestyles of today's kids.
www.marchon.com
Nike Named Kids’ Frame Brand (Tie)
Quick Take: Nike's Young Athletes Collection is a custom optical collection, with fresh young styling, colorations and fit designed for the 9-15 year old demographic. Brilliant colors burst on frames and are combined for innovative contrast. Logos are specific to gender, offering fun interpretations of the Nike logo for youth. Each style, emblazoned with pattern or color, is vividly styled for the generation in mind, yet does not compromise the ingenuity of Nike’s highly advanced technology.
www.marchon.com
Nine West Named New Launch
Quick Take: In less than 30 years, Nine West has evolved to become a world-renowned fashion leader. Established in 1978, the Nine West brand took its name from its founding address 9 West 57th Street in New York City. Today, Nine West is beloved by women around the world offering not just footwear, but handbags, sportswear, dresses, eyewear, sunglasses, legwear, outerwear, jewelry, belts, hats and cold weather accessories.
www.marchon.com
SUNGLASSES
Maui Jim Named Company
Quick Take: Maui Jim began as one man selling sunglasses on the beaches of Maui, Hawaii, back in the early 1980s. As local demand grew for sunglasses that provided advanced protection from the severe glare and UV rays of the Hawaiian sun – without distorting the beautiful colors of the Islands – the company developed proprietary technology – PolarizedPlus. Today, the company sells more than 98 styles and 200 SKUs and is the fastest growing premium polarized sunglass maker in the world. This year, the company launched major new lens technologies including MauiPure, the world’s clearest non-glass lens that is also ultra-light, scratch- and impact-resistant; as well as the world’s first prescription polarized single-gradient lenses.
www.mauijim.com
Oakley Named Men’s Sport Brand
Quick Take: Established in 1975 and headquartered in Southern California, Oakley is one of the leading sports brands in the world. The holder of more than 600 patents, Oakley is continually seeking problems, solving them with inventions and wrapping those inventions in art. This philosophy has made Oakley one of the most iconic and inimitable brands on the market, with innovations that world-class athletes around the globe depend on to compete at the highest level possible. Oakley is famed for its insuperable lens technologies such as High Definition. Oakley has extended its leadership position as the world’s leading sports eyewear brand into apparel, footwear and accessories collections. Laser focused on the consumer, Oakley has both men’s and women’s product lines that target Sports Performance, Active and Lifestyle consumers. Oakley is a subsidiary of Luxottica Group.
www.oakley.com
Ray-Ban Named Men’s Fashion Brand
Quick Take: Since it started in 1937, Ray-Ban has grown to become a global leader in the premium eyewear market. Throughout its 75 years, the brand has been instrumental in pushing boundaries in music and the arts, forging the rise of celebrity culture, and creating the power of the rock and movie stars to influence fashion. It has proven indispensable for cultural icons who don’t want to be seen—but definitely want to be noticed. Since its conception, Ray-Ban has been genuine, authentic and most importantly, true to itself.
www.luxottica.com
Maui Jim Named Women’s Sport Brand
Quick Take: Maui Jim’s aloha spirit may appear relaxed and casual, but when it comes to making sunglasses, they never rest on their laurels. In the past year, Maui Jim expanded its line to include more women’s sunglasses that are not only sporty, but also fashion-forward and loaded with all of the eye protection needed outdoors. The styles have features like lightweight and durable titanium, Grilamid, nylon or acetate frames; Rabalon adjustable nosepieces; and wrap-around designs for optimal comfort and protection. Maui Jim’s offers four lens materials for different sports, including SuperThin(ST) Glass, MauiPure, Maui Evolution and polycarbonate, in four colors to enhance vision in any light conditions.
www.mauijim.com
Kate Spade Named Women’s Fashion Brand
Quick Take: In 1993, Kate Spade designed the utilitarian bag she’d been craving for years but couldn’t find anywhere and so began a revolution in the accessories market. Simple silhouettes with clever details and crisp palettes soon established a visual shorthand for the brand that’s recognizable the world over. In 2007, Kate Spade turned the reins over to Liz Claiborne Inc., now Fifth & Pacific Companies Inc., and Deborah Lloyd, formerly of Banana Republic and Burberry, took the helm as creative director. Today you’ll find the brand on the arms of women everywhere – with 43 specialty shops in the U.S., a thriving e-commerce business, 97 shops internationally, new flagships in Brazil and London and distribution in more than 400 doors worldwide.
www.safilo.com
