As part of their Vision 2020 commitment to sunglasses category growth in travel retail, leading suppliers De Rigo, Essilor, Kering Eyewear, Luxottica, Marchon, Marcolin and Maui Jim are presenting a category communication series featuring the winners of the 2016 Sunglasses Awards.
Entitled ‘All Eyes on…’, the series will examine the award-winning and best-in-class executions that continue to help elevate sunglasses standards in travel retail.
“In 2016, the Sunglasses Award winners all presented compelling cases and we believe there’s a lot the travel retail industry can learn from them in terms of creating the ultimate consumer experience with attention to detail in our category. We hope this series will inspire continued innovation in 2017, and maintain the focus on working together – retailers and brand owners – towards our Vision 2020 goals,” said the sunglasses supplier collective.
DFS is the first company to be featured in the communication series. At the 2016 Sunglasses Awards, the retailer won Sunglasses Retailer of the Year (above US$2 billion) and Best Marketing Activity for the Sunglasses Category.
In 2016, DFS unveiled several new and refurbished stores, including T Fondaco dei Tedeschi by DFS in Venice; T Galleria by DFS, Angkor; and T Galleria by DFS Macau, City of Dreams. Each featured a sunglasses offer that was characterised by sleek, localised design and enhanced assortments, supported by strong customer engagement from its sales staff.
Last year, DFS introduced 14 new sunglasses brands to its stores, including Saint Laurent Paris, Givenchy, Linda Farrow, Vedi Vero and Persol. The retailer now carries 47 sunglasses brands across its estate, with differentiated ranges depending on shopper profiles.
T Fondaco dei Tedeschi by DFS, considered one of the retailer’s biggest milestones of 2016, featured five presentations of the sunglasses category in a historic setting revitalised by the interior design work of architect Jamie Fobert.
At T Galleria Macau, City of Dreams, DFS unveiled a new and expanded retail concept, anchored by leading Italian luxury brands. The contemporary design in the sunglasses department reflects that of the wider store, with glass, marble and steel elements combined with warm wood accents.
DFS Group Global Director Of Merchandise, Sunglasses, Fashion Watches and Jewellery Jason Blejwas said: “We are constantly working to improve the travel retail environment and deliver a world-class luxury shopping experience to global travellers and sunglasses – as the entry point to luxury – has an important role to play in achieving this aim. We recognise the category’s potential and will continue to invest in making it as seamless as possible to shop.”
2016 also saw DFS introduce new, bespoke 360° marketing campaigns for special sunglasses launches. Spanning online and offline platforms, as well as DFS’s social media pages, the campaigns aimed to drive pre-planned purchases and increase the visibility of the sunglasses category beyond the physical stores.
Maui Jim Director Duty Free Sales Giles Marks commented: “DFS has demonstrated a clear commitment to the long-term growth of sunglasses, reinforced by new, bigger and improved spaces, spectacular design, strong brand partnerships, and dynamic marketing. It has certainly raised the bar for the category in 2016, and the result has been consistent and sustained sales growth.”
Marcolin Worldwide Head of Duty Free & Travel Retail Nina Pan commented: “Promoting the sunglasses offer through digital channels is becoming a crucial part of travel retailers’ marketing strategies – especially when leveraging mobile devices and social media. The recent steps DFS has taken in this area provides us with a fantastic glimpse into the future, and it should be congratulated for pioneering this approach.”
Kering Eyewear Head of Global Travel Retail Pietro Scognamiglio commented: “Over the years DFS has demonstrated a unique ability to develop and execute exceptional marketing campaigns thanks to its expertise in the sunglasses category and its strong brand partnerships. Its capacity to deliver such a strong communication platform with a comprehensive set of social media tools is just one example of how DFS delivers with first-class quality.”
