FRANCE. At the annual Sunglasses Workshop & Awards in Cannes tonight, global duty free operator, Dufry, and cruise line, MSC Cruises, took away the top retailer awards, in a contest that had record entries.
In total, eight honours were up for grabs, two of which went to DFS Group. This year, on the tenth anniversary of the event, a special sunglasses partnership award was also given to Gebr Heinemann.
This year, 2017 winners were not able to enter the same award category but they were invited to pass the baton to 2018 winners.
The full winners list is as follows:
– 10th anniversary special award: Gebr Heinemann
– Best new sunglasses environment: King Power International Group (Rangnam downtown store, Bangkok)
– Best marketing initiative: DFS Group
– Best digital initiative: Shilla Duty Free (Tipping review platform)
– Best dedicated sunglasses sales team: Beirut Duty Free
– Most supportive airport authority for sunglasses: Dubai International Airport
– Best off-airport sunglasses retailer: DFS Group
– Sunglasses retailer of the year (below US$2 billion): MSC Cruises
– Sunglasses retailer of the year (above US$2 billion): Dufry
The event was co-sponsored and judged by leading sunglasses suppliers De Rigo, Essilor, Kering Eyewear, Luxottica, Marchon, Marcolin, Maui Jim and Safilo.
Sunglasses has become a key component of the fashion and accessories segment in the past decade. It grew by +4.6% to US$1.8 billion last year, from US$1.7 billion in 2016 (see chart below), marginally ahead of fashion and accessories’ +4.5% to US$9.5 billion.
We will bring you more on the workshop element of the event soon.
