Eyewear, With a Bit of Disney and a Touch of Apple

Posted on 02 August 2010

A wind tunnel. A concierge. A store that’s shaped like an eyeball.

It doesn’t exactly sound like an eyeglasses retailer, but then, it’s not supposed to.

Trying to pull itself out of the recession, Luxottica, the $6.6 billion eyewear company with retail outlets like Sunglass Hut and LensCrafters, is experimenting with a concept store that draws a little bit from Apple, and a lot from Disneyland.

The idea is to make buying eyewear more of an event — and in the process, entice new customers from discount chains and online shopping.

As published in the New York Times 20 July 2010, by Stephanie Clifford

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Luxottica opens concept store to reverse falling sales

Posted on 02 August 2010

The struggling Australian retail sector is looking brighter, with a spike in consumer sentiment earlier this month.

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Eyeing a change of vision

Posted on 02 August 2010

WEAK consumer sentiment may be giving Australian retailers the jitters, but eyewear group Luxottica believes it can still tempt shoppers to spend.

The Italian-based owner of OPSM, Budget Eyewear and Sunglass Hut yesterday unveiled a futuristic concept store in Hawthorn which it believes will become an "experiential destination" for customers.

And despite sales in the Australian and New Zealand division of the optical giant having fallen nearly 12 per cent in the first quarter of this year, the mood was very bullish at the lavish launch.

As published in the Herald Sun 21 July 2010, by Olga Galacho

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Luxottica eyes augmented growth

Posted on 02 August 2010

Eyeglasses of the not-too-distant future will change the way people shop, travel, even meet potential partners, according to a leading futurologist.

Ian Pearson, one of the inventors of text-messaging, predicts people could potentially find a partner - just by passing them on the street – once augmented reality-enabled glasses comes into use.

So-called augmented reality - essentially interactive maps and web-data overlaying a visual image for the wearer - will give users another method for navigating the world, said Dr Pearson.

As published in the Sydney Morning Herald 21 July 2010, by Chris Zappone

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Pricey shades point to future

Posted on 02 August 2010

MELBOURNE'S most expensive sunglasses are the flashy centrepiece of a new superstore tipped to be the future of shopping.

Two pairs of the gold and diamond Bulgari sunnies, worth $18,000 each, more than a small car, are available only in Australia.

The posh peepers are part of an affordable and highend offering at a new optical store, the largest in the southern hemisphere, aiming to attract shoppers with high-tech tools and VIP treatment.

As published in the Herald Sun 21 July 2010, by Emily Power

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Luxottica launches store

Posted on 02 August 2010

MELBOURNE, July 20 AAP - Global eyewear giant Luxottica is hoping to reverse a sales slump in Australia after opening what it says is the Asian region's biggest optical retail store, in Melbourne.

Milan-based Luxottica, which owns the OPSM Group, launched its latest concept store in suburban Hawthorn on Tuesday, six days before it reports its June quarter 2010 earnings.

Touch-screen interactive mirrors, wind tunnels for testing sports eyewear, and optometry rooms are among the features offered to customers.

As published in the AAP Newswire 20 July 2010, by Alison Bell

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Looking at retail in a radical way

Posted on 02 August 2010

GLOBAL eyewear giant Luxottica is hoping to reverse a sates slump in Australia after opening Asia's biggest optical retail store in Melbourne. Milan-based Luxottica, which owns the OPSM Group, launched its latest concept store in suburban Hawthorn yesterday, six days before it reports its June quarter 2010 earnings.

Touch-screen interactive mirrors, wind tunnels for testing sports eyewear and optometry rooms are among the features.

As published in the Daily Telegraph 21 July 2010

Read more at the Daily Telegraph

Sure to get dark looks from Beyonce

Posted on 02 August 2010

Alexandra Koszo wears $6899 diamond encrusted white gold Oliver Peoples frames, snapped up in Las Vegas exclusively for the new OPSM eye hub, moments before Jay-Z could buy them for Beyonce. The store, in Burwood Rd, Hawthorn, opens tomorrow.

As published in the MX (Melbourne) 21 July 2010

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Luxottica looking at us

Posted on 02 August 2010

EYEWEAR giant Luxottica is hoping to reverse a sales slump in Australia after opening what it says is the Asian region's biggest optical store, in Melbourne.

Milan-based Luxottica, which owns the OPSM Group, launched its latest concept store in suburban Hawthorn on Tuesday, six days before it reports its June quarter 2010 earnings.

Touch-screen interactive mirrors, wind tunnels for testing sports eyewear, and optometry rooms are among the features offered to customers.

As published on the Herald Sun 21 July 2010

Read more at the Herald Sun

Eyewear giant's glimpse of future

Posted on 02 August 2010

Luxottica is hoping to reverse a sales slump in Australia after opening what it says is the Asia- Pacific region's biggest optical retail store in Melbourne.

A store in Brisbane is next on the list, scheduled to open in the second half of 2011.

Milan-based Luxottica, which owns the OPSM Group, has installed touch-screen interactive mirrors, wind tunnels for testing sports eyewear, and optometry rooms in the new concept store.

As published in the Courier Mail 21 July 2010, by Alison Bell

Read more at the Courier Mail

Luxottica eyes new retail vision

Posted on 02 August 2010

Global eyewear giant Luxottica is hoping to reverse a sales slump in Australia after opening what it says is the Asian region's biggest optical retail shop, in Melbourne.

Luxottica, which owns the OPSM Group and is based in Italy, launched its shop in suburban Hawthorn yesterday, six days before it reports its June quarter 2010 earnings.

As published in the Canberra Times 21 July 2010, by Alison Bell

Read more at the Canberra Times

Open to a novel concept

Posted on 02 August 2010

GLOBAL eyewear giant Luxottica is hoping to reverse a sales slump in Australia after opening what it says is the Asian region's biggest optical retail store, in Melbourne.

Milan-based Luxottica, which owns the OPSM Group, launched its latest concept store in Hawthorn yesterday, six days before it reports its June quarter 2010 earnings.

As published in the Newcastle Herald 21 July 2010

Read more at the Newcastle Herald

'Future store' opens with eyes on slump

Posted on 02 August 2010

GLOBAL eyewear giant Luxottica is hoping to reverse a sales slump in Australia after opening what it says is the Asian region's biggest optical retail store in Melbourne.

Milan-based Luxottica, which owns the OPSM Group and Ray-Ban, launched its concept store in Hawthorn yesterday, six days before it reports its June-quarter 2010 earnings. Touch-screen interactive mirrors, wind tunnels for testing sports eyewear and optometry rooms are offered to customers.

As published in the Adelaide Advertiser on 21 July 2010, by Alison Bell

Read more at the Adelaide Advertiser

Eyewear superstore

Posted on 02 August 2010

Global eyewear giant Luxottica is hoping to reverse a sales slump in Australia after opening what it says is the region's biggest optical retail store, in Hawthorn, Melbourne yesterday. Touch-screen interactive mirrors, wind tunnels for testing sports eyewear, and optometry rooms are among the features offered to customers

As published in the Launceston Examiner 21 July 2010

Read more at the Launceston Examiner

New eyewear store to reverse slump

Posted on 02 August 2010

GLOBAL eyewear giant Luxottica is hoping to reverse a sales slump in Australia after opening what it says is the Asian region's biggest optical retail store, in Melbourne. Milan-based Luxottica, which owns the OPSM Group, launched its latest concept store in suburban Hawthorn yesterday, six days before it reports its June quarter 2010 earnings. Touch-screen interactive mirrors, wind tunnels for testing sports eyewear, and optometry rooms are among the features offered to customers.

As published in the Geelong Advertiser 21 July 2010

Read more at the Geelong Advertiser

World First: The Eye Hub Unveiled

Posted on 01 August 2010

OPSM has today unveiled a world first optical retail experience in Melbourne, Australia.

The OPSM Eye Hub is a revolutionary 1,500 square-metre, split-level optical store, an Australian innovation designed by international award winning architects e2 (designers of the AUD$10m Qantas Experience Centre and China Telecom's pavilion at the 2010 World Expo).

As published on mivision 20 July 2010, by Mark Cushway

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Luxottica launches store in Melbourne

Posted on 01 August 2010

Global eyewear giant Luxottica is hoping to reverse a sales slump in Australia after opening what it says is the Asian region's biggest optical retail store, in Melbourne.

Milan-based Luxottica, which owns the OPSM Group, launched its latest concept store in suburban Hawthorn on Tuesday, six days before it reports its June quarter 2010 earnings.

As published on Yahoo!7 Finance 20 July 2010

Read more on Yahoo!7 Finance

OPSM backs concept store with push

Posted on 01 August 2010

MELBOURNE: Eyewear retailer OPSM is to back its new flagship store which opened in Melbourne today with a marketing campaign from BMF.

The eye hub concept store is the first of its kind for OPSM and claims to feature the largest collection of frames in the southern hemisphere. It will sell products from Italian-owned brand Luxottica.

As published on AdNews 20 July 2010, by Prue Corlette

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Luxottica launches store in Melbourne

Posted on 01 August 2010

Global eyewear giant Luxottica is hoping to reverse a sales slump in Australia after opening what it says is the Asian region's biggest optical retail store, in Melbourne.

Milan-based Luxottica, which owns the OPSM Group, launched its latest concept store in suburban Hawthorn on Tuesday, six days before it reports its June quarter 2010 earnings.

Touch-screen interactive mirrors, wind tunnels for testing sports eyewear, and optometry rooms are among the features offered to customers.

Luxottica chief executive for Asia Pacific operations Chris Beer says the experiential store concept is a world-first because it represents the future of retailing.

As published on NineMSN News 20 July 2010

Read more on NineMSN News