Eyespace has enjoyed something of a meteoric rise in British eyewear supply since the time the company was established in autumn 2013.
Founded by sisters Jayne and Julie Abel, the company quickly set about creating collections of ophthalmic frames that knew exactly what patient demographic they were aimed at. The sisters had already built up a wealth of experience within the optical industry working at International Eyewear, previously owned by their father, Philip Abel, and Jayne is a former optometrist. The company was clear in where it wanted to go and what it wanted to achieve. Recognition of this came at the 2015 Optician Awards when the company won the Optical Supplier of the Year category.
Not one to rest on its laurels, Eyespace quickly looked at expansion of its product portfolio. The most obvious direction was sunglasses. But how has the process of producing and designing sunglasses differed from ophthalmic frames? ‘Sunglasses will always be a high-fashion accessory, calling for heightened synchronicity between shape and aesthetics,’ says Jayne Abel.
‘We are all-too aware that prescription sun-wear is an investment that some patients view very differently to their ophthalmic frame purchase, so, in our objective of creating iconic sunglass designs that consumers simply can’t resist, the processes of design and development are approached from somewhat alternative directions.’
‘Regardless of whether a patient is looking for statement sun-wear for a fashion season or a model that has style and quality, our in-house design team invest heavily in identifying future catwalk trends. With sun protection providing an extra demand on sunglass design, everything from lens colour and profile, through to the protective benefits of the frame design and the quality of its components is scrutinised during development, to strike the perfect balance between fashion and function.’
Those judging the Frame of the Year category were impressed by the CMS 2000 on a number of levels. It wasn’t the most technical frame on the shortlist, that accolade went to Salt Optics. Nor was it the most creative, because Rolf Spectacles were on the shortlist. What the judges liked was the strength of the entire product mix – from the quality of the frame to the feel of the case and accessories. ‘This is a frame that truly defies its price point,’ said one of the judges.
‘With Cocoa Mint Sunwear, we aimed to provide the independent optician with a uniquely premium offering,’ says Jayne Abel. ‘Each frame is provided to the consumer with a branded glossy hard case, lens cloth and box that more than exude their worth and complete the couture experience.
‘Throughout our many combined years within the optical industry, my sister, Julie, and myself have never known a single frame achieve such strong opening sales, repeat purchasing or requests from practice staff via the independent practice channel. We have seen record-breaking sales across the board and already can’t wait to introduce next year’s collections and build on this success.’
From a design perspective, the company says the frame has an eye-catching silhouette that is universally flattering and very wearable for most ages – from fashion-conscious women in their twenties, right through to those in their sixties and beyond. Its 54 eye size can be considered small for a sunglass, but a clever profile gives an oversize appearance that suits the full spectrum of face shapes and sizes. Extremely important also from the dispensing point of view, the design was tailored to work with a range of ophthalmic lenses.
When the company’s name was read out, Jayne Abel said there was a sense of disbelief: ‘With such esteemed competition also up for this award, and having won last year, winning again felt unlikely. While we held every confidence that this model was a winning product, most of us felt that lightning simply couldn’t strike twice.
‘I distinctly recall someone shouting “That’s us!” half way through the winner’s introduction and then everything else became a euphoric blur – so yes, winning was a surprise, and a fantastic one at that.’
One of the company’s key strengths is its marketing, so it should come as no surprise that the awards win has promoted heavily in the following weeks. ‘Winning an Optician Award should always to be shouted about, loud and proud. We have won a number of significant accolades in the past few years, but this one is particularly notable, as it relates directly to the incredible products we’re designing in-house. Communicating Cocoa Mint 2000’s Frame of the Year status through both B2B and B2C channels has also been vitally important: knowing their optician carries award-winning products generates a secondary level of trust for the patient, perceiving their medical practitioner has their finger on the pulse when it comes to exceptional product quality and design.’
Frame of the Year 2016
Winner: Eyespace Cocoa Mint CMS2000
Shortlisted: Rolf Spectacles ‘Break 243’
Nano Vista Optical ‘Re-Play’
William Morris London ‘WL4134’
Salt Optics ‘Taft’
iHuman Adaptable Eyewear ‘Find Me’