With all the drama of the pandemic still playing out, it is no surprise that 2021 has seen some interesting trends in eyewear design and retail behaviour. Optician presents a selection of the most striking
Flagship brands
The effects of the pandemic on consumer behaviour remain the subject of intense scrutiny across the world, with every industry working to identify which behaviours incepted or accelerated by Covid-19 are here to stay. As the UK appears to be permanently moving beyond the lockdown portion of the pandemic, some of the biggest eyewear companies are reporting strong sales for their most high profile and established brands. ‘Ted Baker is a household name within the UK,’ says Zoe Briggs, head of brand at Mondottica. ‘It has always been popular and, in fact, a recent YouGov poll ranked the brand as the second most popular luxury brand within the UK. However, post pandemic, we have seen a significant increase in appetite for the brand as customers look to names they know and trust when investing in eyewear.’
Pictured from left to right: GU2885 from Marcolin, Ted Baker's Farr from Mondottica, Marc Jacobs' MJ1030 from Safilo, Karl Lagerfeld's KL6043S from Marchon.
Ultra-luxury
Opportunities to indulge have been limited since the pandemic started and consumers now have a desire for escapism and to get away from the realities of Covid-19. As lockdown lifts, the belt on spending has been loosened and optical practices that stock ultra-luxury eyewear have a chance to capitalise on this trend. Julian Clarke, founder of Curoptica, the agency that works with design house Leisure Society, highlights that it does not take many luxury dispenses to make a significant impact on a practice’s revenue and profit numbers. ‘Patients feel confident and wonderful wearing frames of exceptional quality. They are reminded every time they wear them that it is their optician who created that feel-good factor. This builds the practice’s reputation and creates excellent patient referrals,’ Clarke adds.
Pictured from left to right: Leisure Society's Corsair and Dita's Lxn-Evo
Eye-catching colours
Bold but versatile colours are set to be prominent for autumn/winter 2021, with a palette of neon greens, dusky pinks, brilliant yellows and powdery blues sure to catch the eye of fashion-forward customers. The colour experts at Pantone’s Colour Institute have described these hues as ‘imbued with strength and personality’ and said they were easy to pair with a wide range of other shades. A pop of colour goes a long way to tying together an outfit and eyewear companies have made sure to provide on-trend options for the discerning consumer.
Pictured from left to right: MIta by Amalfi, Jane by Kirk & Kirk, Bocca Palma by Face a Face and Oh My by Caron Eyewear
Textured finish
Shape and colour have been explored endlessly in frame construction, but one area traditionally not paid as much attention is the texture or finish applied to frames. Texture has become increasingly important to eyewear customers as it can communicate high-quality construction and luxury. The imitation of texture has also become popular, with mottled colours and engraving helping to adorn frames.
Pictured from left to right: Cocktail by Hemp Eyewear, HL05 and HL06 by Hapter, Combi by Look Made in Italia
