‘David Clulow is about service quality and fashion and we have always tried to build stores that give that feel to attract people that want to buy those things,’ says Richard Peck, MD of Luxottica Retail UK.
That ethos can certainly be seen in its Wigmore Street refit which sees a smart new look coupled to new signage and a nod to the marque’s heritage in the capital. ‘This is a really special store for us,’ says Peck, ‘as it has its roots in the original Earl’s Court store 25 years ago.’
The new concept started its roll out in Cheltenham in September and is all about evolution and matching the store to its surroundings and customers, he says. It is about keeping up to date not replicating an idealised store blueprint. Different things work in different places and new approaches, such as the digital media screens, are all about providing flexibility in the way the store talks to consumers, says Peck. ‘It’s designed to be comfortable and have a feeling of luxury. We did a lot of research and we had a re-brand too. We should always be changing,’
And he does not just mean Clulow. ‘We need to keep it interesting, optics isn’t as easy to move online as other sectors so optics has a job to do to get people in store. That means driving footfall. People have got to enjoy the experience and feel good about the product. We are all guilty of not making the experience as good as it can be. There is a lot more goes into our buying decision than price,’ he concludes.
The Wigmore Street practice is in a unique position sandwiched between one of Europe’s premier retailing areas, Oxford Street, and one of the world’s leading medical areas, Harley Street. Opposite the store is the world-renowned John Bell & Croyden pharmacy, reputedly the best in the world and able to fulfil any pharmaceutical need. Peck says opticians also have to be about service. ‘The products must be great, but really it’s all about service.’ In Wigmore Street that is helped by having staff that have been with the store for a long time. He says while customer will be greeted as they enter it is not a high pressure selling environment.
Inside the store
The look of the store was developed by Luxottica’s in house designers. Peck says his teams got involved in some of the practical aspects but the look and feel came from the design team. The colour scheme has moved to a deeper Teal and the typography has been modernised and a London tagline added to the signage to draw on Clulow’s heritage. Inside lighting and gold detailing give the interior a more luxurious feel. Frame displays also benefit from strong lighting and closer spacing provides a strong on-wall choice backed up by deeper dives into the ranges in the drawers below.
‘We have opened it up a lot more. By opening the store we can display more glasses and the store has a richer, more luxury, feel. Wigmore street also illustrates David Clulow’s approach to branding as it counts Tom Ford and Cartier among its brands and not just the brands of its parent Luxottica. We carry the right brands for the area,’ says Peck (pictured), not just Luxottica.
Technology is also evident but it needs to be used where it makes sense, says Peck. He points to the large digital displays around the practice which bring flexibility to the messages relayed and allow the very latest material to be shown. ‘It’s a fast-moving environment,’ he says adding that having iPads for the sake of having technology holds no appeal. Where technology does come into play is in the well-equipped consulting rooms. Wigmore Street has a full suite of Topcon equipment and OCT is offered to everyone at no charge. He says technology has a great part to play in the consulting room when it comes to people’s perception of the quality, value and importance of the eye exam.
Quietly Luxottica retail is building momentum in its store opening programme with 10 outlets scheduled to join the portfolio this year. John Lewis stores have been added in Oxford, Cheadle and at Welwyn bringing the David Clulow network to 45. A fine radius in the West End alone covers a recent Ray-Ban store in Covent Garden, an Oliver People’s store in Sloane Square and an unsung flagship for UK optics in Selfridges in Oxford Street. Peck says these single brand stores have a great following among aficionados of brands and buyers will use the Oliver People’s store to select frames from its back catalogue of styles. ‘People like to get to the home of a brand and feel they are getting choice, people love authenticity.’ The Ray-Ban stores boasts 330 models on display.
The new eyewear destination at Selfridges
Just a stone’s throw from Wigmore Street is Selfridges with its the optical answer to the iconic retailer’s shoe zone, a colossal 3,000sq ft of optical outlet. ‘I think this is the biggest optical store in the world at the moment in terms of business,’ says Peck. He suggests that when it comes to frames if you cannot find what you want here it probably does not exist. There are 900 displayed optical frames and 1,300 sunglasses with drawers below housing thousands more, again Peck makes it clear that it is not all Luxottica branded.
‘The idea is to create the biggest and best eyewear store in the world, not just frame and lenses but amazing architecture.’ He says the project was three years in the making and is housed in a new extension that links formerly separate parts of the Oxford Street behemoth that is Selfridges.
The eyewear on display ranges from everyday wear to luxury pieces running into thousands of pounds. ‘Accessible £50 spectacles to £6,000-£8,000 frames,’ says Peck. ‘The plan is to change the brand regularly and we work with Selfridges on that. People love choice.’
Selfridges is like no other store and while it has its local and office customers its position opens its customer base to the wealthy of the world. Peck recounts the story of an international buyer who came in and bought 16 optical frames in a single spree. ‘The quantity of frames people are buying is incredible,’ he adds. The real opportunity will arise next summer something both partners are gearing up for. Peck clearly has respect for Selfridges’s ability to read the retailing zeitgeist. While sunwear may be a big part of the opportunity Peck is keen to point out the significance for optical of having 3,000sq ft of retailing space on the ground floor or Selfridges. ‘For optical this is a big vote of confidence,’ he says. The massive frame selection is supported by a fully equipped, sound-dampened, consulting room.
For the brands it offers an opportunity to try new ideas in a premier retailing location. Peck refers to innovations such as Ray-Ban Prescription which places branded lenses in the host brand frame. For prescription sunwear it maintains design and colour integrity and for the customer it endorses authenticity. ‘This is the future of branded lenses and sunwear,’ concludes Peck. You sense he means for retailing and for eyewear.