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August 1, 2023August 1, 2023

Specsavers x Alex Perry Event at Hotel X

On June 24, Specsavers, an optometrist-owned and led eyecare and eyewear provider hosted an event in partnership with ELLE Canada for local media and influencers, to celebrate its longstanding, exclusive partnership with the Australian designer Alex Perry, and his latest eyewear line, now available in all Specsavers stores in Canada.

The event took place at Toronto’s Hotel X, where guests were treated to breathtaking views of the city, delicious bites and drinks, in addition to a Q&A and styling sessions with Alex Perry himself.

A custom portrait studio with photographer Andréanne Gauthier, which saw the guests modeling the Specsavers x Alex Perry frames for their own ELLE Canada covers had the room buzzing with glamorous energy and excitement.

Photography credit: **ELLE Canada, Brandon Dacosta**

Alex Perry, an Australian fashion designer and TV presenter, whose charming and bold designs have been embraced by the world’s most famous women including Jennifer Lopez, Hailey Bieber, Julia Roberts, and Lady Gaga, is revered for his red-carpet-worthy womenswear collections. Perry was the first Australian fashion designer Specsavers collaborated with, which helped pave the way for more designer collaborations and helping Specsavers to offer stylish yet affordable eyewear.

Specsavers is guided by its purpose of changing lives through better sight. In addition to providing accessible eyecare to Canadians, the brand goes above and beyond to offer a variety of stylish, high-quality affordable eyewear.

Specsavers Canada offers designer eyewear, including exclusive collaborations (such as collections with Vivienne Westwood, adidas, and iconic London retailer Liberty).

The Alex Perry x Specsavers line features a combination of classic shapes and colours with contemporary detailing – all versatile designs that can complement any look including 34 sun and eyeglass styles.

For other recent posts relating to Specsavers: Click Here

August 1, 2023August 1, 2023

LensCrafters Announces Launch of New Flagship Store In Toronto

LensCrafters announced the opening of the company’s first Canadian flagship store in Toronto, on July 21 at 33 Bloor Street East. The company opened its first two flagship stores in New York City in 2020 and two more in San Francisco in 2021 and Palo Alto last year.

The aim of the new flagship store, located in Toronto’s Yorkville shopping district, is to further position LensCrafters as a modern optical retail leader of exclusive brands and reinforce the company as a trusted eye care and eyewear authority in the region.

The milestone opening, in the heart of Toronto’s high-end fashion destination, is part of LensCrafters’ continued North America expansion plans.

The new flagship will encompass the latest advanced digital technology and state-of-the-art design blending eye-catching finishes to create a dynamic customer journey.

From eye exams to shopping for the frames, the new location will showcase an expanded selection of designer eyewear styles and brands that include Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, Persol, Versace, and Prada.

The flagship will leverage a wide range of tools to afford customers more opportunities to meet their needs for a premium in store experience.

Customers will be able to digitally explore the wide variety of EssilorLuxottica collections and brands, customize Ray-Ban and Oakley frames, and virtually try-on any frame using Virtual Mirror technology through LensCrafters’ Smart Shopper interactive in store tool.

“As LensCrafters continues to expand in the US and Canada, we look forward to advancing the brand this year with the rollout of our new flagship store in Toronto,” said Alfonso Cerullo, President & GM of LensCrafters, North America. “Appealing to the well-known local shopping hub on Bloor Street, the store will reflect the effortless integration of design and technology. At the end of the day, we want to be a top destination in the community when it comes to finding the best vision care solutions that resonate with our customers and help people express themselves while seeing well at the same time.”

The collection of luxury optical and sun styles along with superior lens design and technology by Essilor, will give the brand a larger footprint in the eyewear market. The new flagship will be equipped with high-resolution digital screens and led-walls displaying eyewear and ad campaigns to allow customers an immersive experience around the brand’s offering.

An added focus will be given to the storytelling of prescription lenses through interactive applications installed both on iPads and touch screens, leveraging the see-through technology to simulate lens features and effects for better vision.

Click HERE for the full press release.

July 31, 2023July 31, 2023

HOYA Vision Care Launches MiYOSMART Sunbird Polarized Lenses to Treat Myopia Among Children

HOYA Vision Care announced the launch of MiYOSMART^® Sunbird, available to Canadian eye care providers. MiYOSMART Sunbird polarized lenses are the ideal addition to MiYOSMART clear lenses, offering young wearers extra protection from intense sunlight and glare. HOYA’s Sunbird lenses are especially beneficial if a child patient has light-sensitive eyes caused by using atropine eyedrops to treat their myopia.

Additionally, the contrast and colours seen through MiYOSMART Sunbird remain vibrant. Features of the MiYOSMART Sunbird lens include a dark Category 3 tint in a stylish grey colour. Benefits include greater comfort from glare and sunlight, decreased symptoms of light sensitivity, improved contrast sensitivity, and vibrant colours.

“At HOYA, we understand and embrace the crucial role that our lenses play in helping children slow myopia’s progression while not comprising what makes childhood fun – notably, the freedom to experience the world around them without impediment,” said Frederiek Ysebaert, Managing Director of the Pediatric Care Business Unit at HOYA Vision Care. “We equally realize the vital role that every Canadian eye care provider plays in the ongoing treatment of myopia among their child patients. With Sunbird and our other MiYOSMART options, we can combine the best of both worlds – treating myopia and keeping outdoor time a healthy priority.”

Since 2018, two million patients in over 30 countries have benefited from wearing MiYOSMART spectacle lenses.

Click HERE for the full press release.

July 31, 2023July 31, 2023

Superflex Kids: Frames Tweens Will Jump For!

A style that tween girls will simply adore—SFK-288’s Blue Pink colourway features a fan-favourite modified square shape and a gorgeous handmade acetate front with a blue and violet tortoise pattern. A rivet foil décor on the front corners compliments the inner wire detail visible through the translucent handmade acetate temples.

Distributed by: www.westgroupe.com

July 29, 2023July 29, 2023

EssilorLuxottica Acquires Nuance Hearing

In a strategic move, EssilorLuxottica has expanded into the hearing solutions market by acquiring Nuance, an Israeli startup. This acquisition empowers EssilorLuxottica to introduce hearing technology that seamlessly integrates with prescription eyewear. The goal is to address the needs of the 1.25 billion individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss while overcoming the challenges associated with traditional hearing aids.

The hearing solutions market faces certain barriers to widespread adoption, including the visibility and perceived discomfort of traditional hearing aids for users wearing eye glasses.

EssilorLuxottica aims to address this by integrating Nuance’s hearing components discreetly into fashionable eyeglasses. The company claims that the audio component will be “completely invisible”.

The goal is to provide users with a comfortable and stylish alternative to conventional hearing aids, which could potentially reduce the psychological stigma associated with hearing assistance.

Potential Benefits for Consumers

The integration of Nuance’s hearing technology into spectacle frames offers several potential benefits to users:

Enhanced Comfort and Style: Unlike traditional hearing aids, which can be conspicuous and cumbersome, combining hearing solutions with prescription glasses offers users improved comfort and style. A discreet design could allow the seamless incorporation of the technology into their daily lives without drawing unnecessary attention.
Streamlined User Experience: The fusion of vision and hearing technologies into one product streamlines the user experience. With both hearing and sight needs managed through a single device, users may find it more convenient to address their sensory impairments.
Potential Increase in Adoption Rates: A discreet and stylish design could encourage more individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss to seek assistance. By removing the visual stigma associated with traditional hearing aids, the technology may drive higher adoption rates and lead to better hearing care outcomes.

Global Accessibility and Reach

EssilorLuxottica’s acquisition of Nuance allows the company to leverage its existing global network and resources to make this innovative product available to consumers in 150 countries.

Through traditional hearing aid channels and select optical wholesale customers, the technology aims to be accessible to a wide audience. Moreover, EssilorLuxottica’s extensive retail network can support the introduction of this new hearing category, increasing its reach across the globe.

While the potential benefits are promising, further developments and user feedback will ultimately determine the impact of this innovative technology.

The expected launch of this product is in the second half of 2024.

See the EssilorLuxottica Full press release here.