Impressive line-up of eyewear and eye-care brands set for big international stage in Dubai
Optical fashion accessories fuelling global industry growth as UAE eyewear market tops $420 million
Dubai, United Arab Emirates:
As more and more of the world’s top fashion houses and designers roll-out dedicated eyewear lines, the 2014 edition of the region’s leading optical trade event will feature a star-studded line-up of the optical industry’s biggest catwalk names.
Running November 25-27 at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), the 15th edition of Vision-X has attracted an impressive line-up of leading international eyewear and eye-care brands including Adidas, Baldinini, Boucheron, S.T. Dupont, Gold and Wood, Levi’s, Tagheuer, Fresh Look, Hello Kitty, Acuvue and many more.
Vision-X returns as more and more of the biggest names in fashion utilise stylish eyewear products as integral accessories in runway fashion shows – a trend fuelling global optical industry growth. According to Euromonitor International, the UAE eyewear market alone was worth an estimated $420 million (AED1.58 billion) in 2013 and, as the industry’s premier regional trade hub, Vision-X is a specialist platform for MENA businesses to stay ahead of market developments
“Opticians in Abu Dhabi and especially in Dubai provide a high-end shopping experience, offering luxury brands for frames and sunglasses along with professional optometric services for their customers. An important part of this enhanced shopping experience is the mall culture,” said David Lewis, Head of Digital, MENA, GfK Retail and Technology, Middle East FZ LLC. “There are two sources of demand in the optics industry: eye-care, driven by functional products that focus on product innovation and technology; and eyewear, driven by personal accessory products that deliver a fashion statement – Dubai perfectly balances both.”
With Dubai now ranked the world’s second most popular destination for fashion and luxury goods shopping – behind only London and ahead of New York and Paris – according to commercial property and real estate services adviser CBRE, the close proximity of optical outlets and fashion stores in the UAE’s mall-driven retail industry will be reflected at this month’s Vision-X.
Fashion TV Eyewear, which has recently appointed Tommy Fashion Sunglasses as its new regional licensee, will run three daily catwalk shows. Additionally, Mad in Italy will showcase its exclusive line of Middle East-themed sunglasses featuring various national flag designs.
High fashion brand Chopard will hold a press launch for its hugely-anticipated Cannes Special Edition Sunglasses. Made from gold and diamonds, the sunglasses retail at AED9,995. Another brand making international headlines for its luxurious show-stopping eyewear products, Boucheron – represented at Vision-X by Headline Sponsor Vision & Fashion – will showcase ultra-luxury Boucheron sunglasses retailing at just under a staggering AED210,000 (US$57,534).
Famous for handmade pieces designed by master opticians for true admirers of beautiful fashionable eyepieces, Gold and Wood will celebrate its 20th anniversary at Vision-X by exhibiting celebratory line ‘Twenty’ – a unique blend of colour and mirror with wood, which is the result of Gold and Wood and Carl Zeiss Vision combining their exclusive eyewear.
Other fashion-forward designers include sleek Danish brands Prodesign and Nine Eyewear, as well as Mediterranean-inspired Spanish designer brand Jisco Eyewear and French design duo Vanessa & Mehdi – both of which are new to the region.
An emerging trend among Middle Eastern women is coloured contact lenses, which are worn for prescriptive eye-care and by fashion-conscious consumers desiring a different look. According to Salma Zaki, Brand Manager at Fresh Look, a part of Vision Care Middle East, since the majority of Middle Eastern women have dark eyes, it is fashionable to match coloured lenses “to suit make-up or compliment an overall outfit”.
According to Vision Care MEs’ knowledge of the industry, contact lens users in the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar prefer to use the daily disposable type – despite the greater cost – because of the convenience and availability.
Vision-X 2014 returns with support from Headline Sponsor, Vision & Fashion; Nikon & Kefan; Egma, GKB Hi-Tech and Medicals international. Held in DWTC’s Sheikh Saeed Halls from November 25-27, Vision-X 2014 is strictly a trade-only event. The show is open daily from 10am to 6pm on November 25 and 26 and 10am to 5pm on November 27. Registration is available in advance at the event’s new website: www.vision-x.ae.