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Korea-special sunglasses for Gucci by Safilo |
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
With summer just around the corner, sunglasses will be a must-have fashion item. Sunglasses do not just offer protection from the harmful rays of the sun, but also an easy way to get that glamorous, funky or mysterious look.
A recent Wall Street Journal article proclaimed luxury sunglasses as the new ``entry-level luxury item." With the price of luxury handbags soaring in the thousands of dollars, more and more people are turning to designer sunglasses by Gucci or Dior to get that feeling of luxury and glamour.
This season, the eyewear trends are towards big glamorous frames and aviator style sunglasses. Celebrities are setting the trends, with Jessica Simpson already spotted wearing Gucci's stylish sunglasses with a crystal logo on the side.
As hip and trendy sunglasses are already hitting the counters of department stores in Korea, you may notice special Korea-only collections from high-end brands Gucci, Dior, Emporio Armani, Giorgio Armani, Hugo Boss, YSL, Marc Jacobs, Max Mara and Alexander Mc Queen.
Italian eyewear group Safilo, which licenses and produces these nine high-end brands, is introducing sunglasses and frames with a specific fit for Koreans.
Jonas Sorenson, Safilo Korea CEO |
``Majority of the eyewear we are introducing in Korea are either Asian or Korean specials. For sunglasses, we are producing eyewear specifically only for the Korean market. This is the only country in the world where we produce styles specifically for this market," Safilo Korea chief executive officer Jonas Sorenson told The Korea Times.
While these designer eyewear brands have been available in the country for the past few years, this year Safilo started operations of its subsidiary to directly handle these nine designer brands.
Sorenson said the company wanted to have a direct presence in Korea, as it acknowledges the strength of the Korean economy and its growing luxury market. ``We want to have more awareness of our brands here, which is why we are bringing our most valuable collections to Korea," he said.
Safilo is a worldwide market leader in licensed production and distribution of luxury eyewear brands. The company works closely with fashion houses like Gucci, Armani and Dior to come up with the designs and to ensure high quality of the eyewear. Safilo's sunglasses and frames are made in Italy and Japan.
``So we have more than 100 designers in Italy and Hong Kong. They are not just designing the eyewear from the Safilo point of view, but we are working very closely with the designing house, taking the core concepts of the collection. ... You will find in the eyewear, the same concepts and same trends in the shoes and other accessories from these designers," Sorenson said.
Sorenson said he sees a big potential for growth in the Korean luxury eyewear market, although there is stiff competition with other designer eyewear brands.
``We are selling luxury eyewear but it doesn't mean you have to be an extremely rich person to wear our eyewear. A couple of years ago, yes, luxury goods was for rich people but today it's a different world and luxury is not necessarily associated with a price tag. I think its more something to do with an aspiration to be someone else," he said.
After all, with the right clothes, accessories and of course, a cool pair of sunglasses, anyone can feel like a star.
cathy@koreatimes.co.kr |
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