A week in New York confirms what we knew already. Shoes and sunglasses are the most important accessories of this moment and beat bags and certainly jewelry. Almost everyone in the streets wears sunglasses and the shoe departments of the major department stores like Bergdorf Goodman and Saks are crowded all day long. The optical industry could learn something from this shoe business. Although everywhere in town you can of course buy cheap or average priced shoes, the luxury department stores offer only the best and most exclusive brands, all of them with sky-high prices for which you could easily buy a complete collection of sunglasses. But also all of them with a distinguishing design which clearly separates them from the average offer in the ordinary stores. Loboutin’s, Jimmy Choo’s but Chanel’s, Givenchy’s, Balenciaga’s and Prada’s as well, just to mention a few, are offered for prices in between 700 and 1.000 dollars. Sunglasses of top brands are way to cheap and should be much more beautiful and expensive. It’s time for real exclusive optical stores with really distinguishing and luxurious collections which of course can only be presented and sold when the manufacturers decide to produce them. Much to do for both industry and stores to develop this top segment. The demand is there already….now it is time to create the offer….
