We did it before and consider it interesting to look back at the main events and topics of the year before. This time an overview in three parts. The year 2012 might be called turbulent. Where the optical industry seemed to escape from the aftermaths of the less favourite economic circumstances in 2011, this year we had to face the truth and suffered like anybody else. A poor Dutch Summer did not help either which finally resulted in a dramatic drop in purchases by opticians and stagnating sales to the final consumers in stores. Nevertheless enough to celebrate, so let’s cover that first. Polaroid celebrated 75 years and invited the Dutch fashion press for a remarkable evening in Amsterdam resulting in lots of press for the brand. For opticians the company organized a special edition of the musical Saturday Night Fever where people showed up dressed in style and partied until late. Friederichs celebrated 115 year of optical business with a performance of Dutch music stars at Amsterdam. Menrad Netherlands invited all former employees at the Centrop Fair to have a drink on 40 years in business together with all current clients. Ray-Ban celebrated its 75th anniversary all year long and even reached the daily television show RTL Boulevard with a nice item about the history of the iconic brand. The Club BRILLANT show at the Heineken Music Hall became a major party with more as 1500 guests including many Dutch celebrities. Positive as well the Eyescan Congress at Noordwijk with a fantastic and very inspiring closing lecture by Dutch astronaut André Kuipers. More good news? Certainly! Lapo Elkann of Italia Independent received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his role as a fashion icon from Dutch Esquire magazine. Worldwide he uses his fame to promote Italia Independent which got more and more fans in the Netherlands and promises to be very successful this year. Dutch celebrity Jan Kooijman was voted the Most Sexy Man of the country by magazine Glossy and wore a Trussardi prescription frame at the Award ceremony proving how sexy prescription frames are today. Brad Pitt showed himself a great eyewear ambassador showing up at the red carpet in Cannes with his golden sunglasses by Sama, a picture that reached all newspapers including the front page of the Dutch Telegraaf. His future wife Angelina Jolie was spotted just before in Amsterdam with sunglasses of the same brand. By the end of the year Rihanna stole the show, if this is possible in the middle of Victoria’s Angels including our own Doutzen Kroes, wearing a vintage Chanel sunglasses while performing at the Victoria’s Secret catwalk. Another highlight was the exhibition of Theo frames at the Dutch CODA museum, organized by optician Sandmann Optiek at Apeldoorn. Enough about fun and parties, more serious topics tomorrow…
