JAN 2014

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Your monthly guide to staff training outside the box

Eyes / Lenses / Fitting Lenses / Free-Form / Frames / Sunwear / Patient Solutions / In-office / Standards

FRAMES, Trends, Frame 'Speak'

The Optical Bubble: Media Influence on Eyeglass Frame Fashion

By Preston Fassel, BS

Trickle-Down Fashion
While many individuals may be inspired to acquire a particular article of clothing or accessory after seeing it on their favorite movie star, politician or singer, most of us will find ourselves unwittingly wearing something at some point that owes its availability to a celebrity. This is due to trickle-down fashion.

When a celebrity dresses in a particular way or dons a particular article of clothing, trend followers—who tend to be a fairly affluent bunch—seek out the fashion for themselves. Many times, the style may be unique or one-of-a-kind. Other times, it may be too expensive for anyone BUT a celebrity to afford. This is where design houses come in. In order to turn a profit from fashionistas' desire to own what they saw Angelina Jolie wear at the Golden Globes, design houses will turn out their own versions of the fashion at a (slightly) more affordable price than the "real deal."

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Frame Inventory Basics

This excerpt from the latest magazine issue of MBA Insights is a good review of Frame Inventory Basics. To see the entire magazine titled "Practice Magnetism," visit mba-ce.com.

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A Four-Step Blueprint for Luxury

By Maryann Macchiaverna

Purchasing a new car, a boat or even new jewelry initiates the feeling of luxury. They can also give us a feeling of gratification. Purchasing new eyewear that provides affordable and accessible luxury can have the same effect. When luxurious eyewear sits front and center on our face and is made with quality materials and craftsmanship, we begin to feel better about ourselves. Identifying the four components of luxury is integral to any successful optical department.

First, identify the kind of frames that convey luxury that you would like to deliver to your patients. It may be the types of materials, craftsmanship (design, texture, embellishment or color), or selection of brands with these attributes, along with a variety of price ranges that impress patients with the kinds of accessible luxuries that are included.

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Understanding Frame Value

By Mike Hundert and Nicolas Rosselier, Rem Eyewear

Value is a combination of: brand, design, product components, material quality, manufacturing and the vendor from which the frame is purchased.

Brands: Brands affect perceptions and attitudes, creating the ability to charge a "brand premium." That is matched with the need for higher prices to offset both royalty payments and marketing commitments.

A brand guardian's (i.e., eyewear licensee) job is to deliver on its promises, which includes creating a lifestyle perception embodied in its products that a consumer can choose to experience. Eyewear may be the easiest way that a consumer can have access to an aspirational brand, usually out of reach financially. For example, you can spend $4,000 to drape a Chanel handbag over your arm, or a tenth of that ($400 or less) for a pair of Chanel sunglasses that declare, "You're a Chanel woman." Every brand has a set of core values. It's in its DNA.

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