Sunglass Hut opened two flagship stores in New York and London in April. These retail locations have been strategically placed in tourist-centric cities that embrace a cutting-edge fashion sense. The flagship stores provide “a fun, innovative experience that celebrates a love of fashion and shopping” and aim to increase Sunglass Hut’s consumer presence.

The Fifth Avenue New York store was host to a star-studded party in celebration of its opening. Celebrities such as Macaulay Culkin and Emily Mortimer showed up to partake in the festivities. Guest celebrity DJs such as Fab Moretti and Binki Shapiro (both from the band Little Joy) and Jenny Lewis (of Rilo Kiley fame) provided the sound system for the evening.

With the unveiling of their brand new flagship stores comes another fresh beginning for Sunglass Hut. For the first time, the sunglass retailer is pairing up with a celebrity for style advice. Rachel Bilson (pictured), most notably of “The O.C.” fame, (and also in attendance at the event) has been appointed style director for Sunglass Hut. She will work closely with the teams at Sunglass Hut, using her style savvy to deliver the latest eyewear trends. Bilson will connect with Sunglass Hut’s consumers by making in-store appearances, writing a trend blog on the company’s web site, conducting interviews with designers and style influencers and hosting an ongoing question and answer segment online, where consumers can ask about their eyewear needs.

“When we envisioned the style director position and looked at Rachel’s personal style and love of sunglasses, it was a very obvious gut feeling that she was the perfect person to take on this new role,” says Fabio d’Angelantonio, CEO of Sunglass Hut. “Rachel has a clear vision of how to integrate this job on all levels from selecting the newest trends, sharing the information online and with consumers and really showing how sunglasses are a key accessory.”

    —Melissa Arkin