Product profile

Eyewear Direct has added New Balance and Bloc Eyewear to its ever-growing collection. Brett Waugh introduces the brands and the refreshed portfolio...

Here at Eyewear Direct, we are excited to announce that two new brands have joined the Eyewear Direct family – New Balance and Bloc Eyewear. The addition of these brands enriches our portfolio, offering athleisure design at its finest. With a shift in the way we are living and working, athleisure is more popular than ever and an essential in every eyewear range.

NEW BALANCE: NOT JUST SPORTSWEAR New Balance stands for more than sportswear: it champions those who are fearlessly driven by their passions, who are fearlessly independent and doing right by people and the planet. The men’s, women’s and teens’ eyewear lines are ergonomically designed with E-lock temples, offering the perfect blend of function and fashion. The lightweight and strong styles celebrate the evolution of athleisure style.

New Balance aligns with our own principles on transparency and quality, and is a brand customers know and trust. New Balance was one of only six companies to step forward and be featured on a new map that links brands to their suppliers’ environmental performance in China. For the first time, factory pollution data for suppliers can be viewed in almost real time by the public.

In 2017, New Balance ranked 16th of 267 companies in the Corporate Information Transparency Index, which evaluates brands according to how well they address supply chain environmental responsibility in China. In 2018, they climbed to 11th overall. We believe that, together, we can drive meaningful change in the eyewear sector.

BLOC EYEWEAR: UK-DESIGNED Launched in 1988, Bloc Eyewear revolutionised the sports eyewear industry, creating high-performance

Bloc Eyewear: revolutionising the sports eyewear industry

sports sunglasses and goggles using innovative technology. Designed in the UK, Bloc sports optical frames are strong, lightweight and flexible. The new collection is manufactured from tough and durable TR90 acrylic and Ultem Resin. TR90 is extremely comfortable and supremely lightweight, while Ultem (PEI) resin is an amorphous thermoplastic that provides exceptional flexibility. It is flame retardant, and resistant to chemicals, heat and UV light. This combination offers the best in performance technology, alongside the commercial style customers are looking for.

ASHTON RILEY: PERFECTLY COMPACT Ashton Riley is also celebrating new additions with the launch of its compact range for more petite face shapes. Competitively priced, Ashton Riley provides all-day style ensuring the wearer can move seamlessly from work to play – delivering quality acetate, stainless steel and titanium frames. Through our unique share scheme, stockists build up shares in the brand meaning everyone benefits from its success. Designed in and inspired by the UK, all frames take their names from towns and cities like bestsellers Cardiff, Oxford and Newtownabbey. New styles and colours are launched every eight weeks, and the new Ashton Riley website shows the latest additions with an option to order wholesale online.

HOOK LDN: MUSIC AND FASHION Hook LDN has grown from strength to strength - with its emphasises on creating quality, style led designs that are

Hook LDN has a strong social media presence

influenced by its passions for music and fashion. Stockists benefit from Hook LDN’s strong social media presence with regular appearances from celebrities, musical artists and influencers styling the fun, fashionable frames. Hook LDN includes premium acetate and stainless steel frames and sunglasses. The collection mixes classic and fashion-forward frames in unique colours, and now offers more than 30 styles, including popular Parklife, Colston and Supernova.

INVU: LEADING IN POLARISATION Invu is currently available in 90 countries and is a market-leading polarised sunglasses brand. Designed in Switzerland, the next generation polarised lens technology is an intelligent, multi-layer light management system that selectively filters out reflected glare. It offers clear, glare-free vision with high contrast and exceptional colour perception. Invu’s distribution with Eyewear Direct began in December 2020, adding a high quality yet affordable prescription sunglass collection with a discount when part of a frame and lens package. The Two in One optical frames and magnetic clips made from TR90 and Ultem bring together high quality production values; likewise the Ultra Polarised Self-Healing lens.

REDELE EYEWEAR: SLEEK ITALIAN STYLE Made in Italy, Redele offers sleek, fashionforward designs with a bold colour palette. With a mix of unique patented TR2R material and beta titanium frames, the quality is hard to beat. Redele Eyewear was founded in 2012 by the young, freespirited rule breaker, Alessandro De Vecchi. After five successful years, the brand’s creative team relocated to Los Angeles. The new collection celebrates the brand’s newly-established Southern Californian roots. It draws influences from the Los Angeles icons of yesteryear, plus the new creative community of today.

The patented TR2R material is ultralightweight and is combined with beta titanium temples to create exquisite frames. Unbelievably light and playful colours ensure there are options for those looking simply for comfort, or those looking to make a statement. 2020 saw the introduction of Mazzuchelli acetate frames to the collection. The luxury feel, combined with amazing designs, created instant best-selling styles. 2021 sees the launch of TitanBlock, the new beta titanium collection incorporating an innovative hinge system.

CLARITY, VALUE, COLLABORATION As Eyewear Direct continues to grow, it is important to us that we keep to our original brand ethos and continue to listen to our customers. This is major part of what we do and the only way to create practical, affordable and stylish eyewear that end-consumers want to buy. We continue to build with our original three main principles: total clarity, value and collaboration.

Total Clarity: This entails providing our customers with more information about the frames and sunglasses we offer. In turn, this enables our customers to make better decisions about what they do – and do not – buy.

Value: In terms of value, we work across a range of price points and always overdeliver on value for money. Our customers and their patients are consistently delighted with the quality of the frames for the price they pay.

Collaboration: The world is changing; the market is changing. So, building strong, collaborative relationships with both customers and suppliers ensures we can all be successful into the future. This includes one-for-one swaps, no minimum order quantity, volume promotions and shares in our brand, Ashton Riley.

We are proud of the six brands that represent Eyewear Direct and the evolution of the brands over the last year. Each has its own personality, and is aimed at a specific customer. Combined, the six brands create a complete and staple eyewear range, all offered at exceptional value for money. All stock is held in our UK warehouse, and orders are despatched within 24 hours. The collections are exclusive to independent opticians.

WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP As a preferred supplier to NEG, Eyewear Direct is already working in partnership with many members – and we are keen to work with many more. We will continue to build our portfolio of products and services to ensure we become a valuable partner to NEG members.

Redele Eyewear celebrates the LA lifestyle

For more information, please speak to your area manager or contact me direct on 0207 193 33334 or email enquiries@ eyewear-direct.net. Equally, please get in touch if there is something you’d like us to add to our offering. We would love to get your input.

Brett Waugh is managing director of Eyewear Direct.