From AI to Larger Sizes, New Colors to Brands: Vision Expo West Showed the Latest

At the 2024 edition of Vision Expo West — organized by RX and The Vision Council and held at the Venation Expo in Las Vegas — major eyewear groups showed off their latest technologies and trends, including a greater focus on AI, new licensees and an increased use of bright colors and unexpected shapes in frames.

The exhibition hosted more than 10,000 industry professionals from across the globe taking in the latest lens technology, diagnostic tools, and practice management solutions.

Here, WWD takes a close look at the biggest eyewear manufacturers on a range of topics, including new licensees, trends and the technologies driving the conversation across the industry.

Marcolin Eyewear

At Marcolin, AI technology, launched in 2023, was front and center at the booth, helping to deliver attendees a unique experience inside the company’s factories. ”Immersive Mode is based on a technology that gives the user a complete view of a space from a standing position. The environments to be explored are those relating to production: from the creative process to prototyping, followed by manufacturing steps, and ending with the product distribution,” explained Davide Rettore, Marcolin’s global channels and sales operations support director, adding that the technology received positive interaction.

The Italian company recently revealed it would produce eyewear for Abercrombie & Fitch Co., including the Abercrombie, Abercrombie kids and Hollister brands, continuing to diversify Marcolin’s portfolio of brands. “The partnership represents a perfect union between Marcolin’s expertise in creating lifestyle eyewear and Abercrombie & Fitch Co.’s unique style, bringing to life eyewear collections that reflect the bold and sophisticated spirit of its global brands,” Rettore said. Debut styles will roll out in early 2025

A new category rolled out at the trade show saw Timberland debut TimberBend, a range of frames with extended sizes, incorporating a new technology to meet a new demand. “There is shown to be few offerings on the market of large frames that are fashion-focused and incorporate technical features,” he said. “TimberBend allows for an entrance into the extended size market with durable and on-trend styles, focusing on providing stylish and functional options for larger faces.”

The new frames are constructed using flexible high density acetate that is ultra-thin, and lightweight and sturdy metals in flexible beta-titanium. According to the brand, the collection is ergonomically tailored for fit, while providing comfort and resistance to breakage.

The introduction of Ic! Berlin, an independent eyewear manufacturer established in Berlin brought into the portfolio last year, was highlighted at the show. “Ic! Berlin brings a harmonious blend of luxury and delicate design to the Marcolin portfolio,” Rettore said.  For Expo West, the brand presented its new frame, Rufus, a full acetate model with intricate ring facets encircling the lenses.

Additional newness: magnetic clip-on styles from Tom Ford Eyewear; Adidas Sport Eyewear evolved with improved technology and refined curved lenses and angled shapes, new spoilers, aeration holes, and materials that are lighter yet sturdier, and Harley-Davidson Eyewear introduced titanium frames designed to weather all the outdoor elements bikers experience on any given ride.

EssilorLuxottica

The expansive EssilorLuxottica booth leaned in on medical technology, offering a glimpse of what is to come industrywide. “Our goal was to show the industry our vision for the future, where med-tech plays a leading role in revolutionizing patient care, paving the way for more profitable eye care practices and growing new categories like myopia management,” explained Fabrizio Uguzzoni, president, EssilorLuxottica professional solutions, Americas.

“EssilorLuxottica is leading here, not only as a vision care company but as a technology leader with achievements in AI, big data, advanced instruments and other areas that will shape the future far beyond frames and lenses. Our booth was designed to show the eyewear and eye care community that we’re investing in them — and in their patients — like never before,” Uguzzoni said.

Held a week before Meta Connect, the booth previewed several updates to the Ray-Ban-Meta   wearables range, highlighting an evolving category. “We are excited about the significant progress we’re making in our wearables category,” Rocco Basilico, chief wearables officer of EssilorLuxottica, said. “Seeing the remarkable growth and positive reception of the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses is truly inspiring. Our collaboration with Meta seamlessly blends our iconic design with cutting-edge technology, creating products that resonate globally. As Meta’s AI advances, we’re committed to expanding our styles offerings. Each update introduces new capabilities that enhance the user experience, making our smart glasses more intuitive and accessible. We look forward to future innovations that will shape the way we connect with each other and the world.”

The Nuance audio collection — a yet-to-come-to-market but highly anticipated assortment of frames that integrate open-ear hearing technology into a pair of eyeglasses that improve vision, offering users an immersive and clear auditory experience — is gearing up for FDA approval. “Being fully respectful of the FDA procedures, Nuance Audio is expected to launch in the U.S. in early 2025,” Davide D’Alena, super audio marketing director of EssilorLuxottica, explained, adding the plan is to leverage both traditional hearing aid channels and select optical wholesale customers “to make Nuance accessible to consumers wherever possible. We will also engage our retail network to support the new category and expand its reach across the world.”

At launch Nuance Audio will be available in brick-and-mortar stores only, aiming for consumers to get an immersive experience of the product. “Over the past year, we have made significant progress in developing the new technology, fine-tuning the product and collecting supportive clinical evidence from extensive research and top-quality tests. We continue to present the product to end-users and potential customers, gathering great feedback from industry experts and clients who are looking forward to their first orders,” D’Alena said.

New to the stable of EssilorLuxottica brands, Moncler debuted at the show,  split between two collections, heritage and sport. “Heritage eyewear embodies fresh interpretations of classic Moncler codes, contemporary sophistication and styles that empower explorers all year round, while Sport shows a deep connection to the brand’s DNA and draws inspiration from the brand’s alpine roots for high style and performance with innovative materials,” said Sherianne James, chief marketing officer of EssilorLuxottica professional solutions North America.

James said EssilorLuxottica views Vision Expo West as “a pivotal moment, not only to showcase our new products and innovations but also to highlight the services that help our customers fully embrace these emerging categories. As we pave the way for the future — introducing new categories like Nuance, advancing innovative ones with Ray-Ban Meta smart eyewear, and reinventing existing categories with solutions like Transitions Gen S and Varilux XR Track with customized measurements — we understand the importance of equipping our customers with the right tools to maximize these opportunities.”

Marchon

This year marked the fourth in a row of record sales at Marchon. “Our U.S. business is strong and remains the most important market for Marchon,” Thomas Burkhardt, president of Marchon eyewear, said, adding that besides the Americas, the company is “particularly pleased with the performance of our operations in Asia this year,” with key brands including Nike Vision, Ferragamo, Calvin Klein, Longchamp, and Lacoste, as well as proprietary brands, including Pure, “performing exceptionally well.”

In September Marchon and the Savannah College of Art and Design unveiled a new academic partnership, dedicated to fashion eyewear and design, a first of its kind in the U.S.

“Our product development and design team is eager to connect with the students, giving them hands-on learning experiences, mentorship, and engagement when it comes to developing eyewear for our licensed and proprietary brands. This course will allow students to explore the fusion of fashion and style in eyewear, giving them inspiration for innovation and creativity for the future of our industry,” Burkhardt said.

The company recently welcomed Canada Goose into its portfolio and will debut the well known outerwear brand’s first eyewear collection.  Burkhardt remarked that it is “another milestone in our effort to add world class partners to the Marchon brands. Canada Goose and Marchon share the same dedication and commitment to sustainability and expert, quality craftsmanship. With our deep experience in both performance and luxury eyewear, we are very excited to bring the Canada Goose brand to existence in the eyewear category.”

The range will debut in February and will include sun and optical styles “that feature the brand’s signature design elements and performance features, all crafted with sustainable materials.”

Proprietary brand Purewith, with its expressive and colorful frames at an affordable price, was relaunched last spring, selling out faster than the company had anticipated.

”Since the spring, all our cross functional teams are working together to support the brand’s growth,” he said. “When we saw the traction Pure was making following the relaunch, the teams quickly reacted and figured out how we could increase the supply of product to meet the growing demand.  While black and browns and tortoise are still the most selected colors in eyewear, we are seeing the popularity of bright colors and unexpected shapes be selected more and more,” he said, pointing to a big trend seen across the show. “Between the buzz around the Canada Goose license agreement, the SCAD partnership, and product displays from Marchon and Altair brands, we had a very successful show and exceeded our initial revenue targets,” the executive reported.

Safilo Group

This year Safilo continued to mark its 90th anniversary, using the booth as a way to tell a deeper story of the Italian manufacturer’s legacy. “We wanted to use the Vision Expo West show as an opportunity to highlight our rich history and the innovative spirit that has defined us for decades,” Gabriele Cusani, Safilo’s president and chief commercial officer of North America, said. “We believe that by reminding our clients of this heritage, we can reaffirm our commitment to delivering exceptional products and services and strengthen our position as a trusted partner in the industry.”

Alongside the history sat the new, with the debut of Stuart Weitzman eyewear, which Cusani said was met with an enthusiastic response. This partnership, he said, “marks a significant milestone for Safilo, as Stuart Weitzman is an iconic brand that is synonymous with women’s global luxury footwear. We are excited to introduce our inaugural optical collection, featuring a new campaign with global brand ambassador Issa Rae,” he said with sun collection rolling out in 2025.

Driving the business in the U.S., Cusani said Safilo’s proprietary brands, “especially Carrera, Smith Optics and license Eyewear by David Beckham, play a pivotal role in our growth strategy.” Other strong performers in the U.S.  include licensed brands Kate Spade New York, Tommy Hilfiger, Boss, Carolina Herrera, and Marc Jacobs.

Debuted  in 2023, they showed the latest in technology for the Carrera Smart Glasses with Alexa. “This partnership with Amazon reflects Safilo’s commitment to innovation and our desire to provide cutting-edge products to our customers,” he said.

“Our customers are the heart of our business and the reason why we continue to innovate. Our strategy today is to return to the forefront of our customers’ minds by focusing on service, quality, design, and a commercial offer that can meet all their needs. This approach enabled us to close this past VEW at an extraordinary growth in visitors compared to last year,” he said.