Luxury Eyewear

LONDON: In the world of luxury accessories, many brands have been following something of a pattern: first footwear, then handbags and now eyewear. And the sector is exploding.

Jimmy Choo is on just such a trajectory. "Following the launch of the handbag collection in 2003, Jimmy Choo eyewear is the most natural step for the company," said Tamara Mellon, president of Jimmy Choo, who has tapped the Italian eyewear manufacturer Safilo to produce its branded sunglasses and spectacles collection.

"Eyewear has become an accessible luxury accessory like handbags or shoes - even more so, considering its lower price point," explained Guillaume Jeter, account director of the London-based luxury agency Provenance, a division of the international advertising giant M&C Saatchi. "It is not surprising Jimmy Choo or Tom Ford have invested in the category when you think the accessory market is growing fast, at 10 to 12 percent, is highly branded and benefits from the extraordinary growth of the emerging markets." Ford started his line with Marcolin, the Italian eyewear company, in 2005.

Jimmy Choo is far from alone - other brands that recently entered or are poised to enter the eyewear sector include Nicole Farhi, Lily Pulitzer, Tiffany, 3.1 Phillip Lim and Robert Clergerie. (This story is continued on the next page.)