• World-first concept store opens in Melbourne, Australia
• International futurist predicts personal element key to future retail success
• Global roll-out of Australian concept

20 July 2010: Australians were introduced to the Future of Retailing today with the debut of a revolutionary global retail concept store unveiled first in Melbourne.

The 1,500 square-metre, split-level OPSM eye hub store is the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. Designed by international award winning architects e2 (designers of the $10 million Qantas experience centre, Virgin Mobile’s flagship retail environment and China Telecom’s pavilion at the 2010 World Expo) the store concept has been based around the customer at the centre of the store experience, where every customer dictates and personalises their own shopping experience.

International retail futurist Dr Ian Pearson, who invented text messaging while working as British Telecom’s full-time futurist until 2008, believes there will be a significant shift in how retailers engage with customers.

“Over the next few decades, the retailers that will thrive will be those who understand how to match the experience a customer wants to each individual customer. With an increase in the level of sophisticated technology and more and more people shopping online, there needs to be a very compelling reason for customers to physically visit a store.

“What I saw today is a first-of-its-kind retail concept that focuses on five-star service, and a very enjoyable customer experience,” he said.

The experiential store concept was developed in Australia by Luxottica, a world leader in eye care and eyewear.

CEO, Luxottica, Asia Pacific, Chris Beer said the new Melbourne flagship sets new standards for international retailing, providing a very different experience to anything customers will have experienced before.

“Typically retailers tell the customer what’s going to happen when they walk in the store. This concept relies on the customers dictating their own shopping experience, and includes telling a concierge meeting them at the door how they want to shop and what they want to spend time on. The best thing about this store is that it will be a unique experience for each customer.

“Importantly, we’ve used extensive customer research to create something for each demographic and spent a significant amount of time designing it so it feels very personal and welcoming.

“What began as a discussion about what the Group’s fiercest competitor could look like came the decision to build that competitor. Two years on, it has become a reality. I believe we have created a concept that cannot be beaten,” he said.

Technology is at the forefront with touch screen interactive mirrors that allow people to playback their new look and see what they look like with full clarity of vision. Sports enthusiasts and pro-athletes alike will put their eyewear to the test in the Oakley Pressure Chamber and Revo Elements Room, complete with a custom made wind tunnel and variable life settings. Glare and wind will be simulated for rigorous on-the-spot testing of frames.

Luxottica’s global CEO, Andrea Guerra, said this is an Australian concept that has the potential to be adapted globally. There are plans for more stores in Australia to debut in the next two to three years, and additional stores could, in the future, be opened in key markets such as China, the UK and the United States.

“We are confident that our first eye hub will be a huge success and lead to future openings in world markets. With the features eye hub has to offer consumers, we believe this will be the next step in retailing and look forward to bringing this concept to consumers around the world,” Mr Guerra said.

The OPSM eye hub store is located at 174-176 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn, five kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD.

Snapshot of the store

• The store’s floor plan, which is in the shape of an eye, invites customers to discover the store’s offering much like a visitor to a gallery
• The environment and service elements have been defined by customers want to experience from the moment they enter the store to when they leave
• Concierge meets you at the door
• Kids area – sectioned off and safe to leave
• Product stylists help match the best frames for you
• Sports simulation rooms for testing wind and glare for customers to ‘road test’ glasses before buying them
• Product vault in centre of store – VIP exclusive designs available
• Largest selection of frames from designers such as Chanel, Bvlgari, Prada, Chloe, Miu Miu, Stella McCartney, Ralph, Tiffany and Ferragamo, as well as Luxottica-owned Ray-Ban, Oakley, Vogue, Arnette, Oliver Peoples, Persol and REVO
• Largest range of product in the Southern Hemisphere - over 2,000 optical and sunglass designs.
• Four exclusive pairs of diamond encrusted glasses – in store for launch
• Interactive mirrors with play back video - customers can see how they look in the latest style of frames
• Living “green wall”
• Prices and designs to suit all customers – from luxury brand designs to great quality frames at affordable prices

Issued by Sefiani Communications Group on behalf of
Luxottica Australia.

Media enquiries to:
Cait Tynan – 0421 273 336 (Luxottica)
Dylan Malloch – 02 8920 0700 (Sefiani)
Don Takaya – 0403 355 566 (Sefiani)
Sarah Craig – 0403 077 478 (Sefiani)

About Luxottica Australia & Asia Pacific

Luxottica has approximately 1,300 retail stores under the brands OPSM, Sunglass Hut, Oakley, Laubman & Pank, Budget Eyewear, Bright Eyes and Lenscrafters and employs 8,500 people across Australia, New Zealand, Asia Pacific, South Africa and Greater China.

In Australia, Luxottica’s retail brands include OPSM, Laubman & Pank, Budget Eyewear, Sunglass Hut and Bright Eyes. We have more than 830 stores across Australia and employ close to 5,000 people.

About Luxottica Group S.p.A.

Luxottica Group is a leader in premium fashion, luxury and sports eyewear, with over 6,300 optical and sun retail stores in North America, Asia-Pacific, China, South Africa and Europe and a strong and well-balanced brand portfolio. Luxottica’s key house brands include Ray-Ban, the best known sun eyewear brand in the world, Oakley, Vogue, Persol, Oliver Peoples, Arnette and REVO, while license brands include Bvlgari, Burberry, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Donna Karan, Polo Ralph Lauren, Prada, Salvatore Ferragamo, Tiffany and Versace. In addition to a global wholesale network covering 130 countries, the Group manages leading retail brands such as LensCrafters and Pearle Vision in North America, OPSM and Laubman & Pank in Australasia, LensCrafters in Greater China and Sunglass Hut globally. The Group’s products are designed and manufactured in six Italy-based manufacturing plants, two wholly-owned plants in China and a sports sunglass production facility in the U.S. In 2009, Luxottica Group posted consolidated net sales of Euro 5.1 billion. Additional information about the Group is available at www.luxottica.com.