Lens Link
How colored lens tints are raising the fashion bar in eyewear
By Marcy Bruch

Actor Billy Zane wears Sama Eyewear's Euphoria tinted eyewear  PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICHARD MCLAREN

Thanks to the trendsetters of tinsel town, lens-tinted eyewear is becoming a defining accessory for those who want to look ultra-hip. What's more, this hybrid eyewear appeals to a work-hard, play-hard crowd, giving dispensers an opportunity to grow a third category of their business: Club wear. Those cashing in on this lens tint trend claim it brings in as much as 30 percent of their business and adds anywhere from $20 to $200 to an average ticket sale. And with lens manufacturers continually taking technology to the next level, creative lens-tinting possibilities are endless.

That means both dispensers and their customers have free reign when it comes to building customized eyewear packages. "With all the new color combinations for gradient tints, I've been having a ball creating eyewear that's one of a kind," says Alyce Skinner, owner of Adair Optical in Ft. Worth, Texas.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF COLOR

When going through the spectrum of color choices, begin your approach to selling lens tints by asking customers about their favorite colors. "Nine times out of 10, they're going to find their mood changes for the better whenever they look through lenses that are in their favorite color. It's like walking into a room that's painted in your favorite color. Instantaneously you want to sit down and stay there awhile because it gives you an emotional lift," says Skinner.

	The ck 5000/1 (blue) and ck 5000/4 for Marchon have light-colored gradient lenses that are perfect as club wear

The next issue is whether to go with a solid or gradient tint in a particular color. "If you have a bolder frame, such as a black plastic, it's best to stick with a solid color. But in rimless and metal frames, gradients tints can look dramatic," notes Skinner. But, even in rimless and metal styles, gradient tints need a frame deep enough to allow the full gradation of color on the lens.

GRADIENTS ON THE RISE

Still, there's no question that gradients are on the leading edge when it comes to lens tints. "We pulled our gradient tint machine out of the back room of our lab after it sat dormant for more than five years," says Norman Childs, owner of Eyetique in Pittsburgh, Penn. "Now it's running all the time--that's how popular gradient tints are," he says.

A favorite choice is faded gradient blue tint with flash mirror coating. And as the trend evolves, Brad Hoppie, manager of Optical Shop of Aspen in Aspen, Colo., observes there's also a move by his clients toward two-color gradient tints, such as amber fading to pink and blue fading to purple.

Clear gray gradients with flash mirror coating are unquestionably the hottest look for clients of Marvin Freeman, owner of Davante in Las Vegas, because they can be worn day or night, indoors or outdoors. "They're ideal for people moving from the bright sun outside to darkly lit casinos because they offer UV protection, while still allowing people to see well enough through them indoors," he says.

For that reason, these clear gray flash mirror gradient tints are also hot for street wear and club wear in New York City. Plus, the lightly tinted shade around the eyes lends an aura of mystery that transcends gender boundaries.

"They are equally popular among women as well as men, thanks to actors like Brad Pitt who wear them all the time," says Richard Morgenthal, owner of Morgenthal Frederics in New York City.

CELEBRITY INFLUENCE

Perhaps that's why gradient tinted lenses have become part of the signature uniform of performers like Sean "P. Diddy" Combs. "They definitely appeal to someone seeking an audience," says Hoppie, who gets a fair amount of celebrity clients in Aspen, Colo.

In fact, the rich and famous have been so influential in giving the lens-tint trend momentum that it pays to take a moment to study who's wearing what.

"I subscribe to Vogue Italy magazine since Europe is generally ahead of the curve in fashion, I watch awards shows like the Grammys and the Oscars, and always stop channel surfing long enough to check out the latest music video on MTV," says Allan Rosenberg, vice president of new business development for Schaeffer Eye Center in Birmingham, Ala.

"I do this to be aware of what eyewear celebrities are wearing, so if someone walks in and says they want eyewear just like what Sheryl Crow wore at the Grammy Awards, I know what they're talking about. Right now, a lot of celebrities are wearing gradient tints with subtle flash mirror coating."

CXD's BOSS Hugo Boss style HB11810 (left) and HB 5779 (right) with clear gray tints and flash mirror coatings	Oliver Peoples offers a three-ring binder showing off its range of lens tints

ADDING FLASH MIRROR COATINGS

A gradient flash mirror coating adds dimension to solid tinted lenses, and makes gradient tints look more modern and updated. Try experimenting with flash mirror coatings on tinted lenses to give them an iridescent quality. "I've been very successful with a 30 percent blue solid lens coated with blue gradient flash mirror coating. The flash mirror coating creates a dynamic effect because the blue lenses change color depending on how the light hits them," Hoppie says.

Flash mirror coatings also jazz up eyewear for evening. For example, coating solid yellow lenses with a silver flash mirror coating creates a soft vanilla finish on the lenses that complements gold metal frames embellished with white crystals for an elegant look.

"Flash mirror coatings soften brighter lens tints so they don't pop so much and they're more wearable. The iridescence of flash mirror coated eyewear reflects light--much like jewelry--making it ideal for evening wear," Skinner says.

COSMETIC TINTS

For less fashion-oriented folks who just want softer-looking eyewear to help camouflage the signs of aging, tints are the perfect solution.

Douglas Brookhart, owner of Specialeyes in Kettering, Ohio, has turned his lens-tinting techniques into makeover magic. "For someone's who's older with sallow skin, I use a light peach or rose tone at the bottom of lenses to give their face some color. To minimize lines and bags around eyes on someone with a warm complexion, I'll add a peach or flesh tone tint to the lenses. For a person with an olive or cool skin undertone, I'll give lenses a hint of gray tint."

DEMONSTRATING TINTS

With a greater range of lens tint choices available comes a greater potential for confusion. "My idea of blue could be navy and someone's else idea of blue may be the color of a robin's egg," says Childs. Before the glasses are made at Eyetique, a sample lens is created for customer approval, he notes.

Although the ideal scenario would be a whole board of frames showcasing tints, space constraints are usually the reality. An alternative: A sampler from a manufacturer shows off a collection of solid and gradient tints.

"We have a three-ring binder full of lens samples that showcase an array of gradient color combinations. It helps customers envision the many possibilities," Hoppie says. But always have at least 10 frames with lens tints to provide a concrete example of the finished product

NEW TECHNOLOGY ON THE HORIZON

New lens technology gives optical retailers reason to familiarize customers with this category. Some of the new lens technology available includes product which allows lenses to turn from green to blue, yellow to orange, or rose to purple as the wearer goes from indoors to outdoors. Also on the horizon are polarized lenses in fun fashion tints such as apple green and sky blue, which takes fashion and function to a whole new level.

"There are even neon lenses that actually glow in the dark, which truly epitomizes club wear," Rosenberg notes.

His dispensary holds monthly seminars to inform staff what's new and train them to bring up new lens technology during their dialogue with customers. They suggest lens-tinted frames as a third pair of glasses to coordinate with an outfit for a special occasion or as a third pair to wear out at clubbing on weekends. People may not buy the glasses with fashion tints immediately, but the seed has been planted for the future.

"We have everything from the ridiculous to the sublime, but if our staff doesn't talk it up, the new lens technology means nothing to us," he points out.

Adding a gradient lens tint, flash mirror coating, and UV protection to eyewear raises the ticket price by about $100, a nice additional profit. So after you fit your customers with prescription eyewear and recommend sun protection, don't forget to offer them a hip pair of lens-tinted glasses.

Transition's new Splitz lenses change color for a stylish photochromic option	Missoni 0197 frames from Neostyle with green lenses are a sleek offering for trend setters