Looking to add some new classic female zyle frames. Currently have some Tura and Silhouette. Must be deep and progressive friendly. Something that I can fit an 18mm progressive into. Any recommendations?
Looking to add some new classic female zyle frames. Currently have some Tura and Silhouette. Must be deep and progressive friendly. Something that I can fit an 18mm progressive into. Any recommendations?
Last edited by DrNeyecare; 06-23-2007 at 05:55 PM.
Doc-
This is a tough one. I struggle with this. I hate to have ANY $$ tied up in mens or ladies "classic" zyls. Silhouette use to corner the female, more mature, zyl arena. There styles have all but dried up. Have you looked into what Silver Dollar, Kenmark, Royce, or any other number of value type companies?
It will be interesting to see the replies on this one!
Are your patients mostly senior citizens? Or are you thinking something for the 40 - 60 age group. If it's the former you might try REM. Senior women like them larger and deeper than baby boomers unless you are in an upscale area where even the elders know fashion trends. For the boomers you want something more colorful and with shallower B measurements since you can use a short corridor progressive with these. Jones New York has a few nice zyls for women as do most every mid-range designer line. Look for names that are also associated with fashion clothing lines for the age group you are marketing to.
The target group for this is the 55+ ladies who loves the classic silhouette type xyls.
Fezz, I haven't tried Silver Dollar or Kenmark yet. Reason being, I don't want to see a rep unless I am 100% I will buy something from them. What line does Kenmark have that would fit this style?
Why don't you do yourself a favor. Call Kenmark and any other frame manufacturer that you can think of and ask for a catalog and price sheet to be dropped off or mailed within the week. Then you can peruse at your leisure. If you already have Sillohuette you have the nicest of this genre for the age group you mention.
Thanks for the suggestion.
I've done that many times, and it seems everytime the actual glasses are nothing like the one pictured in the catalog. I don't want to look thru a catalog, or even browse the various homepages, see a frame I like, order it, then be disappointed b/c it looks different or its made poorly. Also, I don't really want to sit thru a couple of hours, or have my office manager sit thru a frame presentation, and not buy anything. That's why I'm posting here, hoping that the good folks here would give me some recommendations, based on personal experience, of these frames that I desire. Yes, I am aware that Silhouettes are possibly the best out there, but I would like to add another line to my office.
[quote=DrNeyecare;193742]. I don't want to look thru a catalog, or even browse the various homepages, see a frame I like, order it, then be disappointed b/c it looks different or its made poorly. Also, I don't really want to sit thru a couple of hours, or have my office manager sit thru a frame presentation, and not buy anything. /quote]
Get on the phone and call around to your competition and find out if they carry any of the lines you're thinking of carrying. Drop in and check out the lines in person.
I think we are having trouble with suggestions because most of us do not see a market for large women's zyls. Senior women (65+) do like a larger frame but generally prefer metals and especially semi-rimless. Perhaps you could call REM or Kenmark and explain the situation. Ask them to send their top six re-ordered generic women's zyls in larger sizes on approval. You will be able to return them within 30 days. Or you can call the rep, tell them that you only want to see this type of frame and to stop by with some samples so you can actually feel them. Most reps are pretty obliging.
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Last edited by Refractingoptician.com; 05-08-2008 at 07:26 AM.
DragonlensmanWV N.A.O.L.
"There is nothing patriotic about hating your government or pretending you can hate your government but love your country."
Remember the old Liz Claibourne 19?
Safilo has two similar huge zyls in their revamping of the line.
Careful though of going too big, sometimes it increases vertex distance and can cause a problem with progressive adaptation.
Harry
I do well with Liz Claiborne in the baby boomer type Zyls..
With Kenmark, their Vera Wang line has a few nice and deep zyls that work will for an seg.
"Some believe in destiny, and some believe in fate. But I believe that happiness is something we create."-Something More by Sugarland
Ellen Tracy
Liz Claiborne
Nine West
I try to avoid using short-corridors when possible, but I'll agree there isn't much area between a 16 year-old's zyl and an 80 year-old's zyl.
With Silhouette discontinuing their entire zyl line you may just want to try going to VEW to see some of the lines everybody has mentioned. Liz had a small handful of the frames over a 34 B but a decent selection that have between a 28 - 30 B measurement. Silver Dollar has a rep in AZ, and when I was dispensing (oh, say 4 weeks ago :p) our number one line was Silver Dollar - women's zyls. They typically sold to the 70+ group.
As a rep I truly appreciate this! But I would still like the opportunity to show my products even if it didn't result in a sale that day. I would know for sure to stop calling on you if the product didn't meet your needs and you would have a visual understanding of my lines in case anything ever changed in your practice in the future.
I recommend the Stepper seires of women's zyl frames. We do fairly well with them. Most of them have titanium temples with a spring hinge. They are incredibly light weight and come in a nice range of colors and traditional women's styles. These frames are lighter than silhouettes zyl IMO. At a slightly lower price point I would agree that Kenmark has some nice offerings.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
[quote=KStraker;194423]I recommend the Stepper seires of women's zyl frames.
I second the Stepper recommendation. Your contact in Southern California would be Margie Roehm. Her number is 760.598.0634. She has been a rep for many years so she won't be hurt if you tell her that Stepper don't meet your needs.
I just saw the Saks collection from Safilo (hey no bashing here!) and I saw some very nice boomer friendly zyls in there as well. Rich colors with just enough depth... modern styling, and some nice detailing.
Cassandra
"Some believe in destiny, and some believe in fate. But I believe that happiness is something we create."-Something More by Sugarland
My rep told me that Silhouette was discontinuing their entire zyl frame line and that it would impact his business by over 25%. Last month. I swear.
He was very unhappy about it and I can't see why he would lie because we didn't carry the zyls, only the rimless. Sorry if that's erroneous info - I thought I was quoting a knowledgable source.
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