Looking to go more high end and luxury

**Spiritlady1024** · 06-24-2008, 02:20 PM

Hi, I am new to the board...I have a store in Brooklyn, New York and I am looking to go into more of the high end luxury market.

I have been doing a little research about some lines and I would like some input from the experts here on the optiboard about experiences and quality and customer service and such.

I have been pretty much a mid-level store until now, but I am ready to make that jump into the luxury/higher end realm...

Here are a few lines I am interested in..lemme know what you guys think:

Oliver Peoples
Sama(all there lines, Sama, Badgley Mischka and Loree Rodkin)
Barton Perreira
Bevel
Chrome Hearts
Blinde
Lindberg
Tag Heuer
Fred/Cartier

That is my short list for now, I want to be more with the exclusive lines and offer my clientele something they cannot get anywhere else. I am also carrying the Lux core product along with the some Marchon lines because I do not want to alienate my mid-range clientele.

Any help I can get on those lines would be great...

Thanks,

Melissa:cheers:

**RustyS** · 06-24-2008, 05:28 PM

persoanlly i would do OP/Paul Smith for classic lines, high end appeal, exchange rat, and depth of collection (good zyls and metals great mens)

Lindberg for clean rimless and more modern but wide appeal. However unless its changed exchanges are not great, but wth a good eye shoul dbe no prob a lot of their stuff is easy to sell

One thats not on your list is Pro design good price point nice funky stuff wont compete with OP/PS or lindberg and give a little more funk to the board because some people equate high end with crazy duckies and bunnies with rhinestones

if your not wanting to take the plunge head first these would be good to test they waters and give a great mix.

I like Mykita also

**Jedi** · 06-24-2008, 06:20 PM

Try Gold and Wood, we can not keep them in stock.
About OP and Paul Smith, as long as Lux keeps them at arms length, then I still recommend them, but you may want to look into SALT optics as well.
Ditto on Mykita, we do well with both them and Ic! Berlin, but I do prefer the hinge construction of Mykita. A couple of more colourful lines, try Orgreen and Theo.

**Crazy-bout-Optics** · 06-24-2008, 08:06 PM

Ditto to Cartier and Gold & Wood, and Lindberg.

I am in Love with Robert Marc. Go check out his store in manhattan, simply beautiful Zyls with great color combinations. I also like Face a Face.

**Laurie** · 06-24-2008, 08:46 PM

Hi Spiritlady,

High-end is a blast.

Ditto to Gold and Wood, Chrome Hearts, Theo, Lindberg, Sama, Cartier (sans white gloves), Robert Marc...

I would add:

Frederick Morgenthal
Anne et Valentine
Ed Beiner Lunettes

And, of course, the best accessory of all, freeform PALs.

Best of Success to You,

: )

Laurie

**john-atlanta** · 06-24-2008, 09:44 PM

Everyone's definintion of high end is a bit different, but some great lines at the low end of the high end for us have been LaFont, Koali and Lightek (morel)

I am a bit wary of going higher end than those right now with Consumer confidence hitting 20 year lows and prices for the basics surging. I am interested in ProDesign as an additional line though.

John

**THE MEB** · 06-24-2008, 10:35 PM

we still do well with Cazal too

**Spiritlady1024** · 06-24-2008, 10:51 PM

Originally Posted by Crazy-bout-Optics

Ditto to Cartier and Gold & Wood, and Lindberg.

I am in Love with Robert Marc. Go check out his store in manhattan, simply beautiful Zyls with great color combinations. I also like Face a Face.

Thanks for the recommendations...I am torn right now between Robert Marc, Sama and Bevel as my basic goto everyday lines. I like them all, but don't want to over do it.

**Jedi** · 06-24-2008, 11:53 PM

Forgot about Cutler and Gross, very solid vintage line.

**nickrock** · 06-25-2008, 12:10 AM

You can't go wrong with BEVEL, Orgreen, and Lafont. Face A Face is always great. Booth&Bruce, Sama, and Theo.
What ever happened to Beausoliel? Does anyone still carry them?

**Crazy-bout-Optics** · 06-25-2008, 01:49 AM

Anyone else not like Kata? :bbg:

**snl03** · 06-25-2008, 06:07 PM

We're big fans of Francois Pinton and Lafont.

**mistuh_mestizo** · 07-02-2008, 10:45 AM

i work at a luxury store, and chanel and tiffany have been really popular luxury brands

**Spiritlady1024** · 07-02-2008, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by mistuh_mestizo

i work at a luxury store, and chanel and tiffany have been really popular luxury brands

Thanks, but I am trying to steer clear of the Luxottica products for my luxury selections. I just don't like the quality on those for the prices they are charging. I am trying to stay more in the exclusive realm of finely made products that are not mass marketed. I want to offer my customers something different. I am right now trying to decide between carrying Sama and Robert Marc. These two lines are well made, and exclusive. I have orders pending for both, but I have to make up my mind because they are both pretty large comittments.

Thanks for your suggestion though.

:cheers:

**bob_f_aboc** · 07-02-2008, 01:07 PM

Check out Eye Level Corp's Exottica and Shibumi. Gold plated titanium 3pc frames with German made hardware. Very well made and very comfortable and not badly priced.

www.eyelevelcorp.com

**Crazy-bout-Optics** · 07-02-2008, 10:13 PM

Originally Posted by Spiritlady1024

Thanks, but I am trying to steer clear of the Luxottica products for my luxury selections. I just don't like the quality on those for the prices they are charging. I am trying to stay more in the exclusive realm of finely made products that are not mass marketed. I want to offer my customers something different. I am right now trying to decide between carrying Sama and Robert Marc. These two lines are well made, and exclusive. I have orders pending for both, but I have to make up my mind because they are both pretty large comittments.

Thanks for your suggestion though.

:cheers:

Robert Marc, Robert Marc, Robert Marc!! No I don't work for them, But I Should ;-)

**TidewaterOptom** · 07-05-2008, 03:56 PM

does anyone know who is distributing Tag Heuer?

**Against the Rule** · 07-05-2008, 05:37 PM

In the current economic climate, I wouldn't be looking to go more high-end...I'd be looking to go more high-value. I just want you to know that on the ultra-high-end lines, reps will lie and say you're "exclusive" when he or she has an account two blocks away from you.
If your customers are demanding high-end lines and are aware of the cost, great, do it. If you have ghetto customers asking about Chrome Hearts and following that question with, "Do you accept food stamps for payment?" I'd re-think the high-end idea.

**LENNY** · 07-05-2008, 07:34 PM

Originally Posted by Against the Rule

In the current economic climate, I wouldn't be looking to go more high-end...I'd be looking to go more high-value. I just want you to know that on the ultra-high-end lines, reps will lie and say you're "exclusive" when he or she has an account two blocks away from you.
If your customers are demanding high-end lines and are aware of the cost, great, do it. If you have ghetto customers asking about Chrome Hearts and following that question with, "Do you accept food stamps for payment?" I'd re-think the high-end idea.

This is the best sugestion so far!
Good luck in being exclusive in Brooklyn!
Hopefully you know that there is almost no exchanges on those lines and not only you hae to make huge minimum orders but you have to place more and more orders during the year!
Anyway you will need a lot of money to pull this off, and I only know 1 area in Brooklyn where I think it could be done. Hopefully you are there!