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August 14, 2024August 14, 2024

Angela Bonfanti Becomes First Female President and CEO of CNIB

CNIB announced that Angela Bonfanti, a 13-year veteran of the CNIB team, became the organization’s first female president and CEO. After holding several leadership positions at CNIB – including, most recently, the position of Chief Operating Officer – Angela succeeds John M. Rafferty, who has been CNIB’s president since 2009.

“It’s an understatement to say that I’m excited and honoured to be taking on this role. After 13 years with CNIB, I know what we’re capable of as a team, and it’s absolutely limitless. I’m thrilled to discover what we’ll accomplish together in the years to come for our community of people impacted by blindness from coast to coast to coast.”

Angela Bonfanti, President and CEO, CNIB

As the daughter of a person who is blind, Angela has been a lifelong champion of the rights of Canadians living with blindness or low vision. And with more than a decade of experience with CNIB, she not only understands the nuanced challenges facing people who are blind, Deafblind, or who have low vision, but she has been instrumental in tackling those challenges – from implementing innovative community programs to driving crucial changes to legislation affecting Canadians who are blind to leading the urgently-needed development of CNIB’s virtual services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“She is a skilled, passionate, experienced, and forward-thinking leader who has proven, time and again, that she puts the needs and goals of our community first, always. Although we reviewed a wide range of strong candidates for this role, including both external and internal candidates from across Canada and internationally, Angela is the one who fully encapsulated the qualities we need in CNIB’s next president.”

Robert Fenton, Chair of the Board of Directors, CNIB

In taking on the presidency of CNIB, Angela also proudly becomes the first female president and CEO of our affiliate organization, CNIB Deafblind Community Services (DBCS).

To learn more about Angela, visit cnib.ca/ceo.

Source: CNIB

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August 14, 2024August 14, 2024

2024 Optical Design Contest: Discover the Selection of Nominees

Enhancing expertise, stimulating innovation and championing the sector: SILMO also promotes tomorrow’s talent with the Optical Design Contest. Open to design school students around the world, the third edition of the contest focuses on accessory glasses that, aside from correcting and protecting the wearer’s vision, explore new functionalities and uses.

Chaired by Olivier Jault and made up of optics and design professionals, the jury met at the start of July to assess the projects submitted from various design schools and select the most pertinent to the theme.

A renowned shoe designer, Olivier Jault joined the fashion and accessories sector after passing the entrance exams for the Duperré School of Applied Arts. With an applied arts degree in his back pocket, he presented his first shoe collection. He then collaborated with many prestigious brands such as Martin Margiela, Givenchy with Alexander McQueen, Saint-Laurent with Tom Ford, J.M. Weston, Repetto, Jean Paul Gaultier and many others. With a great passion for shoes, Olivier Jault is also co-commissioner of the “Jean-paul Gaultier pour Stéphane Kélian: Roman d’une rencontre” exhibition at the Shoe Museum in Romans-sur-Isère, which can be visited until 3 November 2024.

Jury members reviewed the projects, taking into account their creative, innovative design dimension and the proposed product’s use and function within the scope of the theme. The project’s feasibility, including the production of a 3D printed prototype, was also assessed.

The jury will meet at SILMO on the morning of 20 September to choose the winner from among the selected designs:

DISTROAL by Thomas Deneufbourg – École de Design Nantes Atlantique

Glasses as support accessories for users that have specific needs, including people affected by disorders on the autism spectrum and anxiety disorders. Distroal means “calming’ in the Breton language.

LUCID by Perrine Payen – Rubika

“Forgotten objects” like the pocket watch and the monocle are recycled and find a new life by being transformed into elegant magnifying glasses.

RHOÉ by Theo Vanpoperynghe – ISD Rubika

An original designer device to help with eye strain.

SOUND SIGHT by Nolan Guenot -Ecole Supérieur De Design de Troyes

Bone conduction glasses, proven technology that is reinvented here with an aerial aesthetic.

SPECTAPOP by Camille Grand – ISD Rubika

Glasses with an uncompromising, attention-grabbing, fun design for visual hide-and-seek.

VIEWPROJECT by Amélie MEERSSEMAN – École de design Nantes Atlantique

Innovative, designer protective eyewear, imagined as fit-over glasses for prescription eyeglass wearers.

We invite you to learn more about these innovative projects at SILMO Paris and join us in celebrating tomorrow’s optical design talent.

Source: SILMO Paris

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August 14, 2024August 14, 2024

AYA Eyewear + Corrine Hunt’s New Eyewear Collaboration is Wearable Art that Celebrates the Extraordinary Iris Apfel

AYA announces the launch of their latest collaboration, “Iris” – a new addition to their eyewear collection that honours the rich tapestry of indigenous art with a distinct nod to fashion. Inspired by the late legendary style icon Iris Apfel, these bold round frames are poised to inspire the optical world to embrace their inner Iris, with this unique blend of fashion forward style, craftsmanship and cultural significance.

Crafted from luxurious acetate, “Iris” boasts a design that pays homage to the distinctive round frames that have become synonymous with Ms. Apfel’s fearless sense of style. Iris was a true visionary, who saw the world through her own lens, with her maximalist approach to style and her trademark dramatic, chunky round-framed specs. Iris’s adage? “More is more, and less is a bore.”

Iris is available for $185 in glossy black or a mesmerizing tortoise pattern infused with hints of blue, gold, and brown. Each pair of “Iris” frames is a masterpiece in its own right. But what truly sets “Iris” apart is its homage to indigenous artistry. Adorning the temples of these exquisite frames is a stunning gold heron design, meticulously crafted by contemporary Indigenous artist Corrine Hunt. This intricate motif not only adds a touch of elegance to “Iris” but also serves as a celebration of indigenous culture and heritage.

“We are incredibly proud to introduce ‘Iris’ to the optical trade. Representation has always been a non-negotiable at AYA, in our pursuit of change within the mainstream fashion realm. This latest collaboration is a celebration of cultural heritage and a means of fostering cross-cultural understanding. It is a fusion of art and fashion, and much like Iris herself, a challenge to pre-conceived notions of fashion. With ‘Iris,’ we aim to honor the legacy of Iris Apfel while also paying tribute to the rich traditions of indigenous artistry.”

Carla D’Angelo, AYA founder

With its durable construction, distinctive, wearable style, and cultural significance, “Iris” is poised to make a lasting impact on the optical industry. Whether worn for fashion or function, these frames are guaranteed to turn heads and spark conversations.

For more information, visit Claudia Alan.

Click HERE for the press release.

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August 12, 2024August 12, 2024

Alexis MABILLE is Chairman of the 2024 Silmo d’Or Awards

Hailing from Lyon, Alexis Mabille has had a passion for fashion since a very early age. He graduated in 1997 from the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture Parisienne before working with the major Parisian fashion houses. In 2005, he created his eponymous brand with the aim of blending clothing tradition, a certain sex appeal and the energy of our time. Upending codes, twisting silhouettes, mixing periods… Alexis Mabille cultivates a playful spirit to create a light-minded and elegant wardrobe. He has rejuvenated the bow tie, going so far as to make it into his icon, then developed men’s and women’s ready-to-wear, accessory and tailored collections. He has thus been on the official calendar of Haute Couture since 2021.

Passionate about many different artistic disciplines, Alexis Mabille couldn’t simply settle just for clothing. He quickly moves onto other creative realms, including interior decorating with his office Beau Bow. He brings his conception of the art of living to private apartments, restaurants and other entertainment venues (he recently designed the new décor of Lido in Paris). Since 2021, he has even created limited edition furniture.

For Alexis Mabille, a person’s overall environment is an essential component that influences their well-being. Just as a silhouette should emphasize the body while still being comfortable and just as a space’s interior should express the personality of its host while being suited to their lifestyle, a pair of glasses should highlight the character of the person wearing them while being functional and durable. By sharing his design expertise and creative vision with the members of the jury of the 2024 SILMO d’Or awards, he will provide valuable insight into this daily object that only needs to be enhanced by a shape, a material or an innovation.

Click HERE for the press release.

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August 12, 2024August 12, 2024

Revenue RX: Optical Retail Wins!

Optical retail owners looking to enhance their revenue and drive business growth now have a powerful new resource at their disposal.

Revenue RX: Optical Retail Wins is a new podcast designed specifically for eye care professionals (ECPs) who are eager to build their businesses but are unsure where to begin, have exhausted their ideas, or simply lack the time to strategize effectively.

Hosted by Vancouver-based optical entrepreneur and business coach Joseph Mireault, the podcast offers a winning prescription for optical store owners. Each episode delves into actionable insights and fresh ideas aimed at helping ECPs differentiate between working on their business and working in their business—an essential distinction for sustainable success.

The podcast emphasizes that trust is often the biggest expense in business and guides listeners on how to manage it effectively. With a focus on key areas such as time management, team development, financial strategy, and innovative approaches, Revenue RX is poised to become an invaluable tool for those in the optical retail industry.

Joseph Mireault, with his unconventional journey into the optical retail sector, brings a wealth of experience to the table. He shares lessons from his 16 years in the optical industry, along with nearly 35 years of experience across various business ventures, which have collectively prepared him to successfully own and operate profitable optical stores.

Listeners can expect to gain insights into overcoming challenges such as stiff competition, the importance of a customer-centric marketing strategy, and how to achieve real wealth by reclaiming discretionary time.

Future episodes will cover topics like organic revenue growth, innovative marketing opportunities, fostering staff autonomy, and tackling the issue of commoditization within the optical industry.

Tune in every two weeks to Revenue RX: Optical Retail Wins and discover new strategies to transform your optical retail business. This podcast not only promises inspiration but also offers practical advice for those committed to becoming the entrepreneurs they’ve always aspired to be.

Listen to the latest episode of the Revenue RX podcast

The podcast is also featured on Eye Care Business Canada under the practice resources section.

For more information, contact:

Joseph Mireault

www.revenuerx-opticalretailwins.com

1.604.968.6282

jmiro@telus.net