On Friday, March 3, 2017, Varilux Xperience Partners gathered in Vancouver, British Columbia, for the Alive Summit. Vancouver was the last stop on the Canadian conference tour aimed at bringing industry education to Essilor’s top sellers.
At the conference, Essilor announced a new partnership between Essilor Sun lenses and Puma sunglasses. Martin Lesperance, Director of Training at Essilor Canada, modeled a red velvet pair of Puma sneakers and Puma sunglass frames with Red Velvet Crizal Mirrors Sun UV lenses. A sleek new limited edition Essilor Sunstyle Lenses display was revealed to attendees – only 500 will be available starting this spring.
Over 170 eye care professionals attended a cocktail party and dinner reception on Friday night. Pierre Bertrand, President of Essilor Canada, expressed a desire to create an intimate learning environment so seminars on Saturday and Sunday were attended by a smaller group of 46 Varilux Xperience Partners. Bertrand reminisced that he always enjoyed his education more in a smaller classroom rather than in a huge lecture hall.
Pierre Bourré, the National Executive Sales Director of Essilor, echoed this statement. Bourré’s goal is to keep Alive Summit attendee numbers small to foster community. Bourré feels that attendees are more likely to reach out to their fellow peers for feedback and advice when the Summits are small.
The community theme continued with educational seminars showcasing how it can be beneficial to create a local gathering spot in optical stores, which is a draw for Millennials. On Saturday evening, attendees were invited to give back to the community. Funds were collected and shoes were decorated, everything was then donated to the YMCA Metro Vancouver.
Frames distributor Kering was also present, exhibiting a dazzling display of crystal and fur accented frames. Essilor’s executives and speakers encouraged attendees to keep their businesses fresh by introducing new technology to their offices; such as new products and displays.
Missed this round of Summits? Bourré shared that Essilor plans to follow up these Alive Summits with another tour in the fall. Stay tuned for further info!
– Sarah Lett
(Photos courtesy of Andrew Lam)
