VisionPlus India

ADIA INVESTS $500 MILLION IN LENSKART Lenskart has signed a definitive agreement to raise $500 million from the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, at the height of the market slump as the Indian eyewear retailer bulks up its offerings and scales to international markets. Lenskart has been able to keep the prices low because it’s bringing more efficiency into the eyewear sector. The firm has built the expertise to manufacture its own eyeglasses and contact lenses and for many technologies, it’s the exclusive licensing partner for global firms in India. Hundreds of millions of Indians need vision correction, but only a fraction of this population is currently wearing glasses or contact lenses. Bansal said the company will continue to scale its operations in India and existing international markets where it has operations. SOCCER STAR KYLIAN MBAPPÉ JUST UNVEILED A NEW EYEWEAR COLLECTIONWITH OAKLEY Paris Saint-Germain football star Kylian Mbappé has teamed up with luxury lifestyle brand Oakley to create a new “Signature Series” collection of eyewear. The new collection will include four new models all using a brown and gold color palette and will include new versions of some of the models released in the Kylian Mbappé x Oakley line last year. The new design features Mbappé’s initials embossed in a metal plate on one side. “To me, being a football player means understanding the importance of paying attention to every detail,” said Mbappé. “I brought this same mentality into creating my new signature collection with Oakley. Bold and vivid colors reflect my personality, whilst having aesthetic and versatile designs. The same way I have my own philosophy of play, each eyewear has its own style.” UNPACKING PERFORMANCE EYEWEAR’S RESPONSIBILITY AND POTENTIAL Two lead designers from Marchon's performance eyewear team talk about the pressures of creating glasses meant to perform under Olympic athletic conditions and the category's potential. Marchon ensures that athletes wearing the company’s glasses can achieve Olympic world- record results. Senior design directors Billy Castro and Megan Greene — who are responsible for the Nike and Dragon brands, respectively — are tasked each day with developing eyewear that not only enables sight, but also aids in accomplishing athletic feats. They are individuals leading Marchon’s efforts behind Olympic running glasses, biking sunglasses and snowboarding and skiing goggles. They also expand on Marchon’s history of producing rigorous performance eyewear. SHARE YOUR VIEWS. EXCHANGE IDEAS. CONNECT WITH THE INDUSTRY. 77 VISION PLUS INDIA EDITION