OTIS Sunglasses 2024 Preview

Retail Buyers Guide: Sunglasses S/S 2024 Retail Buyer‘s Guide
Brand: Otis
Interviewee: Nathan Omodei, CEO

How was the sunglasses market overall in 2023?
Overall 2023 was surprisingly resilient with sales holding up well across the board, largely as a result of repeat customers returning to the brand. While the economic climate has no doubt been tougher, we’re finding that customers are prepared to buy quality that will last.

What new trends have you seen for sunglasses in board sports for 2024?
Continuing to see an increase in sales towards our premium lens offering in very commercial styles such as After Dark and Rambler.

What segment of your offering is selling best in 2024 so far?
We broadly capture the OTIS customer under “Style”, “Essential” and “Active” segments. Our Essential and Active customer segments are currently neck-and-neck in terms of 2024 sales. Both make up approximately 40% of our range and continue to deliver accordingly.

Have you introduced any frame shapes and colours in your 2024 offer?
A stand out has been “Divide”, a square top round style with the Eco Crystal Foliage being the preferred colorway. For our Style consumer the new “Audrey” frame, a catty racer in Eco Crystal Velvet has been a standout with “Selena”, a geometric cate eye also doing well in both Eco Black and Eco Havana Orange.

Which lens technologies from your 2024 offer are most in demand?
The OTIS polarized lens continues to be our top lens with our L.I.T Polar – our colour enhanced option – a close second and growing the fastest as we increase the offering across the range.

Have you introduced any new lens colours and tints in your 2024 offering?
Our Lens colours have remained fairly consistent in recent years with our focus on pairing the best lens with each frame.

Any noteworthy sustainable practices in your production and shipping processes this year?
OTIS is proudly B Corp Certified since November 2022 and we continue to challenge ourselves in delivering more sustainable solutions in the eyewear market. Since OTIS was founded in 2000, we’ve always used mineral glass lenses that are scratch resistant, optically correct and endlessly recyclable. In 2024 our frames are entirely either Eco Acetate or Eco Grilamid and our packaging is entirely plastic free. Our business has offset all Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions and are working towards further reducing these emissions.

What are your marketing stories?
OTIS marketing stories include evergreen content around our key product pillars of Mineral Glass lenses, eco friendly frame materials and plastic free packaging, interspersed with real life stories around some of our ambassadors.

How are you supporting retailers to sell this category?
We believe product education to retail staff is critical to the success of the brand in store and know first hand that people sell more of what they know best. OTIS has developed a very engaging brand & product education clip that is made available to all retail partners and cut into customer facing snippets. We also provide a Lifetime Warranty on our frames.

Key Products:

DIVIDE – Eco Crystal Foliage / Neutral Grey Polar:
Rise up to refinement in a streamlined frame. Divide combines classic aesthetics with current techniques to create a stylish look that is ultra comfortable to wear. Made in biodegradable eco-acetate, its ideal for those who want a timeless design with the future at heart.

Divide

AUDREY – Eco Crystal Velvet / Neutral Grey Polar:
Inspire wonder and elegance in a frame that oozes Italian coastal vibes. Audrey blends vintage beauty with tomorrow’s lustre, lifting your look to the level of icons. Made in Eco-Acetate that is certified biodegradable, it’s for those who take cues from the past yet represent the future.

Audrey

RAMBLER SPORT – Matte Black / L.I.T. Mirror Blue Polar:
The perfect outdoor companion. Rambler Sport is a super lightweight yet tough frame, better for the environment being made from Eco-Grilamid. Features include end to end rubber temples & nose pads, while its LIT mineral glass lenses are scratch-resistant and sustainably made. An absolute classic, with keyhole nose bridge and side temple details.

Rambler Sport