Quiksilver S/S 2024 SUNGLASSES Preview

Retail Buyers Guide: Sunglasses S/S 2024 Retail Buyer‘s Guide
Brand: Quicksilver
Interviewee: JP Bonnemason / Global eyewear product manager

What are the key trends in sunglasses for board sports for Spring/Summer 2024?
The main key trend is the come-back of the wrapped rectangle and oval shapes inspired of the 2000’s. Visors & shields will still be on trend for the mass market.

How have your sales been in 2023 so far?
We saw a slight decrease compared to the last 2 years. Good sell out on the technical frames. People are looking for tech features for benefits in their outdoor activities.

How are you segmenting your sunglasses?
In 2024 we propose two collections to fit our two business models of eyewear. We have two ways of ordering eyewear following the distributions channels:
– Prebooking for wholesale channel: those sunnies are sold by our apparel sales force
– Turn from eyewear premium brand to eyewear accessories with a price point program
– No technical frames
– Easy to sell fitting the existing apparel wholesale sales force
– Stock service for retail, ecommerce and optical distribution:
– Keep focusing on stock service business model with technical products
– More premium & perennial styles

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What frame shapes and colours do you offer in your SS24 collection?
A new shape will be launched in 2024 is for the next generation. It is a super wrapped shape in base 8 inspired from the 2000’s (Matrix). It is a rectangle eyewhape with sharp line temples details. This shape could fit two generations: older sporty men who are looking for comfort as they use to have back in the days with wrapped shapes or young guys super trendy who wants speed dealers frames to match their urban and trendy outfit. This style is called FISHY and will have a Quiksilver Saturn logo in memory of the 2000’s Quiksilver collection that has been brought back on the market in SS23.

What materials are you using in your SS24 collection?
One of the main focus of the group is to offer sustainable products. The Quiksilver eyewear collection will be at 90% of the range sustainable. It means that 90% of the Quiksilver sunnies range will be made with new materials and at least 30% of the total weight of the product is sustainable. We use the following materials:
– Re PET: recycled plastic bottles material
– Bio nylon: Rilsan G850 is a high performance copolyimide based on renewable resources

Which lens colours and tints will you be offering in SS24?
We are still offering a large panel of polarized lenses mainly on green lenses or flash gold lenses. On the basic lenses we use grey, brown and green with sometimes some flash treatments in blue, silver or red.

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Will you offer prescription glasses in SS24?
In the Quiksilver range, we propose a small collection of urban & trendy actetate and metal shapes. The rest of the collection is mainly injected plastic frames.

Any new sustainable practices in your production and shipping processes?
Sustainability is of the most important pilar of the brand. First all the adults quiksilver collection will be made in Italy. As Europe is the bigger region of eyewear, it will reduce the carbon footprint. Also, all the new developments will be made with recycled fabrics or eco fabrics. All the packagings, cases, cardboards, hangtags, polybags are recycled.

What are your marketing stories?
Main story for SS 24 for Quiksilver is the SATURN collection. This old school collection features some old shapes and fabrics, the Saturn logo: an elliptic logo. The sunnies being part of this range are called ELLIPSE & FISHY. It is a mix of vintage and future. This year Quiksilver launched a surf movie “Repeater” that supports this capsule featuring Mikey Wright, Rolo Montes, Griffin Colapinto, Kael Walsh, AL Cleland Jnr, Lungi Slabb & Andy Nieblas.

How are you supporting retailers to sell this category?
Displays, clinics, dedicated sales force and POP.

What is your situation regarding stock and deliveries?
Since ABG is buying Boardriders, stock is a key priority to manage. That’s why we propose two ways of ordering sunnies (prebooking and stock service) whereas we used to propose only stock service until last year. Our level of stock cover 2/3 months instead of 6/7 months in the past.

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