DesignEyewearGroup :: International brands expand under new group name and new management

Strong brands in their own right. Even stronger together. The four brands Prodesign denmark, InFace, WOOW and Face A Face make up the Design eyewear group. A new management team has set the course for future expansion, and posts solid bottom and top line results for all four brands.

During the past months, a new management team has been established and the company is now announcing the new name: Design eyewear group. “We are a House of strong individual design brands, each with a clear positioning, and we wish to express this through our new group name”, explains group CEO, Lars Flyvholm.

Since integrating the organizations of the four brands, Prodesign denmark, InFace, WOOW and Face à Face, in 2014, the group has worked hard to develop a strategic platform and a strong expansion strategy. This targeted focus has led to the group posting some very impressive results for 2015.

In 2015, the Design eyewear group realised double-digit growth in both turnover and earnings. The group posted growth for three out of its four brands, with the strongest relative growth by WOOW, followed closely by Face A Face and Prodesign denmark.

“Through our focus on developing strong collections under our brands, we have both created organic growth in sales to existing customers and succeeded in attracting new customers. One year after the integration of the group’s brands, we are posting more than 30% topline growth, while net profit is up by just over 50% relative to the year before,” explains CEO Lars Flyvholm.

New management sets the course for future expansion

“Under our highly competent and broadly experienced management team, and our strong international organisation, we will continue to invest in developing the Design eyewear group and our brands. We have high expectations for growth and earnings in 2016,” says Lars Flyvholm about the ambitions which the new management team is well under way to realising.

The new and enlarged management team has been recruited both from the company’s own ranks and from outside the company. The team brings together strong profiles with long-standing experience from the industry as well as experience with international sourcing, production and logistics, sales and not least marketing.

International growth

The Design eyewear group markets its products worldwide to users wanting to express their personal style through its exquisitely designed, high-quality eyewear. The Design eyewear group is present in more than 40 countries and is continuing to expand in Europe, the USA and Asia. The expansion is based on a channel strategy which is carefully tailored to the personalities of the various brands.

“The USA, which accounts for more than 40% of the total turnover of Design eyewear group, is a growing market and our most important market. In April we went to New York for the Vision Expo East show and returned home with full order books,” explains Lars Flyvholm before continuing: “However, just as interestingly, we are gaining market share in Europe and investing in Asia”

Strong portfolio of distinct brands

Despite its new name, new management and impressive growth figures, there is one thing which has not changed: The passion for good design and the desire to create personal frames which will leave each individual wearer with a feeling of ‘having come home’.

“We are a company driven by design. Design is our vision and our DNA. Some of our brands are in the classic and timeless style, while others are more ‘high-pulse’, fun and trendy,” explains CCO Pascal Jaulent, the group’s French chief designer. He elaborates: “What our brands have in common is that we create designs for the times and for the individual – eyewear which doesn’t just look good, but really makes you look good.”

Strong focus on service and flexibility

The company’s customers include many independent opticians, explains Pascal Jaulent: “Frames from the Design eyewear group are not low-end. We offer a level of high service and inspiring collections which make it possible for our customers to offer personal and individual service and carefully selected high-quality frames in Scandinavian and French designs.”

Pascal Jaulent rounds off: “At the Design eyewear group we want to be close to our customers and our end-users. This is the only way we can be an attractive partner, offer personal service and great products.”

About Design eyewear group – four strong brands

Prodesign denmark – Beautiful and classic, high-quality frames, designed with a focus on functionality, comfort and individual fit and emphasising the wearer’s personality.

InFace – Frames and sunglasses which capture the latest trends, based on Scandinavian design traditions. Affordable everyday luxury.

WOOW – Vibrant and colourful frames for the young and daring. Characterised by two-tone temples featuring printed statements. A cool combination of London’s beat and Parisian fashion.

Face A Face – Fabulous andFrench design, playing with volume, shapes, materials and textures inspired by modern art, architecture and design.