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Eyewear major sees more business in India than China
Thursday, 20 January 2005, 20:30 IST
NEW DELHI: Eyewear major Safilo is aiming to sell 500,000 pieces of their premium designer sunglasses in India in five years as the country becomes the company's main Asia haunt ahead of China.
"We entered India three-and-a-half years ago, before China. Even then, we saw great potential here," said Micheale Osti, senior area manager (Europe and Asia) of Safilo.
"China we've entered just a year ago. India is going to be a major area for us, in the region and in the world," Osti told IANS.
Safilo is one of the world's biggest manufacturers of the designer eyewear and handles brands like Gucci, Giorgio and Emporio Armani, Dior, Valentino, Boucheron, Yves Saint Laurent, Ralph Lauren and Diesel.
The entry of Safilo into India has changed the market here dramatically with wide availability of premium shades and lenses across the country.
"We are present in 700 stores in India," said Jatin Shah, managing director of Safilo India. "In fact we are present in all the best places, all the places we wanted to be in and now we are venturing carefully to see where else we could go."
Apart from the top designer brands, Safilo has also brought in their own labels like Carerra and Oxydo into India and the price varies between 
10,000 to 25,000 for a pair of sunglasses.
Safilo India, which has 26 branches across the country, is a subsidiary company of the parent Safilo Group based in Padova, Italy. The Indian company also distributes its products to other countries in the region like Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh.
Last year, the turnover of the Safilo Group was around one billion euros.
This year, Safilo is bringing in at least 50 new models in each of its brands in India. Prominent among the new styles are the sparkle of Swarovski crystals in the Dior lines, the mask style sunglasses of Emporio Armani and the large, almost forehead covering range of Diesel.
Source: IANS
10,000 to 25,000 for a pair of sunglasses.
Safilo India, which has 26 branches across the country, is a subsidiary company of the parent Safilo Group based in Padova, Italy. The Indian company also distributes its products to other countries in the region like Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh.
Last year, the turnover of the Safilo Group was around one billion euros.
This year, Safilo is bringing in at least 50 new models in each of its brands in India. Prominent among the new styles are the sparkle of Swarovski crystals in the Dior lines, the mask style sunglasses of Emporio Armani and the large, almost forehead covering range of Diesel.
Source: IANS