HENRI BLOMQVIST APPOINTED CEO OF SAFILO NORTH AMERICA
Padua (Italy) - Parsippany (New Jersey USA), May 18th 2016 – Safilo Group, the fully integrated Italian eyewear creator and worldwide distributor of quality and trust, appoints Henri Blomqvist as new CEO of Safilo North America. He also adds the responsibility for the Group's Global Sports Commercial Channel, and is a member of the Safilo Group Executive Committee.
During his three years in Safilo Group as Chief Commercial Officer, Blomqvist repositioned Safilo's commercial strategy and go to market organization with focus on distribution quality and sustainability, established global commercial policies and global account management, and led the renewal of Safilo's commercial talent around the world. He takes the North America role with the objective of enhancing Safilo's partnership with its customers to build market share and accelerate profitable growth, leading Safilo's North America organisation to high performance.
Born in Finland, Henri Blomqvist has had a career of ten years at Procter & Gamble, with experiences in the areas of sales and commercial management on several worldwide brands. He held local and international roles covering a variety of countries, including Nordic, parts of Western Europe, Russia, Turkey, the Middle East, South Africa, Korea and Australia.
This appointment coincides with the further evolution of Safilo's 2020 transformation to guarantee the highest standards of commercial leadership in its strategically most relevant markets of North America, Western Europe, and Emerging Markets, and establishing global leadership presence outside its Italian global Headquarters starting with the USA.
"We are delighted to count on Henri as the leader of our core market of North America" comments Luisa Delgado CEO of Safilo Group. "Safilo thrives on our historical strength of product, design and craftsmanship, broad brand portfolio, and close partnership with our highly valued customers. We see tremendous opportunities to further develop our strength in North America, and plan to invest in our go-to-market capabilities and customer care, while enhancing our global brand portfolio".
Among its global brand portfolio news, Safilo has just announced the early renewal of its Jimmy Choo global license agreement to 2023, a very successful brand namely in North America.
About Safilo Group
Safilo Group is the fully integrated Italian eyewear creator and worldwide distributor of quality and trust, leader in the premium sector for sunglasses, optical frames and sports eyewear. Design inspired and brand driven, Safilo translates extraordinary design into excellent products created thanks to a superior craftsmanship expertise dating back to 1878. With an extensive wholly owned global distribution network in 39 countries – in North and Latin America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific and China – Safilo is committed to quality distribution of its products all around the world. Safilo’s portfolio encompasses Carrera, Polaroid, Smith, Safilo, Oxydo, Dior, Dior Homme, Fendi, Gucci, Banana Republic, Bobbi Brown, BOSS, BOSS Orange, Céline, Elie Saab, Fossil, Givenchy, Jack Spade, Jimmy Choo, Juicy Couture, Kate Spade, Liz Claiborne, Marc Jacobs, Max Mara, Max&Co., Pierre Cardin, Saks Fifth Avenue, Swatch, and Tommy Hilfiger.
Listed on the Italian Stock Exchange (ISIN code IT0004604762, Bloomberg SFL.IM, Reuters SFLG.MI), in 2015 Safilo recorded net revenues for Euro 1,279 million.
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SAFILO AND JIMMY CHOO CONFIRM THE EARLY RENEWAL OF THEIR EYEWEAR LICENSE AGREEMENT TO THE END OF 2023
Padua/London, May 16, 2016 – Safilo Group, the fully integrated Italian eyewear creator and worldwide distributor of quality and trust, and Jimmy Choo, the iconic luxury fashion brand, announce the early renewal of their agreement for the design, manufacturing and distribution of the Jimmy Choo Eyewear collection. The agreement has now been extended to December 31, 2023.
In light of the global success of the women’s eyewear collections, the new agreement also includes the launch of a Jimmy Choo men’s collection, with a first capsule edition to be presented in the brand’s boutiques and in a global selection of the most prestigious optical stores, starting from January 2018.
“We are very satisfied with this early renewal, that comes on the back of the excellent success of the eyewear category of this iconic fashion-luxury brand, with leading growth rates in the sun and ophthalmic categories,” says Luisa Delgado, CEO of Safilo. “Unique product design and content capturing the iconic creativity and sophistication of the brand, combined with rigorous commercial capabilities targeting the right customers and geographies, have made Jimmy Choo also a leading women’s luxury fashion eyewear brand. We will now progressively evolve the brand into a new statement also in men’s eyewear design.”
“We are very happy with this license extension,” comments Pierre Denis, CEO of Jimmy Choo. “Safilo has demonstrated that it is a true partner of trust, able to drive results across the world, maintaining high standards of product creation and distribution. Sandra Choi’s artistic vision is perfectly reflected in the eyewear collection that every season is gaining the favor of the most elegant and fashionable women in the world. We strongly believe in our project with Safilo and working together for the men’s collection will provide us with a new opportunity to develop further our partnership focused on creativity, manufacturing excellence and quality distribution.”
About Safilo Group
Safilo Group is the fully integrated Italian eyewear creator and worldwide distributor of quality and trust, leader in the premium sector for sunglasses, optical frames and sports eyewear. Design inspired and brand driven, Safilo translates extraordinary design into excellent products created thanks to a superior craftsmanship expertise dating back to 1878. With an extensive wholly owned global distribution network in 39 countries – in North and Latin America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific and China – Safilo is committed to quality distribution of its products all around the world. Safilo’s portfolio encompasses Carrera, Polaroid, Smith, Safilo, Oxydo, Dior, Dior Homme, Fendi, Gucci, Banana Republic, Bobbi Brown, BOSS, BOSS Orange, Céline, Elie Saab, Fossil, Givenchy, Jack Spade, Jimmy Choo, Juicy Couture, Kate Spade, Liz Claiborne, Marc Jacobs, Max Mara, Max&Co., Pierre Cardin, Saks Fifth Avenue, Swatch, and Tommy Hilfiger.
Listed on the Italian Stock Exchange (ISIN code IT0004604762, Bloomberg SFL.IM, Reuters SFLG.MI), in 2015 Safilo recorded net revenues for Euro 1,279 million.
About Jimmy Choo
Jimmy Choo encompasses a complete luxury accessories brand. Women’s shoes remain the core of the product offer, alongside handbags, small leather goods, scarves, sunglasses, eyewear, belts, fragrance and men’s shoes. CEO Pierre Denis and Creative Director Sandra Choi together share a vision to create one of the world’s most treasured luxury brands. Jimmy Choo has a global store network encompassing more than 141 stores and is present in the most prestigious department and specialty stores worldwide. Jimmy Choo PLC is publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange with the ticker CHOO.
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SAFILO USA PARTNERS WITH MARIE CLAIRE ON THEIR MAY ISSUE WITH “#GETFRAMED,” EDITORIAL, ONLINE SHOPPING, VIRTUAL TRY-ON TECHNOLOGY, SWEEPSTAKES, A FIRST-EVER SUNGLASSES-THEMED PLATFORM COMBINING RETAIL EVENTS AND ADVERTISING
The right eyewear changes how you see the world and how the world sees you. - Nina Garcia, Marie Claire Creative Director
NEW YORK – May XX, 2016 – The perfect pair of glasses can convey instant glamour and create a whole new persona, and, as such, the May issue of Marie Claire, on stands now, presents a first-ever sunglasses-themed editorial platform, entitled “#GETFRAMED,” as part of its 101 Ideas Best Accessories section that will empower 18+ million women to make eyewear the focal point of a transformative fashion statement. This sunglass-themed editorial special, featuring editorial native integration, provides both fashion inspiration and a definitive guide to building one’s eyewear collection, inspiring women to build an entire wardrobe of eyewear to complete every fashion statement.
The issue features page after page of eyewear fashion inspiration and shopping information, and, via a beautiful, original fashion editorial portfolio, Marie Claire presents the must have, wear and buy eyewear for every look and occasion. Safilo brands are extensively featured via editorial native integration, meaning that the eyewear is fully interactive and shoppable through the magazine’s free YouCam Makeup app, a mobile technology with Virtual Try-on capabilities, already downloaded and accessed regularly by over 140 million users. The app launched in tandem with May issue. Safilo’s Jimmy Choo, BOSS, Celine, Fendi, Gucci and Kate Spade sunglass ads are additionally featured in the issue.
Each editorial page featuring Safilo eyewear will offer an interactive, shoppable experience to virtually try and buy. The reader can scan an in-book QR code to download the free YouCam Makeup app and then look for the shopping bag icon throughout the editorial pages to access specified styles to help build a sunglass wardrobe with looks for every occasion. Within the app, they can try on different styles virtually, share favorites with friends socially and shop the featured items from the Safilo-owned Solstice Sunglasses retail chain’s website. Solstice Sunglasses is also the exclusive partner for the magazine’s in-book and online #GETFRAMED national sunglasses sweepstakes with a chance to win a sunglass wardrobe thanks to three gift cards, totaling $1000 each, to Solstice. To enter the sweepstakes, which is open until May 31st, visit marieclaire.com/get–framed.
As part of the program, Marie Claire retail events will take place in two Manhattan Solstice Sunglasses locations. The first on May 17th at 500 Fifth Avenue hosted by Kyle Anderson, Marie Claire’s Market and Accessories Director, and June 2nd at 168 Fifth Avenue.
About Marie Claire
Marie Claire, a joint venture between Hearst Magazines and Marie Claire Album, is the fashion magazine with character, substance, and depth, for women with a point of view, an opinion, and a sense of humor. Each issue is edited for a sexy, stylish, confident woman who is never afraid to make intelligence a part of her wardrobe. Marie Claire has 34 international editions and reaches more than 40 million women worldwide. The magazine was co-founded in 1937 by French industrialist Jean Prouvost and writer Marcelle Auclair, whose goal was to present the realities of life mixed with fashion and beauty coverage. The American edition is published by Hearst Magazines, a unit of Hearst, one of the nation's largest diversified media and information companies. With 21 titles in the U.S., Hearst is the leading publisher of monthly magazines in terms of total paid circulation (AAM 2H 2014), reaching 78 million readers (Spring 2015 MRI gfk) and 54 million site visitors each month (comScore). Follow Marie Claire on Twitter at @marieclaire and Instagram and Snapchat at @marieclairemag.
About Safilo Group
Safilo Group is the fully integrated Italian eyewear creator and worldwide distributor of quality and trust, leader in the premium sector for sunglasses, optical frames and sports eyewear. Design inspired and brand driven, Safilo translates extraordinary design into excellent products created thanks to a superior craftsmanship expertise dating back to 1878. With an extensive wholly owned global distribution network in 39 countries – in North and Latin America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific and China – Safilo is committed to quality distribution of its products all around the world. Safilo’s portfolio encompasses Carrera, Polaroid, Smith, Safilo, Oxydo, Dior, Dior Homme, Fendi, Gucci, Banana Republic, Bobbi Brown, BOSS, BOSS Orange, Céline, Elie Saab, Fossil, Givenchy, Jack Spade, Jimmy Choo, Juicy Couture, Kate Spade, Liz Claiborne, Marc Jacobs, Max Mara, Max&Co., Pierre Cardin, Saks Fifth Avenue, Swatch, and Tommy Hilfiger. Listed on the Italian Stock Exchange (ISIN code IT0004604762, Bloomberg SFL.IM, Reuters SFLG.MI), in 2015 Safilo recorded net revenues for Euro 1,279 million.
About Perfect Corp. makers of YouCam Makeup App
With over 200 Million downloads globally, Perfect Corporation is dedicated to transforming how consumers, content creators and beauty brands interact together. Our experienced team of engineers and beauty aficionados are pushing the frontiers of technology to create the beauty platform of the future – a fluid environment where individuals express themselves, learn the latest about fashion and beauty, and enjoy instant access to the products from their favorite brands. Further information about Perfect Corp. can be found at perfectcorp.com