Our day with fashion designer, Alex Perry
The life of a Specsavers optician and Retail Partner
Opticians at Specsavers have a whole host of responsibilities every day, but on Thursday, June 22, three opticians and Retail Partners in Ontario, Shaesta Musani, Rachel Perez and Edline Joy Soriano, went a little outside of the everyday when they attended the Alex Perry event, hosted by Specsavers in partnership with ELLE Canada.
Held at Hotel X Toronto, guests got the chance to try out the amazing range of glasses and sunglasses, meet and participate in a Q&A with the legendary Australian designer. Here’s what they had to say about the event.
What were your impressions of the event?
Shaesta: I thought the event was very classy and the location was gorgeous. Alex Perry was very friendly, approachable, and knowledgeable about his style of frames. The impression I got from him is that he loves the Specsavers brand and that he is delighted to be involved with the company.
I was most impressed by how well the event was organized by the Specsavers team and the number of influencers in attendance. I really enjoyed the interview ELLE Canada had with Alex Perry and how authentic he was. One of his anecdotes was about how he really wanted to have a red frame in the Specsavers collection in Australia ten years ago and how it became one of the top-selling frames.
Rachel: The event was so amazing. The location was stunning with such a great view, the energy was outstanding, and the décor was beautiful. I was very impressed by the layout of frames and how they were displayed.
Edline: I wasn’t too sure what to expect beforehand – but the atmosphere was very cordial and relaxed. I was impressed by how the event was organized. The venue was amazing, and the creativity of each touch point was really engaging for the guests.
How would you describe the Alex Perry range available exclusively at Specsavers in Canada?
Shaesta: With both male and female options available in the range, the collection attracts many of our customers. The styles are current and up to date with trends, which customers from all demographics can appreciate. There’s something for everybody!
Rachel: Although customers are new to the designer’s name in Canada, the Alex Perry range is still popular. It was great to see many influencers at the event so impressed by the designs and collection and I think there’s a great opportunity to showcase his more eccentric and unique styles in store. It’s going to gain traction with Canadian consumers.
Edline: I find at my store that the Alex Perry line attracts various types of customers. His eyewear is so versatile!
Was there anything from the event that you’ll take with you in your role as an optician?
Shaesta: The main thing I took away from the event was new terminology to describe his glasses. During his time at the Specsavers Sherway Gardens store, I saw his styling technique first-hand and how confident he was in being able to style anyone. I now have more of a background knowledge of the Alex Perry line and will confidently be able to describe him and his range to our customers when they’re making their glasses choices.
Rachel: For me, I find style and fashion is so subjective, and you really need to work with your customer to get the best outcome for them. I was nervous about how I would function at this special event with Alex Perry and local influencers because it’s outside of my normal four walls of working with customers in my store, but I learned that I’m capable of speaking to anyone in any context about my passion for our brand and what we do for our patients and customers.
Hearing about how Alex Perry was involved in developing the collection really seemed to be a huge feature to his brand that I didn’t realize until this event. While he is a relatively new name to Canadians, it’s up to us as opticians to bring awareness to how hands-on the designer was in creating the collection, which is not always the case with some brands.
Edline: I learned how important it is to know your brands for our customers. The Specsavers collaboration with Alex Perry gave me that knowledge. It also taught me the importance of how making new connections in my field gives me different insights when it comes to the business. Lastly, hearing about Alex Perry’s humble beginnings and success story gave me the motivation to keep learning.