Hudson partners with Luxottica to launch Sunglass Hut shop-in-shops

On Wednesday, Hudson and Luxottica Group announced their partnership and unveiled their plans to launch in-store Sunglass Hut shop-in-shops.

This collaboration will allow Hudson, which owns more than 1,000 stores in airports, commuter hubs, landmarks and tourist destinations across North America, to open 250 Sunglass Hut shop-in-shops.

After the initial, successful pilot at Richmond International Airport earlier this year, the company plans to open an additional nine shop-in-shops by August and continue with a phased approach into 2022. The shops, which will be powered by Luxottica’s advanced business model STARS, will vary by store and will feature try-on experiences and eyewear brands, such as Ray-Ban and Oakley.

“We’ve always known that eyewear and travel are intrinsically linked, making them an essential part of our core market offerings,” said Brian Quinn, EVP and chief operating officer at Hudson, in a statement. “Through our partnership with Luxottica and Sunglass Hut, we’re creating an eyewear shopping destination with top brands for our consumers inside our convenience concepts.”

Hudson further explained that its team members will “leverage Luxottica and Sunglass Hut’s proprietary digital training solutions” to undergo knowledge training on the sunglass collections in the form of material construction, sales techniques, sunglass fashion and brand DNA.

Giorgio Pradi, general manager of Sunglass Hut North America, added: “Sunglass Hut is pleased to enter into this relationship with Hudson, where we can provide premium sunglasses in convenient locations. We know that the combination of Luxottica sunglasses, training and inventory management, with Hudson’s retail operational excellence, will provide travelers on the go with a convenient way to shop.”

Luxottica’s portfolio consists of, among others, the proprietary brands Ray-Ban, Oakley, Vogue Eyewear and the licensed brands Giorgio Armani, Burberry, Chanel, Coach, Prada and Versace. The group’s wholesale distribution network covers more than 150 countries and its products are offered in approximately 9,100 stores.

Photo Credit: Versace website / businesswire