Sheila Vance represented Sama Eyewear and joined in as the prestigious jury member to nominate the top products for the Vision-X VP Awards 2015. VisionPlus in conversation withSheila Vance
VisionPlus (VP) : What are your expectations from Vision-X VP Awards this year?
Sheila Vance (SV) : I am hoping now that the Vision-X board of judges has designers and manufacturers on the panel, the end results will present newer insights for everyone in the industry.
VP : What is your opinion about the quality of products this year?
SV : I believe 15 percent of the products that came in were very well made and the quality that went in had expensive materials used. Some were not showing much of a progress since the company was initiated. Ultimately, I believe, we should recognise those who really worked hard to create new designs.
VP : Which is your favourite category?
SV : Instead of restricting my preference to a specific category, I believe that the visual difference of frames made is first noticed by aesthetics of the eyewear so before one gets a chance to talk and examine the quality and material. Basically, it must look good enough to be worth studying. So I guess that would be my first choice as the balance starts there.
VP : In your opinion, how does the industry benefit from the Vision-X VP Awards initiative?
SV : First of all, it obligates producers of the product to pay more attention to every detail, second the retailers become familiar with collections they weren’t familiar with till now and they learn more. Additionally, the competition amongst designers and manufacturers is a healthy way to encourage new ideas.
VP: What is your opinion about the impact of online retailing on the optical trade community?
SV : It’s the future of the retail so ignoring it is a mistake. However, having said that, I also believe that the designer collections should do a different line of eyewear for online than their regular options for sales and retailers.
