ILORI Opens 20th Boutique

ILORI, the luxury sunglasses retailer owned by Luxottica Group (Cincinnati), opened the doors to its newest boutique in North America, at Cincinnati’s Kenwood Towne Centre mall.

The 1890-square-foot store offers men’s and women’s sunglasses from more than 45 influential designers and brands. Ten percent of the store inventory is exclusive to the chain.

Luxottica introduced the chain in SoHo in 2008 and has since rolled it out to high-profile cities, including Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Toronto, Maui and Las Vegas. Through consumer research, the retailer updated the store format to include a more open storefront for better views into the store and a black granite entry portal, which allows the illuminated white ILORI logo to pop. A window vitrine spotlights product, while inside the store, curved, full-length mirrors offer shoppers views of the all-important temple treatment.

Michael Hansen, vp and general manager, says the brand has identified regional malls a growth opportunity. “Sunglasses are the first thing people see,” he says. “You have 40 pairs of shoes, why shouldn’t you have 40 pairs of sunglasses.”