NEW YORK — Italia Independent is going American.
The eyewear company today will open its first stand-alone store in the U.S., an 850-square-foot flagship in New York’s SoHo neighborhood. “At the moment, we’re perceived as a newcomer,” said Giovanni Accongiagioco, the brand’s cofounder and managing director. “Now, we need to jump to the next level. We’re selling the entire Italia Independent concept now.”
Located at 85 Mercer Street, the store sits next to UGG Australia, Kate Spade, Vince and Helmut Lang. The space, which comprises the ground floor and a 250-square-foot mezzanine, features the brand’s entire eyewear offering, along with in-store ophthalmic services. In addition to eyewear, the store houses merchandise from Italia Independent’s past collaborations with the likes of Care Label, Adidas and Colmar. Interior decorations include an overhead “cloud,” formed by colored and mirrored lenses and created in collaboration with Divel Italia, an Italian manufacturer of sunglass lenses and one of the brand’s partners. Prices sit under $497, many at $197, with styles offered in a wide range of colors and materials.
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In addition to this new piece, other branding elements on display include a table of miniature Fiat 500 cars embedded within a crystal cube (cofounder Lapo Elkann is grandson of former Fiat chairman Gianni Agnelli). “Everything is displayed in a way that will give the customer a feeling of ease when they come inside,” Elkann said of the store. “Everything will be very explanatory and consistent in order for the consumer to have a clear experience about what Italia Independent is and the feeling and energy of the brand.”
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The New York flagship comes seven years after the brand’s founding, in 2007, and just over a year since, in June 2013, the company was listed on the Milan Stock Exchange. While this is not its first U.S. presence — Italia Independent is sold in 250 optical stores and in department stores such as Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue — Elkann anticipates that this brick-and-mortar unit will have the most impact. “If you want to become a global brand, you cannot escape the U.S. market,” said Elkann. “We really needed to make our brand concept available to each and every one. This is only possible through making your own flagship.”
Italia Independent comes to New York with a few goals: to build a bigger U.S. presence and, on a larger scale, change the perception of the eyewear industry. On the first count, the brand already is looking toward its second and third stores, to be located, eventually, in Miami and Los Angeles. “New York is a worldwide destination that will get you a lot of attention — from Europe, in particular,” explained Andrea Tessitore, cofounder and chief executive officer. “If you open in Los Angeles, you are able to get into the Asian market. Opening in Miami gets a lot of interest in South America. In a way, Miami is the capital of South America.”
The company did not have sales projections for the new store.
The cofounders believe that the company’s unique eyewear designs, which incorporate unexpected materials such as velvet and Swarovski crystals, will resonate with the U.S. consumer, especially given the current optical market. “The eyewear market is — I wouldn’t say sad, but it is boring,” said Tessitore. “People think that Warby Parker is an innovation, but what’s the innovation? Can Warby Parker be considered a brand? No. It’s an eyewear company. What Italia Independent brings is a brand with innovation. We are a lot more than just an eyewear company or another pair of glasses.”
He used Swatch’s rise in the Eighties as an aspirational example. “They brought something that is cool, at the right price and innovative,” he said.
All three cofounders cited Ray-Ban as a competitor within the market. “The goal is to become an alternative to Ray-Ban, but with a funnier and much more unique and interesting retail experience,” said Elkann. Added Giovanni, “Ray-Ban is the market leader in the eyewear industry. We are, more or less, the same price position. What I think is different is that eyewear, at the moment, is not considered an accessory. An aviator [sunglass] was designed in 1934 and is still the best-selling style. It’s a vintage concept. What we’re trying to do is transform eyewear into accessories.”