Company Profile
Luxottica is the worldwide leader in design, manufacturing and distribution of premium and luxury eyewear. Luxottica has a portfolio of over 20 licenses (including Bulgari, Burberry, Chanel, DKNY, Dolce Gabbana, Ferragamo, Ralph Lauren, Prada, Tiffany, Versace) and 10 owned brands (including Vogue, Ray-Ban, Oakley, Revo). The company has an extensive distribution network covering 130 countries with direct operations in world’s key markets, both wholesale and retail. It is the leading player in retail market in North America (with Sunglass Hut, LensCrafters and Pearle Vision retail chains), Asia-Pacific, UK, China and South Africa.

Case Study
The scope of the project was to analyze the current brand positioning and competitive environment for Ralph Lauren Purple Label Eyewear, including product characteristics, pricing, distribution and merchandising. The goals were to understand the important attributes to the high-end eyewear shopper, position and differentiate Purple Label from other high-end eyewear brands.

Design, Business and Marketing Plan Solution
The development of the strategy included conducting customer surveys and store visits to interview sales representatives with the goal of identifying potential areas of improvement for Purple Label eyewear brand. The results led the team to suggest the development of a customization concept along with a unique marketing and retention strategy for the customers.

Ralph Lauren Purple Label has always been a reflection of superior quality and luxury. Along with these lines, the team recommended Luxottica to update the Purple Label eyewear collection giving the customer the possibility to modify sunglasses and eyeglasses with varying degrees of customization: Purple Bespoke and Purple by You. The first customization degree, Purple Bespoke, provides the customer with the ultimate luxury experience. Its customers, ultra demanding with a taste for excellence and expensive perfection, will be able to choose among some of the most precious stones and exotic materials in the world while enjoying a unique shopping experience and a personalized brand-customer relation (access to Purple Label Club, invitation to exclusive events, etc.).

Purple by You, developed for a younger yet highly sophisticated men seeking for exclusivity, will give its customers the option to chose from super premium materials (leather, metals and woods) and enjoy a dynamic shopping experience though selected distribution and on-line.

The ability to customize eyewear is an experience that very few other eyewear companies are offering. This will result in a totally unique product and will clearly position Purple Label as a luxury brand in the eyewear category.

The Luxottica Team
Sara Carner, Columbia Business School
Jackie Korenthal, Columbia Business School
Ernest Sabine, Columbia Business School
Isabella Stanca, Columbia Business School
Charles von Faber-Castell, Columbia Business School

Melissa Eliyesil, The New School for Design
Sarah Leff, The New School for Design