Vision Express opens Philippines’ first Cartier Set For You eyewear service

MANILA, Philippines — From jewelry to timepieces, French luxury goods label Cartier has been among every girl’s best friends, as Marilyn Monroe’s hit song said.

In the world, there are only three locations where Cartier has chosen to station its exclusive Set For You bespoke eyewear service, and the Philippines is one of them, said Neelam Gopwani, Managing Director of Vision Express, the eyewear store chain that exclusively carries Cartier’s Set For You in Vision Express’ Greenbelt 5 branch.

“Honestly, I’m really excited about the Cartier collection – the Cartier Set for You – it’s customizable, you can put your engraving on it, and that’s very unique one to the Philippines – so we’re the only place where you can get Cartier Set for You,” Gopwani told Philstar.com in an exclusive interview at the service’s recent launch.

“Only in Vision Express in the Philippines can you customize your eyewear from scratch – you can pick the frame, the side, the temples, and engrave your name.”

According to Cartier, Set For You Glasses invites one “to create your own sunglasses.” 

“This experience allows you to choose what will make your creation unique: frame, shape, lens color and signature details. There are almost 800 possible combinations, with the option of adding a personalized engraving as a finishing touch,” the brand explained it its official website.

Apart from Set For You, Vision Express also provides personalized frame and lens advisory in their Styling Studio. Drawing on years of experience and a keen eye for detail, their advisors analyze factors such as your skin tone, hair color, and face shape to recommend frames that enhance your natural features. 

Alongside Cartier, the eyewear store chain unleashed its new Spring/Summer 2024 collection.

Gucci presents eclectic contemporary and romantic designs representative of Italian craftsmanship, while Prada captures a cool modern atmosphere with geometric shapes and innovative design elements that redefine timeless elegance.

Balenciaga marries pop culture and streetwear to high fashion sensibility, creating bold, statement-making pieces aligned with their avant-garde style. On the contrary, Bottega Veneta focuses on timeless designs with striking colors making the icon stand out. 

Meanwhile, Celine offers classy, elegant, and understated fashion, much like Dior’s feminine and timeless designs. Likewise, Saint Laurent is also the epitome of contemporary luxury, adding a distinctive touch of edge to its trend-proof designs. 

Tom Ford seamlessly fuses vintage glamor and modern allure with effortless sleek style. Fendi introduces experimental styles, with the former blending retro-futuristic vision with form and function.

Similar to how Ray-Ban puts forward innovative designs with the Icon Evolve and Ray-Ban Reverse, Maui Jim also combines the innovative technology of PolarizedPlus2 lenses with contemporary designs. 

These runway styles, most especially Gucci’s runway collection, are not available anywhere in the country but in Vision Express, claimed Gopwani.

“People are excited to have these in the Philippines because I think, it’s been a long time coming that the brands are available, and now that they’re available, they’re available in a large scale,” she said.

Though Ray-Ban is still their top seller, new and upcoming favorites are Dior, Gucci and Cartier.

“These three brands… they’re honestly exquisite pieces… so if you see it in Europe, you also get it in the Philippines now. That’s one thing that I found that has been missing before. But now, whatever you see across the world, you can get here now. We get them straight from Europe and we bring them here,” Gopwani vouched.

The prices of these brands in their shops are “plus or minus 5 to 10%” as compared to when one buys them abroad.

“If you go abroad, you’re still applying for visa and buying plane tickets and all those things. Here, we have a standard pricing worldwide, and we follow it, and you can get them at the best prices, but at Vision Express, you get a buy one, take one. So no matter what you buy, the second pair is free.”

According to Gopwani, they are able to offer these brands at competitive price points, because “we want to emphasize lifestyle.” 

“We don’t want it to be discounts. We want you to understand that you need two lifestyles: One for play, one for work. So… we give you two pairs for the same price,” she explained.

“These are brands that people love, from clothing to shoes, to eyewear. It’s a lifestyle at the end of the day.”

As a “quiet luxury girl,” she loves Bottega Veneta.

“I’m a big fan of Dior. I’m a feminine girl, I love the feminine vibes… But to be honest, Ray-Ban is still my classic go-to,” Gopwani shared. “Honestly, when I go to the beach, I take one Ray-Ban piece, and then I take one stylish piece, and now, it’s from the Bottega Veneta V collection.”

As for sunglasses’ shape, she is “going for rectangles in the moment – a nice, clean rectangle.” 

“Oversized is what for me suits my face more than anything. It’s deliberately bigger than anything you want on your face, and it’s stylish. You just want something that gives you a little bit of style that’s different.”