In conversation with Gian Paolo, Co-founder of VISION INDUSTRY, discusses the brand’s newest collaborations and future goals.

Can you walk us through your journey in the eyewear industry?

It’s safe to say that eyewear runs in our DNA. My family has a long history in the eyewear industry, dating back several years. I’ve been in the eyewear business for almost 20 years. In fact, my father worked in this profession, and my siblings are all working in it now.

What is concept behind opening the store Vision Industry?

VISION INDUSTRY is an experiential optical store with the mission of elevating the perception of eyewear as an object. Our company distinguishes itself from the competition in a variety of ways, including our great eyewear selection, cutting-edge technology in our eye-testing rooms, the one-of-a-kind eyewear museum, and our design studio that develops bespoke frames. The one feature that genuinely distinguishes us is the unrivaled in-store experience that we deliver.

Were there any challenges faced during the launch?

VISION INDUSTRY is an extremely complex concept that encompasses fashion, production, healthcare, and it’s the first of its kind, so we had plenty of challenges: from finding the right location to the agreement with the brands, setting up the lab, finding the artisans. Everything is quite a challenge when you create something new. But I could definitely say that it’s worth it.

What are some of the offerings offered at the store?

VISION INDUSTRY’s proposition is to make “everyone look good and see well,” so it’s in our DNA to have a wide, probably the widest offering that can be found in an optical store. We have products for any visual need, but if you still can’t find it, we will make it. Our artisans are available every day to design and create a frame for any customer who’s looking for personalised service.

Tell us more about the collaboration with Nikon lens wear?

Nikon and their amazing products need no introduction. They are probably best known for their incredible camera lenses which make them the benchmark in the photography industry, but few know that everything started for Nikon with ophthalmic lenses.

The values that VISION INDUSTRY and NIKON share just made this a natural partnership and today, in VISION INDUSTRY, we are bringing the incredible NIKON ophthalmic technology to the UAE market.

Are there any more future collaborations in the pipeline?

Yes, we have a lot on pipeline, and we will reveal each of them, one by one, in the months to come.

Where do you see the eyewear industry in the next 5 years?

The industry is growing in the Middle east and worldwide, and it will keep growing. From one side eyewear is more and more a fashion accessory and on the other hand more and more people have access to vision healthcare.
What I follow with interest is if technology will be able to transform the eyewear to the next “smart phone”. This could potentially completely reshape the industry.