KIRK & KIRK - MEET THE DESIGNER COCKTAIL PARTY - MAY 8th IN WAYZATA

Art of Optiks to host British eyewear designer, Jason Kirk!

 Minneapolis, MN May 9th, 2019 - Art of Optiks, the award winning luxury optical with locations in Wayzata and Edina, will host a cocktail party / fashion event featuring Jason Kirk of the historic British eyewear company Kirk & Kirk.

This “Meet the Designer”event is planned for Friday June 21st from 5.00 - 9.00 PM at the WAYZATA location!

On 21st June, Jason Kirk, on behalf of British company Kirk & Kirk, will be coming to Minneapolis to show the full optical and sunglass collection.

This is a unique opportunity to try on over 350 different shapes and colors and get guidance on shapes and colors from a man who knows the collection inside out.

“I love doing in store events. It is an opportunity to listen and learn how consumers feel about our designs,” said CEO Jason Kirk. “Whether we are doing personalized one on one styling sessions or open day events, I always hear something new that feeds into our future thinking.”

On the professional side, Jason travels the world, often doing events but sometimes just popping into a store to get feedback. Since Kirk & Kirk opened their Philadelphia office in 2017, Jason has been a regular visitor to the US, trying to understand what the market needs so that his company can help provide supportive solutions.

“My family celebrates 100 years in optics in 2019 and one of the things I learnt from my grandfather, Sidney, was that if the market grows, that offers you the best chance of success. I spend a great deal of time trying to understand our relationship with the consumer, especially as this takes place through the optician, so it is important to understand what the consumer needs and to help the optician provide it. Doing in-store events is a great way to achieve both.”

“Art Of Optiks is a consistently strong store. They select a few distinctive brands and commit to them, understanding the DNA of the designer and how to communicate that to the public.”  

ABOUT KIRK & KIRK

This year Kirk the Kirk family celebrate 100 years in optics since Sidney and Percy Kirk opened their first London workshop in 1919. Three generations later, inspired by their heritage and twenty years of passion for eyewear, Jason and Karen Kirk launched Kirk & Kirk. As well as designing the Kirk & Kirk collections, the duo are key influencers within the industry, often commentating on trends, techniques and the future of the industry. In addition to this, they design collections for other optical and fashion companies, offering support in manufacturing, brand development and communication. Kirk & Kirk is designed in England and handmade in France using specially developed acrylic with a combination of traditional and modern production techniques.

ABOUT ART OF OPTIKS

When husband and wife team Stephanie Haenes, ABOC and Dr. Timothy Haupert decided to open Art of Optiks in 2001, they knew that they wanted to provide an unrivaled luxury optical experience. Together, they put technology, carefully-curated luxury eyewear, and most importantly, customer service at the forefront of their practice. Stephanie, with her experience as a luxury optical manager and buyer, and Dr. Haupert with his love of patient care and optometric technology advancements, set out to create a unique practice that combined the best of both optical worlds; one of the most advanced optometric practices in the country coupled with a customer service driven and distinctive luxury optical.

AWARDS

Art of Optiks was a finalist this year at the International Optimum Retailer Awards at Vision Expo and was placed in the Top 5 Optical Retailers in the USA by INVISION Magazine. They also received the Angie’s List Super Service Award for 3 years as well as being a 3 time winner of the Best Of Lake Minnetonka Award.