New joint venture marks Brulimar's Eastward expansion

Branded eyewear manufacturer Brulimar Optical Group, has formed a joint venture with Global Vision Optical Group (India), as part of a plan to tap into the demand for branded fashions in India and the Middle East. Under the agreement, Brulimar’s popular eyewear brands Bench, Henleys and Lee Cooper will be available in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and India.
 
The move builds on Brulimar’s current strategy to identify and partner with local manufacturers in Western Europe under a sub licensing arrangement in order to expand its geographical reach. The firm currently holds UK, European and global licenses for a number of well known brands, including Pineapple, Ed Hardy and Henleys.
 
Commenting on the joint venture, Global Vision MD, Shammi Sarin, said: “For consumers in India in the Middle East, brands are still a very powerful status symbol. Western marques, and particularly those with a British pedigree, are highly coveted, and retailers are already placing orders for the Lee Cooper and Bench collections. Unlike in the recession-hit US and UK, many consumers still have the disposable income to enjoy branded fashion. By joining forces with Brulimar we are in the ideal position to quench consumers’ thirst for feel-good fashion eyewear.”
 
Brulimar MD Howard Librae added: “As far as the UK market’s concerned, Bench has been our hero brand for many years and the Lee Cooper licence has also served us well. Moving east is an exciting prospect for us, as there, our best-known brands have yet to reach maturity in terms of the brand lifecycle, and have enormous growth potential