Interview with Deborah Lochli McGrath of
Viva International Group

Viva International Group offers a little something for everybody, carrying lines like Tommy Hilfiger, Gant, GUESS, Magic Clip, Givenchy, Etro, Ermenegildo Zegna, and Escada. On the Viva International website, you'll see that they value, "quality, image, value, innovation, and service." They are proud to offer such a breadth of variety in order to help all their customers achieve the image they desire.

Viva's lines reach far and wide.

Viva was started in 1978 in Somerville, New Jersey, but as the name suggests, grew to an international level in no time. There are design teams in both New Jersey and Italy.

Since Viva International has become such a large and booming business, offering sunglasses for all walks of life and all types of needs, LoveToKnow Sunglasses had to check them out. We found Deborah Lochli McGrath, Vice President of Brand Management at the New Jersey location to answer a few of our questions.

How did you get started with Viva International Group and what is your position there?
I joined Viva International Group in 1995, in the product development department. I had a lot of interaction with Viva prior, as a buyer for a very large chain. Viva was one of our main suppliers. I am also a licensed optician and sold and dispensed eyewear, so the transition was a comfortable move for me.

What is a typical "day in the life" like for you at work?
I head up Viva's brand management department, which is responsible for all brands under the Viva umbrella.

My day usually starts with emails involving contact with our manufacturers. There are meetings to review a brand's development or a design meeting to review collections. We are also involved with the marketing of the brands.

I have a team of brand managers that champion their brands. Staying on top of the present trends and future trends are a main priority for them.

Is there a big difference between the designs created in New Jersey and the ones created in Italy?
Our design team was developed and trained in Italy. Our design studio may be located in Italy with a group of designers as in the USA, but they interact with each other on a daily basis, so it is one and the same group, in reality.

What is your best-selling brand of sunglasses, and who is the target consumer for that brand?
Guess is our strongest mid-priced brand. The customer is young and very trendy.

Guess Sunglasses

With Guess's retail stores, the exposure for the brand is fantastic. All of our brands are individually developed and have their specific traits and customer bases.

What are some of the sunglass trends for 2007? What do you predict for 2008?
Large, oversized plastic frames with basic colored lenses in solid or gradient tints. The stones with animal prints are still showing up. 2008 will be large and wrappy with interesting details on the temples. Metals are emerging for men especially, and they are oversized as well.

Tell me a bit more about the Magic Clip line. What makes it stand out from the competition?
Magic Clip is a growing segment for Viva. The magnets are set into the bridge area and they are extremely strong, so the clip remains on during most activities. We have expanded our design concepts into some interesting treatments and it is being received very well.

Magic Clip Sunglasses

Are there any lines within the Viva International Group that don't offer sunglasses?
Yes, not all brands have a sunglass business as some collections do not translate well into that type of business.

What are the trade shows like? Can anyone attend?
I have attended so many trade shows and I still enjoy them. So many new things are being introduced all year long and at the show it is a convenient place to see the new concepts under one roof. It is also a good place to keep up with the trends and find new suppliers. It is not advertised to non-trade.

Is there a big difference between the types of sunglasses you sell in the United States versus the styles that sell best in other countries? How do the trends differ from continent to continent?
In sunglasses, at this time, the difference is not dramatic. There are differences from one country to another but overall, we are able to accommodate all needs as we design with this in mind.

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