MSO's Rae Long and Gethin Sladen at ODMA25

MSO is growing its kids’ portfolio with popular GVO Optics’ ‘indestructible’ kids brands NanoVista and BFlex, formerly with BTP International Designz.

MSO’s Gethin Sladen said they approached BTP about a possible transfer when they learnt that BTP’s Trish and Philip Orr were thinking of succession for the GVO brands. “We didn’t expect that Trish would not be part of the transition journey and were very saddened by her sudden passing,” Sladen said. “Trish was an esteemed colleague and industry player and we have always had a lot of respect for her and Phil’s ways of working and choice of brands. Their commitment to making the New Zealand optical market a quality and fair place, as well as their support to independent, local practices, is something we identify with. We are very thankful for the work she and Phil did on the GVO brands and it’s an honour to build on Trish’s legacy and I’m confident she would be proud of what we are planning to do, especially with her beloved NanoVista.”

Philip Orr said Trish would be happy that a team with integrity and professionalism has taken over the NZ distribution of the GVO ranges and he wished Sladen and his team well.

Growing the MSO portfolio to offer all Kiwis premium eyewear, magnification and eyecare products, from teens and athletes to urbanites and professionals, his aim has been to cover all needs, Sladen said.

The team has a deep understanding of the appetite in the kid’s eyewear segment, he said. “We started by representing premium French brand Minima Junior then we added Kaleyedoscope - a petite range of eyewear perfect for tweens and teens. The market response exceeded our expectations and we quickly recognised there was space for more options to complement each brand.

“We knew NanoVista was a range that would fit in perfectly within our portfolio as it offers great sports frames with Nano Sport, fun and resistant frame collections and custom-fit frames. There are also stylish ranges for families, such as Nano Crystal, which is a brand new, exciting offering MSO is bringing to Kiwi practices from this month,” he said.

NanoVista's new 'Crystal' model Mercury designed for 8–12-year-olds

MSO’s most senior sales representative, Raewyn Long, will be the main contact for GVO brands. “Rae has incredible relationships with our customers. We feel strongly about offering practices a smooth transition while growing the brands in New Zealand and Rae is the perfect person to ensure we do this the right way,” he said.