Alain Mikli sets eyes on Thai market

To begin with, it has secured orders for 3,000 eyewear. It expects to sell Alain Mikli in optical shops across the country by January next year.

Maethanee, who is also an actor, singer and moderator, said he would design eyewear under the name Nino x Mikli (Nino by Mikli).

Besides Alain Mikli and Nino x Mikli, the company will bring other eyewear brands under the Alain Mikli umbrella, including Stark Eyes, V&M and Alyson Magee, to sell in the local market.

"Alain Mikli, who is also the founder of this eyewear brand, has committed to me that if I can make the brand a success in Thailand within one year, he will welcome me as his new eyewear designer. And I will have my own brand called Nino Maethanee, which will be one of Alain Mikli's collections to be distributed in other Alain Mikli shops worldwide, he said.

Alain Mikli expects Maethanee to sell 6,000-10,000 eyewear within six months.

Nino x Mikli is priced between Bt4,000 and Bt6,000 each, while Alain Mikli's price range starts at Bt8,000 and some cost more than Bt100,000.

Maethanee said he would focus on selling eyeglasses more than sunglasses because there was less competition in the eyeglasses market compared with sunglasses. The total eyewear market is stable at roughly Bt5 billion, while the value of the eyeglasses market is likely to decline every year as people prefer to use contact lens or do a lasik eye surgery.

"It is an opportunity for me to enter in this segment," he said.