Luxury Optical’s Stunted Growth
I was talking to a couple friends who own or have owned high end, boutique optical stores. The subject was selling very high end eyewear. They described customers who spent enormous amounts of money on watches, handbags, cars, practically everything, but balk at the idea of spending anything remotely comparable on eyewear. This doesn’t describe everyone, but it’s not untypical. In general, price ceiling at the highest end in eyewear is lower than most any other worn or carried object.
Why is that? Eyewear’s the most important accessory. You wear it on your face, not your wrist, or slung over your shoulder.
A few reasons. A bit over 100 years ago, the medical/scientific part of the industry took control of retail channels, and marketed the product mainly as a functional everyday necessity. Non-prescriptive, fashion sunwear then followed, which was championed by makers of inexpensive plastic combs like Foster Grant. They retailed through the same drug store channels as their previous products – the opposite of high end. The designer licensed eyewear that proliferated in the late 20th Century didn’t stray too far from the established optical model. The companies that made it were embedded in the existing industry. Fashion conglomerates have since taken control of their own licenses, but since the current business model works, they haven’t really changed it.
So, there’s an effective price cap and product’s been conceived and created to fit under it. Great designs have been, and still are created. There’s also some gorgeous, beautifully made eyewear but, in various ways, other accessories have had more freedom to be extravagant in materials and design – and be marketed as such. The public’s been conditioned to place eyewear in one mental bin and all other worn and carried objects in another.
The basic illogic is striking. Again: eyewear is worn on the face, not the wrist, or slung over the shoulder. It’s the best and most important accessory
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I explain this concept every day…although not nearly as eloquently. Great article, Moss.
I’ve discussed this with many friends in the industry. As a luxury category it’s underdeveloped, but it’s inevitable eyewear will assume its “place in the sun”.
Nice to have you back!
Nice to be back. More to come, as I’m able. I’m finally posting on Instagram, too. Out of hibernation a little bit.
Welcome back!
Thank you!
I’ve often had this conversation with people I meet or even friends. I also never understood having one pair of glasses, and that was years before I was in the industry. To me , I wasn’t going to wear the same shirt everyday why would I wear the same frame on my face ?
Agreed. Having only one pair of glasses is no longer the case for many people. The market self-limiting and not making product that caters to the current luxury goods consumer is another thing that will change. It’s really inevitable.