Warby Parker vs. Luxottica: The Media War
The following conversation has repeated itself often in the past few years: Somebody: “So what do you do? Me: “I make eyeglasses and sunglasses.” Somebody: “Isn’t there this this one company that owns all...
Category: Business
What drives optical sales?
In a previous post, I looked back at Prada’s abortive attempt to control their own eyewear licensing in collaboration with De Rigo. When Luxottica subsequently took over the license in 2002, they promised to...
On the “Imminent Death” of Independent Eyewear
I recently spoke with a colleague in Canada about the future of the industry. He was explaining to me how online refraction will spell the death of the independent optical store; and how consolidation...
The threat to Luxottica
Last post I noted that Luxottica had guarded themselves pretty well from their licensors going in-house for eyewear. In recent years they’ve avoided licensing from the luxury goods conglomerates, which were always the most...
The Future Of Eyewear Licensing.
A lot to catch up on… When I first started in optical, one thing struck me as strange about the industry: it was the only fashion related category in which the biggest selling brands...
Vernon and Irene Castle and The Birth of Fashion Eyewear
So the topography of the eyewear industry is changing. Sometimes people forget change offers opportunity. I wonder how many realize fashion eyewear as a category was born out of change and uncertainty. Let’s examine...
Safilo moving Smith Optics from Idaho to Italy. The first domino falls…
The scramble to extract more equity from house brands has begun. The creation of Kering Eyewear (as discussed HERE) has begun to produce interesting fallout. Kering owns the Gucci Group and plans to eschew...
Why is the eyewear industry bad at branding? Part 1
So Kering is going to produce its own eyewear for its brand portfolio: Gucci Eyewear, Saint Laurent Eyewear, Balenciaga Eyewear, etc. The possibility LVMH, Prada, Chanel, Ralph Lauren, et. al. might do the same...
Kering Eyewear and what it means…
On September 2nd 2014 Kering, owners of The Gucci Group, announced they’d no longer license their brands for eyewear. These include Gucci, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Brioni, Puma, Stella McCartney, Bottega Veneta, and...
Analysis of Industry Analysis. Where are Sunglasses Heading?
Every year I read the same article, more or less, discussing the sunglasses sector of the eyewear industry. Here’s this year’s recycled version of it. I’ll supply some commentary: Shoppers are splurging on this...
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