It’s fairly widely accepted that sunglasses are disproportionately expensive for what are essentially some plastic or acetate frames, a couple of springs, and a lens – but what most people don’t know is why they are so expensive.
Turns out it’s largely because of two Italian companies, Luxottica and Safilo, who almost single handedly control the entire global eyewear market with a vertically integrated design, production, and distribution strategy.
Watch the 60 minutes video above for more, but before you do, check out this list of eyewear brands either owned/licensed by Luxottica or Safilo, and you’ll begin to understand why you’re hard pressed to spend less than $300 on a pair of brand name sunnies these days.
Luxottica
- Arnette
- Sunglass Hut (a key piece of the puzzle)
- Oakley
- Oliver Peoples
- Persol
- Ray-Ban
- Vogue Eyewear
- Giorgio Armani
- Emporio Armani
- Armani Exchange
- Brooks Brothers
- Bulgari
- Burberry
- Chanel
- Coach
- Dolce & Gabbana
- DKNY
- Michael Kors
- Miu Miu
- Paul Smith Spectacles
- Prada
- Ralph Lauren
- Tiffany & Co.
- Tory Burch
- Versace
Safilo
- Alexander McQueen
- Bobbi Brown
- Bottega Veneta
- Céline
- Dior
- Fendi
- Gucci
- Hugo Boss
- Jimmy Choo
- Juicy Couture
- Marc Jacobs
- MaxMara
- Pierre Cardin
- Tommy Hilfiger
- Saint Laurent
