Charles Dahan was one of the leading suppliers of frames to LensCrafters, before the company was purchased by optical behemoth Luxottica. Glasses that cost him $20 to make would be sold for five times that amount.
I noted that if you wear designer glasses, there’s a very good chance you’re wearing Luxottica frames.include Armani, Brooks Brothers, Burberry, Chanel, Coach, DKNY, Dolce & Gabbana, Michael Kors, Oakley, Oliver Peoples, Persol, Polo Ralph Lauren, Ray-Ban, Tiffany, Valentino, Vogue and Versace. Dahan, a chemical engineer by training, established a company called Custom Optical in 1977 after designing a machine capable of making prescription lenses appear thinner.
“He was a key supplier — good product at reasonable prices,” Butler, 74, said in a phone interview from Berlin, where he was meeting with optical-industry contacts. Lenses, he said, might cost about $5 a pair to produce. With fancy coatings, that could boost the price all the way to $15. Dahan said things went downhill for him after that. Luxottica increasingly emphasized its own frames over those of outside suppliers, he said, and Custom Optical’s sales plunged. Dahan was forced to close his business in 2001.Indeed, the California maker of premium sunglasses was embraced by skiers and other outdoorsy types after it released its first sunglasses in 1984.
Davidlaz Price gouging....The American way. 😡
Davidlaz Their prices are nuts. I have been continuely quoted for lens/frames that add up to at least $800 or more (non designer frames even). So, I now go to Warby. Lencrafters has lost my business for good. Too many up-pricing.
Davidlaz A TOTAL scam. Consumer bilking at its finest. They've you by the balls.......eye and otherwise.
Davidlaz Lens Crafters will drain your bank account.
YNB Davidlaz zennioptical is wear I buy my glasses. Less than $75
Davidlaz Zenni is the absolute cheapest. PERIOD.
Davidlaz I buy reading glasses for 2-3 bucks at drug stores. They're as good or better than custom script glasses. When the plastic breaks -every year or so, buy another pair.
Davidlaz Eyeglass stores, eye insurance programs and maker of eyeglasses all basically owned by the same company.. Luxottica. A mass monopoly.
Davidlaz WarbyParker $100 bucks for lenses and frames out the door. If you want scratch resistant coating, that's an extra $30 bucks. They have a huge selection and they have a brick and mortar store so you can try them on before purchasing. winning
Davidlaz Costco has the best prices
Davidlaz Luxottica should be broken up.
Davidlaz A lot indeed.
Davidlaz There's a good AdamRuins about this.
This isn't the first time Davidlaz has looked into the eyewear industry. Previously, he's written that 'Prescription eyewear represents perhaps the single biggest mass-market consumer ripoff to be found.'