Jenna & Jon of Revival Eyewear on what makes deadstock vintage eyewear superior in quality & how conglomerate Luxottica has created a monopoly-like hold on today’s glasses industry

In episode 293, Kestrel welcomes Jenna Hanson and Jon Hershman, the cofounders of Revival Eyewear, to the show. Offering an extensive collection of deadstock vintage glasses and sunglasses, Revival Eyewear is dedicated to reminding us that it’s possible for old things to be elevated in both quality and style. 

“I fell in love with the glasses and the idea that these were vintage but brand new. I had never in my life heard of that concept — deadstock, new old stock. It was so fascinating to me. At Jon’s shop in PB, I would take them out of their cases and just be like — what is this? This is a YSL from the 1970s, it has its original packaging, I can’t believe this exists.” -Jenna

Another niche (yet massive) realm of the fashion industry that we rarely discuss is the GLASSES industry. I’m talking sunglasses and eyeglasses – which I would say are a very integral part of the world of fashion and style.

This week’s guests started a company where they sell unworn deadstock frames from the ‘60s to the ‘00s. If they were made so long ago, how were they never worn? Where have they been sitting, waiting to find a face to wear them?

Well, we get into that.

Also, we get into the mud about the powerful Italian conglomerate that owns SO MANY PIECES of the eyewear industry – from insurance companies to eyewear brands to manufacturing to retail eyewear stores. It’s amazing the stronghold this megacompany has on today’s eyewear industry.

Just as we talk about with the fast fashion industry, the eyewear industry has lost much of its quality luster. We often refer to the planned obsolescence of our era, and how —

“They just don’t make them like they used to.”

Well, my guests actually have the knowledge to articulate what makes vintage glasses so different from their current counterparts. What has changed in how they’re made today, and what aspects of craftsmanship made them so elevated back n the day?

We also touch on the massive waste that the glasses industry is generating, considering the materiality and disposable approach to manufacturing them today. It’s wild to think that the styles made today may never be considered *deadstock* or deemed worthy to resell. 

Quotes & links from the conversation:

• “Meet the Four-Eyed, Eight-Tentacled Monopoly That is Making Your Glasses So Expensive”, article in Forbes, that explores some of the power of Luxottica

• “Eyeglass Start-Up Ready to Battle Industry Titan, Sets Sights on Online Growth”, article in Yahoo Finance, that explores some of the power of Luxottica

• “We went to a conference last year called Vision Expo, and it was literally just Luxottica everywhere — so they own lenses, they own the lens manufacturer, they own the frame, they own the insurance, they own the places to sell the glasses. I don’t know how it gets any more monopoly than that. They own LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut, Target Optical, Pearl Vision, they own the big online store EyeBuyDirect, they own the insurance company EyeMed, and then, just about all of the brands that are inside of a LensCrafters or Sunglass Hut like RayBan, Oakley, Persol, Oliver Peoples - everything basically that you can find inside those stores, they also own those brands.” -Jenna & Jon (20:58)

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