597. Why Do Your Eyeglasses Cost $1,000?
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A single company, EssilorLuxottica, owns so much of the eyewear industry that it’s hard to escape their gravitational pull — or their “obscene” markups. Should regulators do something? Can Warby Parker steal market share? And how did Ray-Bans become a luxury brand? (Part one of a two-part series).)

• SOURCES:

• Neil Blumenthal), co-founder and co-CEO of Warby Parker.

• Dave Gilboa), co-founder and co-CEO of Warby Parker.

• Jessica Glasscock), fashion historian and lecturer at the Parsons School of Design.

• Neil Handley), curator of the British Optical Association Museum at the College of Optometrists.

• Ryan McDevitt), professor of economics at Duke University.

• Cédric Rossi), equity research analyst at Bryan Garnier.

• Tim Wu), professor of law, science and technology at Columbia Law School.

• RESOURCES:

• "Leonardo Del Vecchio Dies at 87; Transformed Eyeglass Industry)," by Jonathan Kandell (*The New York Times, *2022).

• Making a Spectacle: A Fashionable History of Glasses)*, *by Jessica Glasscock (2021).

• "Dave Gilboa and Neil Blumenthal: ‍A Vision for Business)," by Lucy Handley (*CNBC, *2020).

• "The Roots of Big Tech Run Disturbingly Deep)," by Tim Wu and Stuart A. Thompson (*The New York Times, *2019).

• "The Spectacular Power of Big Lens)," by Sam Knight (*The Guardian, *2018).

• The Curse of Bigness: Antitrust in the New Gilded Age)*, *by Tim Wu (2018).

• "Statement of the Federal Trade Commission Concerning the Proposed Acquisition of Luxottica Group S.p.A. by Essilor International (Compagnie Generale d’Optique) S.A.)," FTC File No. 171-0060 (2018).

• Cult Eyewear: The World's Enduring Classics)*, *by Neil Handley (2011).

• A Far-Sighted Man)*, *by Luca Goldoni (1991).

• EXTRAS:

• "Direct-to-Consumer Mattresses)," by *The Economics of Everyday Things *(2024).

• "Are Two C.E.O.s Better Than One?)" by *Freakonomics Radio *(2023).

• “Are We in a Mattress-Store Bubble?)” by *Freakonomics Radio *(2016).