Are Designer Sunglasses a Good Value?

When you think of designer sunglasses, you think of glamorous women, men, and children relaxing at the beach or at the park, enjoying the good life in their fabulous shades. But are those designer sunglasses worth the price tag? Do you get something from Prada, Gucci, and Ray Ban that you can’t find in a lesser brand?

Fashionable designer sunglasses are the essence of style and beauty. When you see a D&G, Dior, or Chanel label, you know that you are in the presence of greatness. But all that you are paying for is the label, in most cases. You’re not necessarily getting anything more than you would get from a pair of unbranded sunglasses.

In fact, a columnist for the Wall Street Journal investigated the price markups and found that one manufacturer of designer sunglasses posts a gross profit of 64 cents on each dollar of sales. In other words, for every $300 you spend on a pair of Chanel sunglasses, it only cost the company $108 to make. A $192 markup is pretty serious business!

This kind of profit has lead counterfeiters to produce knockoffs of fashionable designer sunglasses. If you do decide that you want a pair of Dior, D&G, or Gucci or other designer sunglasses, at least buy the real deal from a legitimate retailer. If you buy illegal knockoffs, you’re supporting money laundering, terrorism, and human trafficking.

When you consider that some Prada sunglasses are close to $500, it’s no wonder that women, men, and children want alternatives. While designer sunglasses offer serious fashion, a pair of unbranded shades can deliver the same kind of styling minus the expensive logo. Generic specs are made from the exact same kinds of materials.

The production of UV lenses is no longer very expensive, thanks to technological advances. For example, even though Ray Ban is known for quality, you can find the same level of UV protection in sunglasses that cost a fraction of the price. As with all brands, you’re paying for the fancy brand name, not some kind of newfangled UV technology.

In the end, fashionable designer sunglasses are a good value if you’ve got the extra income and you just have to have brand name merchandise. But if you don’t have the extra cash to spare, you’ll find unbranded shades that offer serious style and protection for much, much less.