Swiss sunglasses for 60 francs: How's that possible?
created on 14.7.2017
Sunglasses can be rather expensive. The Swiss brand INVU offer a wide range of sunglasses at an average price of 60 francs. How is this possible? Low-cost production in China? We set out to find the answer.
The Swiss brand INVU produce trendy sunglasses at affordable prices. INVU don't have their own shops. Their sunglasses are available in departments stores, sports shops, opticians and online shops such as Galaxus. The brand is currently distributed in more than 80 countries worldwide.
60 francs for a pair of sunglasses sounds tempting. But also makes you think there's a snag. What about fair production? We talked to INVU co-founder Jerry Dreifuss to find out how such prices are possible.
Your sunglasses are known to be affordable. How's that possible? Low-cost production?
The key difference is that our margins aren't as high as our competitors'. Still, our sunglasses are of high quality and have ultra-polarised lenses. Of course, our production is efficient, as we produce in large quantities. Our sunglasses are all produced in the high-quality factories in Italy and Asia that offer fair working conditions. They’re the same production sites the major brands cooperate with. Of course, material differences also have an impact on prices. Producing handmade horn-rimmed glasses is more expensive than producing glasses made from metal.
You're saying you could potentially sell your glasses at a higher price. Then why not do it?
Because we've deliberately decided to be a brand that's affordable for everyone. For this reason, our sunglasses cost the same in every country, also in Switzerland. We don't want to take advantage of anyone, but be fair and offer a fair product to everyone. It's possible to make money with such an approach, too.
They styles of your glasses look a lot like other popular brands, Ray Ban for example. Is INVU the generic of sunglasses?
80 years ago, Ray Ban was one of the first real sunglasses brands. It's only natural that they still stand for some of the iconic styles, aviator style for instance, that made it to the modern era. Almost every brand gets inspiration from other brands. So do we. That's normal. Sure, some famous fashion brands such as Gucci are more likely to try out new things because the catwalk requires special accessories. Sometimes, these new shapes are taken up by the industry. We too have created our own exclusive designs and seen them being re-used by our competition a year later. As I said, that's just the way it is. Some of the popular and iconic shapes such as panto or aviator can be found in almost every eyewear collection. These shapes just suit almost anyone.
Are you a fan of glasses yourself?
Glasses are a fashion accessory. They're great. I love working with a product that makes people happy. Personally, I have quite a large collection of glasses. INVU's range alone has over 300 models. I wear a different pair of glasses almost every day.
:)
Which sunglasses are trendy this year?
Flat lenses are very fashionable at the moment. As are so-called masks, mirrored lenses, round shapes and ladies' glasses that feature metal. The classic panto style is also very en vogue.
The newest trends often don't suit everyone. Which glasses do you recommend for which shapes of faces?
So-called «face shape guides» exist, but I'm not a big fan of them. People are braver today than they used to be. While five years ago, a look might have been a no-go, it can be very trendy today. Nowadays, people with rather large faces wear small, round glasses, too. And glasses that used to be worn be women only are unisex today. Sunglasses need to fit well, have perfect UV protection, be in line with all quality standards and the person who wears them needs to like them. That's all that matters. People with a slender face often have trouble finding glasses that fit them and don't look too large. Our Slimfit collection consists of two models that were made especially for these people. Frame size is important here, not shapes or colours.
See the full Invu range
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