Last week I had a repeat visit from a nice patient who appreciates artistic eye wear (and a good optometrist!).
She had been going to a boutique-type optical run by a well-known (but not well-liked within the optical community, but I digress) Baroness of Boutique Eyewear in our metropolitan area and purchasing her frames from the Baroness' really, really trendy collection.
The patient has a Lafont and another I've-never-heard-of-the-designer frenchy frame with rhinestones and whatnot, and she needs new lenses.
Now, as you know, ain't no-one that does lenses better than DRK (which is ZERO investment...I'm a designer/supplier). But DRK has...ahem...pedestrian tastes...STRIKE THAT!! DRK's PATIENT BASE has pedestrian tastes in frames*. (See the "Rebirth" thread for evidence of this.)
So, the Baroness has retired to Bahamas, or something. And the nice patient wants a referral to another boutique. So I refer to a really cool big-time optical in the swankiest area of town, and I thought I'd call them to be sure they have Lafont.
"Hi, this is DRK and I'm asking for a patient...do you have french frames like, Lafont or Alain Mikli or Phillipe Starck?"
" <dismissive snooty laugh> Of course"
"Um, thanks. I have a patient for you."
My patient was pleased. Then I returned to my optical full of mainline vendors. I was ashamed for the rest of the day. "Sure must be nice to work with all those high-end frames" I brooded.
I used to have Lafont. It bombed. I used to have Ogi. It was niche. I have Silhouette, at least. I have ProDesign.
Question: Do YOU have a frame line that makes you proud to be an optical? NO, NOT FLEXON! No, not Kate Spade! Something special?
My bruised ego says I need something special.
*The problem isn't money...it's demographics. I live in the world's bedroomiest bedroom community in the midwest. Everyone is married. Guys aren't out to impress. Ladies want to be on the tailing edge of the cresting waves of fashion, but not be innovative early adopters. We do have some college kids that are subject to the whims of TicTok and whatnot, but we do not have much of the artsy/hippie/granola/LGBT community. Yes, I said it! They're all the same. Shoot me.
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