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Aug
21
How to Determine if the Distribution Company you Order from is Legit
Filed Under Authenticity | Leave a Comment
When buying name-brand gear you need to ensure that the distribution company you are buying from is actually selling you real, brand-name stuff. There are several smart ways to
ensure you aren’t being duped. The most obvious thing to do is know the product you are looking to buy. A terrible fake is obvious, like the rip-off Duracell batteries in the image here, or the fake Tide laundry soap misspelled Tids, as in the image below. Know the end product you are purchasing and ensure you see a picture of the product. Don’t buy Doir sunglasses, for example, when you want Dior.
The website- A distribution company, to be profitable, will focus on one segment of the retail market, for example eyewear. When they focus on one type of product they should be able to focus all of their energy on delivering the highest quality of goods at the cheapest possible price to the end consumer—that’s how they make money after all, by undercutting everyone else who distributes the same product. You should check that the website is focused on one product or segment and then check that the company has sufficient information on their website about each product, including multiple models and colours. It would be very difficult and expensive to fake hundreds of brands in multiple colours, and in the end the distribution company would not make money on the venture.
Contact details- A legitimate company will have their contact details listed on their website. If you are nervous about your purchase, contact the company and ask a few questions. It is perfectly normal for companies to outsource customer service, so don’t be put off if the representative is not a native English speaker. However, you should be a bit wary if there is no means of contact on the website, especially no phone number. Ideally a company will list its headquarters address, phone number and often an online email form for posting questions. A company that has a form for your credit card information but no contact details is not one to be trusted, be wary of online identity theft scams and protect yourself by doing a bit of research before typing in your card number.
Reputation. There are countless website forums on the internet where one can find dirt on any number of companies. You will find negative feedback, more than likely, on every company you search for. Bear in mind that negative response theory is an aspect of human nature. Meaning, people are more likely to actively complain than praise as people are motivated more by anger than pleasure. When looking into a company’s history check things like ebay customer ranking, and Google finance to see if your company is listed on the stock exchange. You can also read through customer feedback on various forums to get a sense of what the customer service will be like, how fast shipping times will be, and other information of that nature.
Affiliations. Reputable companies try to give back to the community, and are recognized as responsible by being granted affiliations with various local or national groups. Some distribution companies will be directly affiliated with name brand companies like Versace or Dior. More importantly, check if your company any affiliations in the charity world, or if they do any type of charitable donation. A company that sells fake gear is unlikely to draw attention to itself with large donations. Similarly, you can see if your company in question has won any sales or customer service awards, or even national or international awards for distribution or equity growth. A good, legitimate company will advertise all of their successes and affiliations, so search for these on their site and on the web in general.
Aug
21
How to ensure your sunglasses are authentic
Filed Under Authenticity | 1 Comment
Many online shoppers worry about the legitimacy of the products they wish to purchase. This is a valid concern, and I highly recommend online shoppers check into the company ratings before purchasing anything from them. Additionally, and wherever possible, get a grantee or a refund option when purchasing online. What you should be worried about is purchasing a fake product and paying name-brand prices. Don’t dismay, there are tried and true ways to ensure that the package you receive in the mail contains the actual name-brand item you paid for.
Original wrapping- Ensure that the product you are buying comes with the original wrapping, including the barcode sticker of the manufacturer. Read my previous article on analysing bar codes if you are confused about how to read these, or why to demand them. Check, especially, that the holding company for your brand is included on the label. If your bar code sticker has a name you don’t recognize—don’t panic. In the financial world many companies can be held by one larger company with a name that is not as famous as the brands it carries. For example, the Lexottica group holds Polo Ralph Lauren. Do a quick internet search before calling your online seller.
Company literature- Name-brand items usually come with company literature in the packaging. Look for a document that is usually miniature in size, but multi-lingual. This document will usually include safety information about your product, which for sunglasses usually includes a safety number indicating if your sunglasses are safe to drive with, etc. Look in this literature for product specific information, and not just the brand name.
The case- If you order sunglasses or glasses online they should always come with a nice case, especially if you are buying name-brand merchandise. The case will almost always carry the brand name as this is more advertising for the company and adds branding value to the product. Ensure before buying your eyewear that it will arrive fully protected in a name-brand case. The case should include at least one lens cleaning cloth, and sometimes even a short guide on how to care for your glasses.
Distribution company items- It is unlikely that you will order eyewear online directly from the manufacturer. Instead, the manufacturing company will ship products to a distribution company. Sometimes the distribution company will include extra products for brand building and name recognition. For example, a lense cleaning cloth with the distribution company’s name and logo. Do not be concerned if you see merchandice of this nature, it does not mean your eyewear is a fake, it only means that the distribution company is trying to establish its name. In fact, this is a good sign, as it lends credibility to the distributor.
The glasses- Make sure that the name and model of the item you are buying actually exists in the name branded catalogue. This can usually be done quickly online through the company’s website. So, search for Dior sunglasses and then search by product name or number. You can usually find designer sunglasses and glasses online from a distribution company for cheaper, but make sure the product name and details match exactly to eyewear on the brand company’s site. For added safety, check that the colour you want is actually manufacturer by the name brand company in question. This may take a few extra minutes of your time, but in the end its worth it to verify the validity of your product.
Aug
18
A Universal Product Code, or a UPC is the barcode and number series located on nearly every retail product. A manufacturer must first apply to the Uniform Code Council (UCC) in order to enter the UPC system. Once in the system, the UCC assigns each manufacturer an identification number that is six digits in length. On any given bar code there are 12 numbers, the first six therefore represent the manufacturer’s identification code. For the remainder of this article I will use a barcode from the Luxottica Group, which owns 8 house brands and 17 licensed brands of prescription and protection glasses, including such large names as Bvlgari, Chanel, Colce & Gabbana, Prade, Versace and Polo. Notice above the barcode the name of the Luxottica Group.
Each manufacturing company employees personal to manage their UPC data, the UPC team can range from one person in a small company, to hundreds in a corporation. The UPC team assigns specific numbers to specific products that are five digits in length. Each product has its own number, and the number can never be reused with the same manufacturer ID number. For example, the image above shows that Luxottica Group’s ID number is 715799, or- the first six digits on the barcode. The next five digits represent the product specific code, so 13739 is this product’s code.
Finally, the last number is the check digit, which is calculated by the UPC team as a measure to ensure product legitimacy and accuracy, as well as to help the UPC team keep track of their numerous products.
The processing for creating the check digit is as follows:
- Add the value of all digits in odd positions, ie- the first, third, firth, seventh, ninth and eleventh digits. (7,5,9,1,7,9 in our example above, =38)
- Multiply the number from step one by the check digit (38 X 3 = 114)
- Add the value of all digits in even positions, ie- the second, fourth, sixth, eighth and tenth digits. (1,7,9,3,3 = 23)
- Add the total from step three to the value in step two. (23 + 114= 137)
Determine what number is required to make the sum of step four a multiple of ten, that number should be the same as the check digit. (137 + 3 = 140) Therefore, three is the correct check digit.
There is additional information on most legitimate barcode stickers, which delivers more specific information about the product in question. See the example here from the Bvlgari sunglasses packaging, the same barcode used above. The first set up code, OBV 653B represents the product code (not to be confused with the product specific bar code number). This code is used as a product number with clients, and internally as an organizational and labelling tool. The number directly below it, in this case 939/87 is the colour code, indicating which tint the frames are. The number below that is the prescription code, if any, in this case 01/40. Moving to the right in the image above you’ll notice a market of *3N which is a sunglasses specific code meaning category three tinting on the lenses.
If you are worried about the legitimacy of your recently purchased glasses or sunglasses, checking out the barcode is one way to ensure that the product actually came from the company you ordered it from, or is a licensed distributor for the company. If you receive a package without a barcode sticker, it is a good indication that you’ve recently purchased a fake. Be aware that the barcode may be on the packaging, as in the image above, and ensure when ordering your glasses that it be packaged in original wrapping.
Aug
18
Police brand sunglasses have become all the rage in 2008, especially since they enlisted uber hunk Antonio Banderas as their key advertising icon. The style, inspired by the shapes and lines of police force goggles and shades, has become one of the most fashionable accessories so far this year.
The brand Police has had somewhat of a startling bit of success, given the apparent contradiction between how American citizens feel about the affectionately called Po po and the latest craze of emulating police accessories under an undisguised Police brand. Most Americans, in their independent and outspoken nature, feel somewhat biased against the police for some reason or another. How is it that a brand with the enemy’s name could become so popular in the US, especially with the rugged, biker and underbelly community?
I offer the following position. Police accessories are not synonymous with the police themselves, whom Americans actually associate more with doughnuts and speeding tickets than SWAT and reconnaissance. Instead, the vests, belts, shoe styles and shades are all an extension of every little boy’s dream of being a cop or a fireman when he grew up. Additionally, police are perceived as above the law, and therefore in a class of their own, emulating their style and making it more modern and streamlined has made it so the Police brand can offer a taste of insolence and irreverence.
The choice of using Hollywood giant, Antonio Banderas as their primary model was calculated and targeted to appeal to a generation of fans that knew him not as Puss in Boots in the Shrek franchise, but as Desperado, the ultimate badass who was balance of both affection and destruction—a human yin-yang and one of the coolest characters in movie history.
Now, in Police advertisements, you see Antonio in his traditional all black attire, slicked back hair and sullen, serious grimace, his dark eyes hidden behind darker shades that, (and I’ll give credit where it’s due) seriously agree with his style and vibe. And the people who buy and wear the Police brand are not the grimy bikers of yesteryear, they are modern, in chic leather and Sketcher boots, Swatch watch adorned wrists and clean, styled hair. Their frame of choice- decidedly modern and decidedly Police.
And if it were not enough to have the Hollywood icon wearing the Police brand sunglasses, Antonio also models their prescription eyeglass frames, sporting something a little more chic, but still ultimately edgy, proving that Police is a versatile and complex brand.
Aug
18
During the recent opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games, I spied several athletes wearing dark-tinted sunglasses while entering the bird’s nest. Though it was after 9pm, and completely dark, the number of athletes with shades began to surprise me, and begs the questions- why would one wear sunglasses indoors and at night? 1980s singer/songwriter Corey Hart hit the charts with his single ‘Sunglasses at night,’ a song of little lyrical or musical value but with an intense amount of idiosyncrasies, no possible solutions were provided in his ‘hit’ song, so I set out on a journey to answer this epic question myself.
Aside from looking cool (as Morpheus, and all Matrix escapees in that epic trilogy, made popular) there has to be a logical reason for wearing shades—designed to protect your eyes from light—when there is little or no light from which to protect oneself.
In a previous article I discussed the various strengths and weaknesses of each sunglasses tint. You’ll recall that some tints enhance contrast while others reduced glare or softened fluorescent, indoor light. None of the recent Olympians were wearing green, yellow or brown tinted shades, no ladies and gentlemen these shades were tinted the traditional dark black.
After dedicating a bit more time than was logical and dissecting the phenomenon of night-time sun protection gear, I came up with the following reasons a person might choose to wear sunglasses at night. Black tinted shades indoors are presumably used for one of six reasons. 1) to look cool and nonchalant; 2) To hide the emotions in your eyes; 3) to intimidate; 4) in some rare cases, for health reasons; 5) to hide from paparazzi; 6) or, and this is the pessimist in me, to hide an ugly mug.
Of the above six reasons for wearing shades at night, there are some with merit and some that simply make the wearer a tool. To look cool is a silly reason to wear sunglasses at night. Everyone around you isn’t noticing how super fantastic you are, instead they are wondering if you noticed the sun was gone, or that you were indoors. They are looking at you and contemplating your IQ. Scratch looking cool as a logical reason to wear sunglasses at night—it isn’t logical nor is it cool.
Reason number two, to hide your emotions. Now, this may be a logical reason for a sixteen your old who is not in control of their hormones. After age 20 or so, society expects you to be able to walk around without crying or screaming at the people you encounter. If you are not a pre-pubescent teen then this excuse does not apply to you.
‘logical’ reason number three- to intimidate. Now, if you are not a cop, or the terminator then this option does not apply to you. I think that effectively rules out most of the population. Cops try to intimidate because more often than not they are aware of how very fragile their power really is. Intimidation usually is a mask for fear, though I freely admit that I doubt the terminator is afraid of much.
The fourth possible explanation has some merit. Those who suffer from sun damage to the retina can get prescription sunglasses that are safe to wear at night and while driving, as they reduce traffic glare and have high polarization. Prescriptions specific to night driving or retinal damage in some areas require proof of prescription, as some states have laws against sunglasses at night or those with vision problems driving without their glasses or contacts. Indeed, US driver’s licenses have a section on the back listing driving impairments and their required corrections in order to drive. This is a slim number of people with paperwork to prove their sunglasses at night are legitimate. If you don’t have the papers—don’t claim the excuse!
Hiding from paparazzi, our fifth possible explanation also has some merit. However, if I were a paparazzi star I would scope out people wearing sunglasses at night on the assumption that in Hollywood people with large hats and sunglasses when the sun is down are probably the people I should be photographing.
Finally, the ugly mug concept. I think this is merit to this claim as well. Personally, I think sunglasses at night are, as previously mentioned, a factor in determining IQ. Perhaps my standards are a big high, but an unintelligent person is a less attractive one to me.
Aug
11
Sexiest Hollywood Shades
Filed Under Celebrity Watch, Designer Eyeglasses | 1 Comment
In Hollywood, sunglasses are not a mild accessory. They are necessary for two things. First, they are to make a fashion statement—and usually quite a signature one at that. Second, sunglasses block celebrity features, giving the actor or actress a bit of much needed privacy from global paparazzi. Many American celebrities create their own sunglasses designs, or expertly chose shades that fit their personality (or contradict it).
Angelina Jolie, the most beautiful and sexy woman in America, wears men’s aviators. This fits her previous roles as Mrs. Smith, the house-wife clocked assassin and Laura Croft, the sexy British Tomb Raider. Perhaps it also fits her personal life of travelling around the world on charity missions, adopting orphans and spreading out her Hollywood cash. With hubby Brad Pitt firmly on a leash behind her, this Hollywood lady has proven she has the brass to pull off the man’s man look.
Paris Hilton, the notorious party girl and Heiress to the Hilton hotel fortune, wears Jackie O’s—made famous by a former first lady of stature. This contradictory accessory fits Paris’ facial shape, but also provides a bit of a contrast to her party-girl attire and attitude. Famous for her ditsy and provocative stunts, and in stark contrast to her fashion designer sister, Paris has made a reputation for herself as an unabashed, apolitical icon of wealth without meaning. Her accessorizing with Jackie O’s is, therefore, a drastic contradiction to her personality. Though there is little doubt she knows who made the shades famous.
Johnny Depp, the Pirates of the Caribbean hearth throb, wears sunglasses with abnormal tinting, something quite akin to his surprising and sometimes dark characters. His role as Capitan Jack Sparrow landed him in the lime light, though he had previously starred in such massive hits as Edward Scissor Hands and the more recent Sweeny Todd. His roles, usually darker and more satirical, provide the perfect public persona for experimental shades.
Pamela Anderson, an actress and former porn star, wears the most generic and universal of shades- the ray ban, black plastic aviators worn by the Blues Brothers and Tom Cruise in Risky Business. Instead of Dior or Versace, Pamela wears simplicity, perhaps to accentuate her dynamic features and avoid any distraction from her beauty.
P. Diddy, or Sean Combs, the American rapper and actor as well as a fashion icon and designer, wears tinted, gold framed shades that are the perfect match to his modern and exquisite fashion tastes. From someone who really knows fashion and an edgy entrepreneur, the gold framed shades are the perfect fit.
Follow the fashion tips of this icon and you’re sure to land on the red carpet in style.
Finally, Brad Pitt, the star of Oceans 11 and husband of Jolie, wears surprisingly ornate shades, despite his rugged and manly exterior. His name brand, tinted and gold-rimmed shades are in stark contrast to his muted and understated clothing and in addition, contrast his personal reputation as a low key individual. Toted around like a puppy by actress Angelina Jolie, his surprisingly feminine shades become decidedly less androgynous.
The list of celebrities and their shades, of course, goes on and on. Elton John, Roy Orbison, the Olsen Twins, Katie Holmes, Akon, Harrison Ford, and on and on. Sunglasses as fashion and protection from the media have been a staple in Hollywood, and one that has been admired and emulated by the public. One interesting way to chose sunglasses for yourself—find the shades your favorite celebrity wears and try them on for size.
Aug
4
Antireflective coatings reduce glare and, when your picture is taken, reduce the reflection of light thus ensuring your eyes show through the glass in the image. Studies show that you can see up to 75% more with coated lenses, which obviously is a safety benefit for drivers or serious sports fanatics. Additionally, your glasses will not be blamed for making your golf partner miss his swing, as not light will reflect off your glasses to blind poor onlookers. I find this coating invaluable, and have it applied to every pair of my sunglasses and corrective lenses.
Plastics and polycarbonate lenses have the ability to block ultraviolet rays, and increase protection 100% from normal glass lenses, which do nothing in the way of protect as much as correct your vision. Additionally, plastics are stronger and more durable, though are more likely to scratch and smudge (though, naturally, there are remedies for these ailments).
Anti-scratch coatings can be applied to all plastic and synthetic materials other than glass. Glass is naturally more scratch resistant. If you chose plastic lenses, make sure they are varnished in scratch resistant and smudge reducing coatings to ensure longevity. Treatments can be applied to natural glass lenses to make them shock resistant, and thus more durable. Ultimately, the glass versus plastic decision is one of personal taste.
Tinted glasses can be useful if you have highly sensitive eyes, which many fair-eyes people complain of. Tints of various shades can assist in various tasks; see my previous article on tinting for more details. When choosing lenses, be aware that tints cannot easily be added after your glasses are purchased. You will need to consider the tint you would like beforehand. A more recent development in the lens industry is changing tint glasses, where lenses are clear or beige when indoors, and turn into sunglasses when confronted with light. Though a bit more expensive, these are especially useful for highly active people who spend a great deal of time moving between the indoors and out. While some complain that the dark tinting when confronted with light can be annoying when driving in twilight, most find the adapting lenses useful, though a bit out of their control.
A few additional tips. Properly fitted frames should be comfortable, above all. When wearing glasses to correct vision, the most common concern is that glasses will get in the way or hinder your mobility. Though style and design are important, consider that uncomfortable glasses will not be appreciated or enjoyed.
Glasses and sunglasses should not touch your temples, cheeks or eyebrows, but should be held in place by your nose and ears, distributing the weight evenly. They should not shift or slide when you change your facial expressions. When trying on glasses, smile, wink, yawn, laugh and scowl—making sure there is no movement in the frames and no pinching of the nose. Should you fall in love with an uncomfortable pair of frames, you can have them resized or fitted professionally, and have the nose and earpieces realigned.
Aug
4
How to fit glasses to the shape of your face
Filed Under Eyewear Knowledge, Designer Sunglasses, Designer Eyeglasses | Leave a Comment
Round face. If your features are predominantly rounded, ie- larger forehead, curved jaw line and rounded chin and cheeks, the best eyeglasses shape for your face would be something that breaks up the softness and creates contrast. Go for square or rectangle frames and do not shy away from absurd colors and designs. The round face best suits creativity and variety, though avoid round and oval frames at all costs.
Oval face: If your features are oval, ie- longer than round but proportionately sophisticated, your shape is best suited to rounded or angled glasses that extenuate your cheekbones and draw attention to your eyes and other horizontal features like your lips and eyebrows. Oval features are, of course, the easiest to fit to glasses, and can handle most shapes and colors. Consider trying horn-rimmed glasses, or modern derivatives of the horn-rimmed style, which will dray attention to the sharp contours of your features for a more glamorous, 1920s Hollywood look.
Square face: Sharp features and square lines call for a break in the angularity of your features and demand round or oval, soft- lined glasses. Your best bet is larger, rounded glasses. Jackie O’s and other rounded bug-eye glasses are especially good for this and the triangle shaped face. More modern styles call for drawing attention away from the jaw line in an attempt to make your shape look more triangular. This can be achieved by putting more weight on the top half with larger glasses. If you insist on smaller frames, choose horizontal oval styles in simple browns and blacks.
Heart shaped face: This is the classic shape, and especially supports larger square frames or bizarre shaped frames like star or heart cut-outs. The cuteness of this shape can support most frames, but looks best with light colored, soft-edged square shapes, which act to enhance the cuteness of the outline. Stick to pastels and other light, almost child-like designs.
Triangle face: This shape is all the rage in Hollywood in 2008, as Mary Kate and Ashley have demonstrated. If you are lucky enough to have this shape, follow the same advice for square shapes, trying to make the chin look even more pointed and frail and almost doll-like by wearing large round glasses and sunglasses, especially Jackie O’s and bright, bold colors that instantly draw attention upwards.
Rectangle face: If you have a longer, but more chiseled rectangle shaped face, try to avoid rectangle frames. Instead, lean towards larger round frames that will make the shape of your face appear softer and more squared and proportionate. Men, especially, can enhance their chiseled look with Aviators or other, similarly rounded frames.
A few extra tips to picking glasses that enhance your features. Glasses should never cover your eyebrows. Ensure that your eyebrows are still visible, even under large round or squared frames. One great way to pick frames is to try pairs until you find some that follow the outline of your eyebrows. Or, on the inverse, you could style your eyebrows to follow the shape of the glasses that best suit your shape.
If you have your hair cut in bangs, avoid dark and bulky frames, which will all blend together and look disorganized. If your hair is constantly in a pony tail or buzz cut for men, find glasses that fit your swept-back features without dominating your face. Finally, if you have blonde or light hair, lighter frames will work better for you, while darker frames for darker haired people work best.