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Worse on Purpose

Oakley

American performance sunglasses.

Status: Avoid
Founded
1975
Website
oakley.com
HQ
USA
Ownership type
Conglomerate subsidiary
Parent
EssilorLuxottica
Acquired
2007

Ownership

Acquired by Luxottica in 2007 for $2.1B. Now an EssilorLuxottica brand.

Why Avoid

Full Luxottica integration. See Luxottica essay.

Sister brands under EssilorLuxottica

See all 11 sister brands

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Investigation · April 9, 2026

Your Glasses Got Worse On Purpose

EssilorLuxottica makes your Ray-Bans, sells them through LensCrafters, insures them through EyeMed. Also owns the "independent" brands you thought were alternatives. How one Italian company built a vertical monopoly on your vision.

Read the full investigation

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