When you spend $600 on a pair of MYKITA frames or $900 on a Lindberg, you are not just buying a product. You are buying a relationship with the brand — access to their warranty, their repair service, their customer support, and the assurance that what you received is exactly what the brand intended to sell. That relationship only exists when you buy from an authorized dealer.
An authorized dealer is a retailer that has been formally approved by the brand to sell their products. This approval is not automatic. Brands like Lindberg, MYKITA, Garrett Leight, and Face à Face are selective about who carries their frames. They evaluate the retailer's knowledge of the product, their ability to provide proper fitting and prescription services, their commitment to representing the brand accurately, and their customer service standards. Being authorized is a credential — one that takes time and effort to earn and maintain.
What does authorization actually give you as a buyer? First, product authenticity. Authorized dealers receive product directly from the brand or through the brand's official distribution network. There is no grey market, no parallel import, no uncertainty about provenance. Second, warranty coverage. Every major luxury eyewear brand offers a warranty on their frames — typically one to two years against manufacturing defects. That warranty is only honored when the frame was purchased from an authorized dealer. Buy from an unauthorized seller and you have no warranty, regardless of what the seller tells you.
Third, and perhaps most importantly for prescription buyers: authorized dealers have access to the brand's technical support. When a Lindberg frame needs adjustment, or a MYKITA hinge needs servicing, authorized dealers can contact the brand directly for guidance and replacement parts. Unauthorized sellers cannot. If something goes wrong with your $800 frame six months after purchase, the difference between an authorized and unauthorized dealer is the difference between a solution and a shrug.
How do you verify authorization? The most reliable method is to contact the brand directly. Every major luxury eyewear brand maintains a dealer locator on their website. Lindberg's is at lindberg.com/dealers. MYKITA's is at mykita.com/stores. Garrett Leight's is at garrettleight.com/pages/store-locator. If the retailer you are considering is not on that list, they are not authorized — regardless of what their website claims.
The Last Optical in Montgomery, NY is an authorized dealer for all 14 brands in our collection: Bevel, Face à Face, Garrett Leight, Kame ManNen, L.A. Eyeworks, Lindberg, Lunor, MYKITA, Oliver Peoples, Press Eyewear, Robert Marc, Sabine Be, Salt Optics, and ic! berlin. We ship anywhere in the United States with free shipping, and every purchase comes with the full manufacturer warranty. When you buy from us, you are buying from the brand.