There’s a reason fashion insiders, savvy shoppers and smart buyers across Australia have been quietly buying previous season eyewear frames for years. It’s not a compromise and it’s certainly not second-rate stock. Buying previous season eyewear frames is simply a smarter way to get quality frames. Once you understand how the eyewear industry actually works, it’s the only option that makes sense.
Like fashion clothing, eyewear operates on a seasonal release cycle. Brands release new collections twice a year. When new stock arrives, retailers clear shelf and warehouse space to make room. So, previous season frames leave active retail — not because they are defective or inferior, but simply because newer models have arrived.
The frames themselves haven’t changed. Their materials are identical to current season equivalents. Their quality is exactly the same. In fact, the only thing that has changed is the calendar.
For consumers, this creates an extraordinary opportunity. You can buy previous season eyewear frames at significantly reduced prices. Often 40 to 60 per cent below original retail with zero reduction in quality, durability or style.
When you buy previous season eyewear from a specialist retailer like Last Seasons, you are buying:
What you are NOT buying is second-quality stock, factory seconds, imitations or frames from unknown manufacturers. Simply put, previous season means last season’s release not last decade’s.
Eyewear retail has significant margin built into its pricing model. Frames that cost a fraction of their retail price to manufacture are routinely marked up to reflect brand positioning, retail overhead, optometrist fitting fees and the cost of being a current season release.
A pair of optical frames at full retail in an Australian optical store might cost $250 to $450 or more. However, the same quality frame from the previous season’s collection through a specialist like Last Seasons might be $70 to $210. The frame sitting on your face is functionally identical. The price difference is almost entirely a function of timing.
For Australians buying multiple pairs, replacing damaged frames, or buying children’s frames that will be outgrown, the cumulative saving across even a few purchases is substantial.
For Australians with private health insurance that includes optical extras also, previous season eyewear frames make your benefit go further.
Most health funds provide an annual optical benefit for prescription frames. Importantly, the benefit amount is typically fixed — meaning you get the same dollar rebate whether you spend $180 or $380. Buying previous season frames at a lower price point means your rebate covers a greater proportion of the total cost, or in some cases covers it in full.
Additionally, most optical benefits expire at calendar year end. As a result, October and November represent a prime opportunity to purchase frames before unused benefit lapses. Previous season stock is available year-round, so it’s a natural fit for benefit-motivated purchases.
This is the misconception worth addressing directly. Eyewear frame design does not change dramatically from season to season. The shapes, materials and construction techniques that define a quality optical frame classic rectangles, ovals, full rim acetate, rimless wire are enduring. They are not subject to the rapid trend cycles of clothing or footwear.
A well designed frame from last season looks indistinguishable from one made this season on virtually every face in virtually every setting. Also, the quality brands Last Seasons stocks including Superflex, MarcVincent and Van Staveren. They are known for classic, wearable designs that hold their relevance across multiple seasons.
The customer who insists on buying only current season releases is paying a significant premium for a distinction that is invisible to everyone around them.
While previous season frames are a smart choice for almost any buyer, they make particular sense for:
Last Seasons was built on a straightforward premise: quality eyewear frames shouldn’t require paying full retail. By specialising in previous season frames and sunglasses from quality brands, we offer Australian buyers a genuine alternative to the standard retail experience.
Our range spans optical frames and sunglasses across men’s, women’s, children’s and unisex categories. Every frame includes complete specifications. Every order ships free anywhere in Australia. And every purchase is backed by the simple logic that previous season frames are not inferior they’re just smarter.
Browse the full range at Last Seasons and find your next pair of quality eyewear frames at the price they should always have been.
