Thélios Acquires French Eyewear Brand Vuarnet — Retail Bum

Thélios, the eyewear division of LVMH, has acquired the storied French sunglasses brand Vuarnet from NEO Investment Partners.

The deal marks the first time Thélios has acquired another player in the eyewear space. It is expected to help Thélios strengthen its position in the eyewear industry as it currently just designs, manufactures, and distributes eyewear for some of LVMH’s masons, including Celine, Dior, Fendi, Kenzo, Loewe, and Stella McCartney.

“We are thrilled to announce the acquisition of Vuarnet, becoming Thélios’ first proprietary brand,” said Alessandro Zanardo, chief executive of Thélios. “Vuarnet is a legendary brand with a unique history that deserves to be preserved and perpetuated. Its iconic design, its unique know-how on mineral lenses, and its strong brand values are a perfect match with our ethos and positioning.”

Vuarnet, which was founded in 1957 by French Olympic gold medalist Jean Vuarnet and optician Roger Pouilloux, has made a name for its craftsmanship, bringing together innovative, timeless and performance-focused styles.

The acquisition will enable Vuarnet to leverage Thélios’ infrastructure to improve its research and development capabilities, tap into its new parent company’s technical expertise, and grow its business across the globe.

In its announcement, Thélios also noted that Vuarnet will perfectly blend into its portfolio given the brand’s focus on outdoors and fashion, and it aims to restore the brand to its former glory.

Photo credit: Vuarnet

Originally published at https://retailbum.com on September 7, 2023.