Thélios acquires French eyewear brand Vuarnet

Thélios, the eyewear division of French luxury conglomerate LVMH, has acquired French high-end sunglasses brand Vuarnet from NEO Investment Partners.

The deal marks the first brand acquisition for Thélios, which designs, produces and distributes eyewear for a number of LVMH houses, including Dior, Fendi, Celine, Loewe, Kenzo and Stella McCartney, as it looks to expand its presence in the luxury eyewear industry.

Thélios said that Vuarnet, which has more than 60 years of heritage and pioneering manufacturing of mineral lenses, would “perfectly” blend with its current portfolio as the brand is positioned at the crossroads of outdoors and fashion.

It adds that it has plans to "restore the brand's former glory," and will empower Vuarnet to “further elevate its product quality and push the boundaries of innovation”. The French brand will utilise Thélios’ resources, including research and development capabilities, technical expertise, and global reach to propel the brand's growth and global expansion.

LVMH's Thélios acquires high-end outdoor sunglass brand Vuarnet

Alessandro Zanardo, chief executive of Thélios, said: "We are thrilled to announce the acquisition of Vuarnet, becoming Thélios’ first proprietary brand. 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.”

Founded in 1957 by the optician Roger Pouilloux and French ski Olympic gold medallist Jean Vuarnet, the eyewear brand has established itself through its excellent craftsmanship, seamlessly fusing innovation, performance, and timeless style.

Vuarnet’s styles are favoured by outdoor enthusiasts on and off the slopes and have gained popularity on the big screen, immortalised by Alain Delon in The Swimming Pool(1969), Jeff Bridges in The Big Lebowski(1998) and by Daniel Craig in James Bond – Spectrum (2015).

Vuarnet manufactures its eyewear in Meaux, which has been certified by the French government as “Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant” (Living Heritage Company).