How Luxxottica Took Over The Eyewear Industry

If you’ve ever walked into a sunglass store or shopped online for new frames, you might have noticed something strange, nearly every brand you come across is owned by the same company. From household names like Ray-Ban and Oakley to high fashion labels like Prada and Gucci eyewear, the same giant corporation is pulling the strings behind the scenes. That company is Luxottica. Eyewear should be about style, quality, and function, but thanks to Luxottica’s massive reach, consumers have had fewer choices and higher prices for decades. 

Who Is Luxottica? 

Luxottica started in 1961 in Agordo, Italy, as a small workshop founded by Leonardo Del Vecchio. At the time, the company wasn’t the global powerhouse it is today, it was simply a manufacturer making parts for other eyewear brands. But Del Vecchio had bigger ambitions. Instead of just making frames for other companies, he wanted Luxottica to design, manufacture, and distribute complete eyewear lines. By the 1970s, Luxottica started producing its own frames, and in 1981, it struck its first deal with Armani, a partnership that would end up being a game changer. Over time, Luxottica became vertically integrated, meaning they don’t just make the glasses, they also own the stores you buy them from and the insurance networks that cover them. It’s like one company controlling every step of the process, from design to manufacturing to the final sale.

How They Took Over the Eyewear Industry

Luxottica’s rise to dominance wasn’t an overnight success. Here’s how they pulled it off:

1. Acquiring the Biggest Brands

Luxottica started by scooping up some of the most recognizable eyewear brands in the world. Ray-Ban, Oakley, Persol, and Vogue Eyewear all became part of their list. By controlling these beloved names, Luxottica made sure that anyone shopping for “cool” or “iconic” shades was still putting money in their pocket. In the late 1990s, Oakley was one of the fastest growing eyewear companies, loved by athletes and outdoor enthusiasts. But when Oakley resisted Luxottica’s terms for distribution, Luxottica used its power by pulling Oakley products from Sunglass Hut, which Luxottica also owned. Oakley’s stock tanked, and eventually, Luxottica bought them out in 2007.

2. Owning the Stores Too

Luxottica didn’t just stop at brands, they went after retailers too. If you’ve ever shopped at Sunglass Hut, LensCrafters, or Pearle Vision, you’ve been in a Luxottica owned store. They also own Oliver Peoples boutiques and even Target Optical. By owning the stores, Luxottica controlled what brands were on display, how much they cost, and which frames consumers saw first. If you walked into a Sunglass Hut and picked between a Ray-Ban or a Prada frame, either way, Luxottica was winning.

3. Controlling Insurance Networks

Through EyeMed, one of the largest vision insurance providers in the U.S, Luxottica influences which eyewear products are covered by your insurance plan. This means they’re not only making the frames and selling them in their stores but also shaping what your insurance will help you afford.

4. Merging With Essilor

In 2018, Luxottica merged with Essilor, the world’s largest producer of ophthalmic lenses,like the ones in your prescription glasses. Together, they formed EssilorLuxottica, a giant in the industry that controls both the frames and the lenses. This merger took Luxottica’s monopoly to the next level, giving them control over nearly every part of the eyewear experience.

The Result: Less Competition, Higher Prices

Because Luxottica owns so much of the industry, it has the power to set prices higher than what the market might naturally allow. A pair of sunglasses that costs only a few dollars to produce can end up retailing for hundreds, simply because there aren’t many alternatives. When one company owns the most popular brands, the biggest retailers, and even the insurance network, consumers are left with limited choices.

Summary

• Acquired iconic brands like Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Persol.
  
  

• Bought major retailers like Sunglass Hut, LensCrafters, and Pearle Vision.
  
  

• Expanded into insurance with EyeMed, influencing coverage options.
  
  

• Merged with Essilor to control both frames and lenses.
  
  

By acquiring brands, retailers, and insurance providers, and merging with a lens giant, Luxottica has created a system where it’s almost impossible to buy glasses without their involvement. For customers, this means fewer choices and higher prices, but also an opportunity to look for alternatives. By supporting independent eyewear brands and lens replacement companies, you’re choosing real options, fair pricing, and better value. And that’s something Luxottica can’t control.