The aviator sunglasses worn by French President Emmanuel Macron during his appearance with US President Donald Trump at Davos have driven an unexpected surge in sales for the struggling French manufacturer behind them.
Henry Jullien, the France-based eyewear maker now owned by Italian company iVision Tech, has seen orders soar after Macron wore the blue-lensed aviators on stage at last week’s World Economic Forum in Switzerland.
“We’ve been getting calls from all over the world, it’s given us incredible publicity,” said Stefano Fulchir, chief executive of iVision Tech.
The “Top Gun”-style sunglasses, which feature blue lenses and a silver frame, retail for 659 euros (£560) and are now sold through the French presidency’s online store. More than 500 pairs have been sold online since Davos, a significant increase for a brand that typically produces just 1,000 pairs annually, including 200 of the aviator Pacific S01 model.
The surge in demand crashed the brand’s website, prompting the launch of a temporary page dedicated solely to the presidential model. iVision Tech’s stock price rose 70% within days, according to Fulchir.
Macron ordered the sunglasses in 2024 “to give a gift to a minister during the G20” along with a pair for himself, Fulchir said. Crafted using gold wire, each pair requires 279 steps over four months to produce.
“We pampered both pairs, of course,” said Hervé Basset, 60, who has worked at Henry Jullien for more than three decades.
Declining industry
Despite the recent attention, Henry Jullien reflects the broader struggles of France’s eyewear industry, which has faced mounting pressure from cheaper Asian manufacturers since its establishment in the eastern Jura region in the late 1700s.
The company employed about 180 people 15 years ago but was down to just 15 when iVision Tech acquired it in 2023, according to the local mayor. Further cuts followed, leaving 10 employees in Jura. iVision Tech’s facility in the Italian town of Martignacco has taken on the overflow from the recent order surge.
To ensure authenticity, the glasses are stamped either “Made in France” or “Made in Italy” depending on production location, labels Fulchir described as the “most important” in the eyewear world for signifying quality.
However, Julien Forestier, head of the eyewear makers’ union in Jura, said the attention will “bring nothing” to the local industry.
“There are only a few companies left fighting for French manufacturing,” he said, adding that even opticians no longer have faith in the Made in France label.
The Jura eyewear sector now produces two million frames annually across roughly 50 companies employing about 800 people, down from 10,000 employees in the 1950s.
