Thélios doubles eyewear production in the Longarone district

If there's one Italian industrial district unparalleled in the world, it's the Belluno eyewear district. It's no coincidence that Luxottica was founded here. Now, renamed Essilux, it's a global leader in the extended eyewear supply chain, including lenses and retail stores. LVMH's decision to double its presence in Longarone is therefore not surprising, but rather a source of pride: yesterday, a second plant, under the Thélios banner (the name chosen for the French giant's eyewear division), dedicated to metal frames, was inaugurated.

"We acquired this former Safilo production site at the end of 2023, completely renovated it, and now it joins the acetate facility, which opened in 2018 and, coincidentally, is across the street," explains Alessandro Zanardo, CEO of Thélios. "The new facility covers 20,000 square meters, and we were able to hire 250 workers months ahead of schedule: the goal is to create a hub of excellence for authentically Made in Italy luxury eyewear."

The metal and acetate processing for the eyewear collections of the LVMH Group's fashion houses will be carried out in a single location, with a total production area of ​​40,000 square meters. "This will facilitate process development and the highest quality throughout all phases of the cycle, along with discussion and exchange between the company's various departments," adds Zanardo. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by Valeria Mantovan, Veneto Regional Councilor for Labor, Education, Training, and Equal Opportunities, and LVMH Italy President Toni Belloni, who a few months ago resigned from his Paris office duties to dedicate himself entirely to the French group's operations in his home country.

"Thélios further strengthens its leading role in luxury eyewear, designing, producing, and distributing eyewear for some of our group's most prestigious fashion houses: Dior, Fendi, Celine, Givenchy, Loewe, Kenzo, Berluti, Bulgari, Tag Heuer, and Fred, joined by Stella McCartney and the eyewear brands in the LVMH portfolio, Barton Perreira, and Vuarnet," explains Belloni. "Part of the Louis Vuitton collections are also created here, following the fashion house's distribution model, which involves sales exclusively in single-brand boutiques. For the other lines, we have refined distribution through traditional eyewear channels, alongside direct retail."

The president of LVMH Italy previews the third phase of the Thélios project: "After the summer, we will open a logistics center in Padua to optimize national and international shipments and further demonstrate our commitment to investing in Italy, and in this case, the Belluno area. Over the decades, the Belluno region has built a unique system that includes many small and medium-sized companies specializing in components."