A Davos The fate of Greenland and the future of the planet are being discussed, but a seemingly marginal detail has ended up dominating the markets' attention. Emmanuel Macron, president of France, presented himself with sunglasses Aviator-style glasses, gold frames, and dark lenses. It wasn't a stylistic choice: the president of the Elysée Palace has been wearing glasses for a week due to a subconjunctival hemorrhage, a benign but bothersome condition.
But that gesture, taken up by the media and relaunched on social media, had a unexpected effect: has triggered a real rally on the stock market for the manufacturing company, until the suspension of trading due to excessive increases. It's proof that, in the age of image and virality, even an accessory can become a financial asset.
Macron, the glasses are by Henry Jullien: a niche brand
The Elysée did not confirm the brand, but the model worn by Macron was quickly identified by experts as the Pacific S01, produced by French fashion house Henry Jullien, historic company of Lons-le-Saunier, in the Jura region, with over a century of history behind it. It is a niche brand, little known to the general public, but recognized as the world's leading manufacturer of gold-plated settings, a technique dating back to the mid-19th century and today practiced by very few companies.
The Pacific S01 Double Gold costs 659 euro and is produced and assembled by hand in French factories. Even the lenses are Made in France, provided by the company DallozThis entirely French origin would have influenced Macron's choice, known for his focus on national products. The president had already ordered the model in 2024 for himself and a minister, mandating that it be entirely produced in France.
A French brand with Italian capital: who is iVision Tech?
Despite its French identity, the brand is now controlled by an Italian group. In 2023, Henry Jullien was acquired by the Friulian group. iVision Tech, led by the entrepreneur Stefano FulchirThe company, listed on Business Square (Euronext Growth Milan) since 2023, is an innovative SME specializing in the design and production of acetate frames and combination glasses.
In addition to Henry Jullien, the group includes the Bulgarian iViLENS Odd e Dec. Electronics, acquired in 2024. iVision Tech's strategy aims to diversify the business, moving from traditional eyewear towards smart devices. A direction that was also realized at the last CES in Las Vegas, where the group iSee presented, assistive technology glasses for blind people, capable of detecting spaces up to four meters, increasing autonomy and safety.
Macron's glasses spark stock market rally and repeated suspensions
Macron's appearance in Davos on Wednesday triggered a wave of buying on iVision Tech stock, which recorded a theoretical leap of 27,9%, reaching 2,04 euros per share. The stock was placed in "reserved" status for excess of increase, a measure that limits the entry of orders without a price limit. The following day, the stock rose to 2,15 euros before a further suspension. After repeated suspensions, iVision Tech closed Thursday, January 22nd at €2,10or, with a rise of 31,66% (+0,50 euros), still remaining under the limitation regime. This trend confirms how the "Macron effect" continues to be reflected in the market even after the technical interventions of the Italian Stock Exchange. According to market data, the jump was on track to become the largest daily increase ever recorded for the stock, which however still retains a highest all-time high, reached 2,68 euros per share on 13 February 2025.
According to iVision Tech, the rally brought about 3,5 million euros more to the capitalization of the company's market. Not only the stock exchange: also the Henry Jullien's website crashed due to the excessive number of visits, a sign that interest has turned into real demand and not just curiosity.
It's not the first time that a product becomes a financial driver
The Macron glasses case is part of a long series of episodes in which a gesture, an appearance, or an accessory become a real factor for the markets.
In December 2021, after the first episode of the sequel And Just Like That… by Sex and the City, the character Mr. Big dies of a heart attack while using a Peloton exercise bikeThe scene is fiction, but the effect on the markets is real: the Peloton stock drops 11,3% the day after its broadcast and dropped another 5% the day after. The company, which had authorized the product placement, responded with a commercial explaining that actor Chris Noth was alive and that the character's death was not related to the quality of the product. The case remains a prime example of negative product placement.
In 2018, the reality star Kylie Jenner tweets to his millions of followers that he no longer uses Snapchat and that the app is “so sad now.” The reaction was immediate: Snap Inc. shares collapse by more than 6% in one day, wiping out about $1,3 billion of market capitalization.
A video showing a passenger being forcibly removed from an overbooked flight has gone viral. Markets have reacted strongly: the stock price United Airlines falls by 4%, wiping out about $1 billion in a few days.
During a press conference, Cristiano Ronaldo removes two bottles of Coca-Cola from the table and invited people to drink water, in a gesture that went viral. Coca-Cola's market value dropped by approximately $4 billion (-1,6%). Subsequent analyses, however, emphasized that the decline coincided with the ex-dividend day, a technical event that tends to drive the price down.
Not to mention the Labubu: collectible dolls, produced by Pop Mart, have turned into luxury accessories that have gone viral on social media (especially TikTok) and in the fashion world, thanks to the endorsement of celebrities like Lisa delle Blackpink, Rihanna, Madonna e Dua LipaIn just a few months, the brand has also become an ironic symbol of Generation Z consumerism, with Pop Mart shares gaining around 120% in a year, after rising more than 200% at the beginning of last year.
