Despite the darkened lenses, it is quite easy to understand in which direction Andrea Guerra, CEO of Luxottica, is looking. He himself admits it, in an interview just published by the Wall Street Journal: “Our most important markets are Brazil, Turkey, India and China, in that order”.
Emerging countries are therefore the true meccas of the luxury and fashion market, especially that which concerns sunglasses. The Italian company is the global giant in the sector: it owns Ray-Ban, a legendary brand, and produces for Burberry, Chanel and Armani. Last year alone, sales amounted to 7 billion euros. And there's no sign of stopping, considering the + 7 percent of banks in the second quarter of this year.
Precisely because of these positive results, Andrea Guerra, at the helm of Luxottica since 2004, is looking ahead and setting his sights on new markets. From South America to Ankara, via New Delhi. And, only fourthly, Beijing: "China is certainly growing - specifies the CEO - but it is still small for us."
Luxottica therefore remains a bulwark of Made in Italy, whose brands often end up in foreign hands, the latest being the case of Berloni. Nothing shocking for Guerra, who admits: "companies across the border are in very different conditions than ours: they have long since passed the first generation phase and are much more open, better organized and stronger".
