Luxury 3D Printed Glasses: Givenchy and Fendi’s Innovative Designs

On July 22, 2024, 3dpadvisor learned that 3D printing companies like Materialise have been striving for over a decade to develop 3D printed glasses. Currently, the traditional methods of manufacturing glasses are highly inefficient, and with consumer preferences constantly shifting, the intersection of 3D printing and eyewear appears to be a perfect match.

LVMH

LVMH is a luxury conglomerate with an annual revenue reaching $86 billion. It owns renowned brands such as Moët & Chandon champagne, Fendi, Celine, Kenzo, Loewe, Marc Jacobs, Bulgari, Givenchy, Hublot, TAG Heuer, and more.

LVMH holds unparalleled influence and outstanding financial performance, supported by excellent marketers across all major luxury sectors, adept at developing brands into global luxury leaders. LVMH heavily outsources production, maintains strict retail control, and wields significant market influence in fashion media and markets.

Initially, small Italian companies produced glasses for themselves and other brands. Subsequently, companies specializing in lenses, resin frames, small metal components, nose pads, and hinges emerged. As the industry matured, Luxottica and its competitors expanded globally in the eyewear business.

Luxottica’s complete vertical integration allows it to manufacture nearly all components internally and engage extensively in retail and distribution, yielding greater profits from large-scale transactions with brands. Few global brands truly dominate the global eyewear market, and Luxottica has established a dominant position in the industry.

Today, Luxottica produces its own brands such as Ray-Bans, Persol, and Oakleys, while also manufacturing eyewear for Chanel, Giorgio Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, and Ralph Lauren. These global brands trust Luxottica for meticulous eyewear design, development, and substantial revenue generation.

For family-owned businesses like Brunello Cucinelli, specializing in cashmere, outsourcing is a strategic choice. However, larger brands like Versace may find other options more appealing. Within LVMH, there are brands for whom eyewear either remains a secondary consideration or whose scale ensures they produce independently.

Thélios

In 2017, Thélios decided to establish a shared service in the field of sunglasses manufacturing. Based in Italy, where much of the sunglass industry is concentrated, Thélios operates as LVMH’s internal eyewear manufacturing division, led by Alessandro Zanardo, a veteran with 11 years at Luxottica.

Within LVMH’s diverse portfolio, eyewear holds immense potential. Brands like Marc Jacobs, Off-White, Dior, Fendi, and Kenzo show significant promise. With 17 fashion houses under its wing, LVMH can cater to various creative styles across different price points.

Perhaps Rimowa will find success with a stylish eyewear line, paralleling its luggage offerings, while Loro Piana may one day boast eyewear as profitable as its fabrics. LVMH continues to invest in eyewear, recently acquiring Vuarnet and Barton Perreira and integrating them under Thélios rather than as independent brands.

Thélios operates out of a 40,000 square meter facility in Italy and maintains 17 offices globally. With 1,000 employees, it has an internal production capacity of up to 4.5 million frames. Thélios currently services 13 brands within the LVMH portfolio, collaborating with local partners and other companies in the eyewear industry.

3D Printing Eyewear

Thélios has produced 3D printed glasses for Givenchy and Fendi. Givenchy’s 3D printed cutout glasses are striking, comfortable to wear, with sharp angles, priced around $600, making them quite luxurious. Dior’s 3D S1 glasses are similarly high-end, available in black and a green variant.

What does this mean for the eyewear industry? Luxottica dominates with approximately 25% market share. LVMH has developed a retail chain composed of independent partners to counter Luxottica’s retail dominance. Can LVMH find enough local partners or develop sufficient unique stores to grow? Will strong brands like Dior drive their business forward?

LVMH may favor 3D printing more than traditional players, investing more than many others in the field recently. With its existing infrastructure, distribution channels, and comprehensive systems, LVMH has unique advantages. To aggressively enter the global eyewear market, LVMH must outperform Luxottica and keep pace with trends.

3D printing offers faster task completion, producing based on order specifications for size and style. Beyond startups and Materialise, Thélios aims to fundamentally disrupt the eyewear market.

Considering the context of LVMH’s strategic moves in the eyewear industry, Thélios’ adoption of 3D printing for Givenchy and Fendi underscores a shift towards innovative production methods and potential market disruption.