Gucci is a well-known luxury brand that has been around for nearly a century. Over the years, there have been many questions about the ownership of the company, including whether or not it is owned by Luxottica. In this article, we’ll explore this topic in-depth and provide you with all the information you need to know.
What is Luxottica?
Before we dive into whether or not Gucci is owned by Luxottica, let’s first define what Luxottica is. Luxottica is an Italian eyewear conglomerate that was founded in 1961 by Leonardo Del Vecchio.
The company designs, manufactures, and distributes eyewear for a variety of brands, including Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Persol. Today, Luxottica is one of the largest eyewear companies in the world.
Is Gucci Owned by Luxottica?
The short answer to this question is no – Gucci is not owned by Luxottica. While it’s true that Luxottica does own several luxury eyewear brands (like Ray-Ban and Persol), Gucci is not one of them.
So who does own Gucci? The luxury brand is actually owned by a French holding company called Kering. Kering (formerly known as PPR) acquired Gucci in 1999 and has since expanded its portfolio to include other high-end fashion brands like Saint Laurent and Balenciaga.
The Relationship Between Gucci and Luxottica
While it’s true that Gucci isn’t owned by Luxottica, there is still a relationship between the two companies. In fact, in 2010, Gucci signed a 10-year licensing agreement with Safilo – another Italian eyewear company – to produce and distribute its eyewear collections.
However, after that agreement expired in 2020, Gucci announced that it would be partnering with Kering Eyewear (a subsidiary of Kering) to produce and distribute its eyewear collections moving forward. This means that Luxottica is no longer involved in the production or distribution of Gucci eyewear.
The Bottom Line
So, to sum it up: No, Gucci is not owned by Luxottica. While the two companies do have a relationship (through licensing agreements and the like), Gucci is ultimately owned by Kering.
As for whether or not this information affects your opinion of Gucci as a brand – well, that’s up to you. But we hope this article has helped clear up any confusion about who owns this iconic luxury brand.