The first phase of the campaign spotlights Eyezen, the single-vision lenses from Essilor, for people who have prolonged exposure to digital devices. The campaign film depicts multiple scenarios of people using digital devices for long hours and facing eye strain and weariness. Kohli, an Eyezen® wearer himself, is seen explaining the benefits of Eyezen® lenses, how they are designed to reduce visual fatigue from digital screens and filter blue-violet light, a unique combination providing relaxation and protection to the eyes.

The second leg of the campaign is built around Varilux®, the progressive lenses from Essilor®, used to correct vision problems associated with presbyopia. The campaign film showcases Virat Kohli as the evangelist and advocate for Varilux® to his coach from yesteryears. In the film, both men are conversing in a restaurant where Kohli observes the noticeable struggles of his coach, who is wearing non-progressive lenses while viewing a digital device at a close distance. Kohli suggests that his coach try out Varilux® lenses to avoid such difficulties and have better vision. The film highlights AI technology and the scientific approach to correct presbyopia through the help of Varilux® Progressive Lenses.

Narasimhan Narayanan, President, EssilorLuxottica South Asia, commented, “At Essilor®, we are thrilled to continue our partnership with global sports icon – Virat Kohli – and unveil a new and exciting chapter for our consumers. Kohli’s phenomenal appeal and pursuit of excellence are aligned with our mission to raise awareness about clear and healthy vision at all ages whilst discovering our advanced technologies and superior products such as Eyezen® and Varilux®”.

Speaking about the new campaign, Virat Kohli shared, “I’m an Eyezen® wearer myself and love the immense relaxation and protection that these lenses provide. Essilor is a leader in revolutionising vision care globally and I’m excited to share about their innovative products and how each lens is tailor-made to address individual vision care needs.“

The collaboration will launch its first collection in Q1 2025, merging Diesel’s bold, fearless style with EssilorLuxottica’s renowned craftsmanship and innovation. Under the guidance of Diesel Creative Director Glenn Martens, the collections will feature daring and irreverent designs, embracing cutting-edge materials and technologies.

Aimed at Gen Z consumers, the eyewear will offer genderless products catering to diverse backgrounds, continuing the successful partnership that began in 2022.

Unveiled in Rome, the premiere collection features both prescription glasses and sunglasses, meticulously crafted to embody elegance and sophistication. With a careful selection of retailers, Cucinelli’s eyewear line exemplifies exquisite craftsmanship and timeless style, setting a new standard for luxury eyewear enthusiasts worldwide.

The existing agreement, which took effect on January 1, 2020, and was scheduled to expire on December 31, 2029, has been renewed and replaced with a new accord, lasting 16 years, effective January 1, 2024, until December 31, 2039.

The renewal, ahead of its natural expiration, and its duration are a testament to the strong confidence and collaboration between the two companies since 2005.

The partnership’s inaugural Moncler Lunettes collection by EssilorLuxottica is set to debut in fall 2024. The agreement, disclosed after Milan and Paris stock market closures, unites Moncler’s style with EssilorLuxottica’s eyewear expertise, promising cutting-edge design, innovation, and quality. Previously, Moncler’s eyewear was under Marcolin Group’s licensing, a deal initially signed in 2015 and extended until 2025 in 2020.

Over 6,000 local roles within the next five years will be required, this includes engineers and other highly skilled positions in advanced manufacturing and digitalization.

 At approximately 220,000 square meters, the facility is one of the largest for the Group globally with end-to-end manufacturing capabilities for lenses and frames to support the growing demand for innovative eyecare and eyewear.

At the full-day event held at Gurugram, around 1000 underserved school-going children aged between 10 and 15 years, participated in the eye clinic for testing visual acuity. Children found in need of vision correction were given free Oakley Eyeglasses fitted with lenses made to their prescription. Good vision is a basic human right, yet uncorrected poor vision affects 2.7 billion people around the world and over 550 million people in India alone. 

One in three people is not able to reach their full potential when 80% of all vision problems can be solved by solutions that exist today. Studies show that clear sight can dramatically impact learning, job performance, and earning potential. Clear sight can help students learn up to twice as much in school and can help increase a worker’s productivity by 35 percent, enabling them to earn 20 percent more. Eye exams and glasses act as powerful tools that can play a significant role in helping lift people out of poverty by enabling education and employment.

Following the eye clinic, Rohit Sharma spoke to the children, sharing anecdotes from his life to inspire the next generation, stressing the importance of good vision and focusing on fulfilling one’s dream, via an interactive session. In addition, Rohit also spent time participating in a series of sports activities along with the kids.

The inaugural RF Eyewear Collection, carefully curated by Federer and Oliver Peoples, will be unveiled in the spring of 2024. Drawing inspiration from their shared devotion to achieving greatness in their respective fields and their appreciation for understated luxury, the collection promises to be a testament to their unwavering commitment to excellence.

With the announcement of the RF Eyewear Collection, the world eagerly awaits the manifestation of this creative collaboration. Envisioned as a harmonious blend of masterful craftsmanship and timeless elegance, the collection promises to redefine the boundaries of eyewear fashion. As the Spring of 2024 approaches, anticipation builds for the unveiling of this remarkable collaboration between Roger Federer and Oliver Peoples—an alliance set to leave an indelible mark on the world of eyewear.

VP: Thomas can you start by giving our readers your background? How did you become a part of Bolon the way you are today?

TB: Sure. So I’m France based now in Singapore for 11 years which is what I call home now. I’ve been in the eyewear industry for 6 years, looking after distribution in Asia and more recently I joined the Essilor-Luxottica group looking after Bolon and Molsion distribution for APAC and the Middle East.

VP: What about your brand Bolon, I mean Bolon is one of the popular brands right now and you see it everywhere. I mean I think it’s one of the fastest-growing brands amongst the non-designer brands.

TB: Yes, so Bolon has been growing very fast and we gained market shares very quickly. In less than ten years now, we are in almost 70 countries around the world, Asia being the strongest market for us where we have a business of clients but we are quickly also gaining distribution in India where we are today and we are also across Europe
and the Middle East.

VP: You have a big collection as I see the Spring/Summer 2023 collection, can you please tell us about your collection over here?

TB: Yes! Basically, Bolon, the core DNA of the brand is fashion and the brand is very fashionable and yet it is very much wearable, which is the main highlight of the brand. Second, it is all about the craftsmanship that we have.

We have a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in which we constantly invest in our latest technology. Quality is always something that comes up when you talk to clients, especially here, the technology aspect from a client from India is very strong so we received good feedback. And the third one is, offering something that is value for money.

So it’s fashionable, good craftsmanship but very good value for money which is what we have again in this collection in various styles like this big aviator Double Bridge, also products like this, it’s a very beautiful green colour, very fashionable, and a beautiful pair of eyewear. Also, something that was very key for us to launch in India specifically was to have more rimless sunglasses for the men’s collection which is exactly what we are delivering today.

VP: So you have a Male collection, is it?

TB: Yes, we have a Male collection as well, which is very very well received.

VP: You’ve found your distributors in India as Iris, I mean, a brilliant company backed by Ganko, which has over 8 decades in the business. So how has your experience been so far, how do you guys work together?

TB: It is a great partnership and since they took on the brand, they have done a fantastic job, of course in developing the distribution of the brand and also to convey the image that we have currently today – something very trendy, very fashionable.

So they’ve done a fantastic job and we know that they have exciting plans to further extend the distribution and our market share.

Thanks to all their connections in the market, as you mentioned, more than 80 years of being in the market so they know a lot of people and I know that a lot of retailers ask them for Bolon which is very exciting for us.

VP: I know Bhavin is very excited about the brand, Dia is very excited about the brand.

TB: Yes, we are delighted to work with both Bhavin and Dia and the fantastic team here which are very, very dedicated.

VP: You mentioned the other brand was Molsion.

TB: Yes, that’s right. The second brand part of our portfolio is Molsion which is a brand which shares a lot of the same DNA as Bolon, in terms of craftsmanship and attention to detail at its core.

But the brand is also more fashionable, and more trendy in terms of colour, and design, the combination between the frame and the lenses is stronger in terms of fashion and the price positioning is even more competitive because it is between 15 to 20 per cent below Bolon, which is very competitive which in a market like India which is price sensitive, it is perfect for us here.

VP: I’m sure Bolon has its uniqueness, it has a very premium feel. The designs of Molsion, are they on the similar lines, are they trendier, are they for younger kids?

TB: Yeah exactly, so like I mentioned, more fashionable compared to Bolon but I insist on stressing the fact that it’s still very wearable. When you mention a lot of high fashion which you can’t wear, but this one you can really wear. You can play more with the colours, to make it really like a fashion statement or a fashion accessory.

VP: So Thomas, I know the success of Bolon has been huge in India, I can see it in the market, I’ve heard about it often. Even carrying this in our magazine too. I just wanted to know, what are your plans? How are you planning to promote Bolon and Molsion in this market? What are your plans on training the opticians maybe or your marketing strategy? What kind of plans do you have to promote the brand over here?

TB: Yes so, first in terms of distribution like I mentioned, we have Iris to represent the brand. A lot of more distribution and stalls will keep on opening for the next few months and years.

Also, in terms of marketing, we have shifted from a big international brand ambassador, we started to have Sophie Marceau when we first started. Then we had Anne Hathaway, the Hollywood actress and then we had Hailey Beiber and we have now shifted our marketing strategy to have more local brand ambassadors to be closer to each country and to each region where we are working.

VP: So do you have any plans for India for ambassadors?

TB: Yes, that is coming.

VP: Are we expecting Shah Rukh Khan or John Abraham?

TB: We’ll see. There is definitely something that we have been keen to explore in the future and yes, we will have an ambassador.

VP: Lovely speaking to you Thomas, thank you so much for this and wish Bolon all the best.

TB: Thank you.

The deal included an automatic renewal option of five years and the first collection would be available from September, 2023.

Francesco Milleri, chairman and CEO of Essilor-Luxottica, said: ‘We are excited to embark on this journey with Swarovski, a brand known for its artful design and incredible attention to detail. We have always seen each pair of frames as a piece of art to be worn, which makes Swarovski and its story such a wonderful fit.’