CHARENTON-LE-PONT, France and DUBAI, UAE—EssilorLuxottica (Reuters: ESLX.PA) and Chalhoub Group have signed a joint-venture for the development of direct eyewear retail in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) region. The agreement, the companies said, "aims to shape the eyewear category and achieve new levels of customer service through combining EssilorLuxottica’s eyewear expertise, technology, and brands, with Chalhoub Group’s deep understanding of the region’s consumers and delivery of unforgettable experiences." The new partnership represents an important step for EssilorLuxottica "in raising the segment's visibility and standards by increasing consumer engagement with high quality premium brands."

The companies said the agreement "will also support Chalhoub Group’s expansion into the rapidly growing eyewear category utilizing the Group’s expertise in luxury retail." Francesco Milleri, chairman and CEO at EssilorLuxottica, commented, “We are pleased to partner with Chalhoub Group to grow the eyewear category in the highly dynamic region that is the GCC.

"This move will allow us to complement our existing and deeply rooted network of customers in the region, whom EssilorLuxottica is committed to continue serving with high quality products and solutions. Leveraging Chalhoub Group’s extensive knowledge and retail presence in the region, we will raise the visibility and quality of the entire industry and reinvent the omnichannel consumer journey together, resulting in a more engaging retail experience for consumers.”

Patrick Chalhoub, group president at Chalhoub Group, stated, “As we expand into the eyewear category, we are entering a new vertical that has significant potential for growth and innovation with a high demand from our regional luxury consumers. EssilorLuxottica is a partner of choice with their fashionable, elegant products, and brand portfolio; their core values of helping people to 'see more and be more', alongside their growth ambition in the GCC region, complements our Group’s purpose to inspire and delight customers.” 

A series of mono-brand and multi-brand stores will be launched in the GCC for EssilorLuxottica’s core and iconic global eyewear brands, including Ray-Ban, Persol and Oliver Peoples, allowing the brand to expand its global footprint in the GCC region. The unique luxury multi-brand eyewear concept, David Clulow—born in the United Kingdom and well-known among Middle Eastern consumers from London—will also be introduced with new stores set to focus on an elevated customer experience, with unmatched service, along with the best in eyeglass technologies, the announcement said.

For over six decades, Chalhoub Group has been a partner and creator of luxury experiences in the Middle East. The Group, in its efforts to excel as a hybrid retailer, has reinforced its distribution and marketing services with a portfolio of eight owned brands and over 300 international brands in the luxury, beauty, fashion, and art de vivre categories.

More recently, the Group expanded its expertise into new categories of luxury watches, jewelery, and eyewear. The Group provide luxury experiences at over 750+ experiential retail stores, online and through mobile apps. Today, Chalhoub Group stands for 14,000 skilled and talented professionals across seven countries, whose cohesive efforts have resulted in the Group being ranked third in the Middle East and first in Saudi Arabia as a Great Place to Work. 

The Group has set up “The Greenhouse”, which is not just an innovation hub, but also an incubator space and accelerator for start-ups and small businesses in the region and internationally. This is just one of the several initiatives taken by the Group which has also been embedding sustainability at the core of its business strategy with a clear commitment towards people, partners and the planet, and by being a member of the United Nations Global Compact Community and signatory of the Women's Empowerment Principles.   

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a regional, intergovernmental, political and economic union of six member countries—Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.