Top 20 Italian Sunglasses Brands: Luxury Eyewear Made in Italy
Italian sunglasses brands are globally admired not only for their timeless style and elegance, but for their technical innovation and world-class craftsmanship. When searching for women’s top Italian sunglasses brands and premium Italian eyeglass manufacturers, or simply exploring the heritage behind eyewear made in Italy, this guide delves into the heart of the luxury Italian eyewear industry and its oligarchic market structure. Popularly, Italy is renowned for household designer eyewear brands due to a wide range of historical and economic reasons. However, Italy is also home to some of the world’s most powerful eyewear conglomerates, including EssilorLuxottica and Safilo Group, that shape the global eyewear market. Learn their owned Italian sunglasses brands, like Persol, Prada and Versace. Moreover, browse a selection of their iconic products that incorporate their signature technologies and materials that set Italian eyewear apart, such as Blackfin’s 100% titanium frames made in Agordo, Italy.
Legal Disclaimer: The Redefined Feminine is not directly affiliated with or personally endorsed by Sunglass Hut.
Italy’s Dominance in the Global Eyewear Market
Italy is the second-largest eyewear producer in the world, following China. Nearly 21% of global eyewear production is concentrated in Northern Italy. Italian sunglass manufacturers are particularly densely located in regions like Veneto and Lombardy, which have deep-rooted traditions in optics, artisanal design, and premium manufacturing.
This dominance is largely due to:
- Vertically integrated eyewear companies (e.g., Luxottica, Safilo, Thélios)
- A legacy of family-run workshops turned global leaders
- Advanced use of acetate, titanium, and optical lens technologies
- Italy’s fashion synergy with global luxury fashion houses
The Italian eyewear industry has an oligarchic structure dominated by a few major players, including Luxottica Group S.p.A. and Safilo Group. These are the most prominent Italian eyewear companies that own and distribute to some of the best Italian eyewear brands described below. Let’s examine them now.
Luxottica Group S.p.A
Luxottica Group’s Portfolio of Top Italian Sunglasses Brands
Leonardi del Vecchio founded Luxottica Group S.p.A, the world’s largest eyewear conglomerate and dominant frame producer headquartered in Milan. Its 2018 merger with French lens maker, Essilor, formed a titan: EssilorLuxottica. The company now has a market capitalisation of US$130 billion. Currently, EssilorLuxottica operates in the design, manufacturing, and retail distribution of ophthalmic lenses, frames and sunglasses, owning top Italian sunglasses brands such as:
- Persol: Handmade, iconic Italian brand;
- Vogue Eyewear: Trendy sunglass styles for women; and
- Sferoflex: Lightweight, everyday frames rather than sunglasses.
The conglomerate also manufactures and disitributes sunglasses under license for brands from other countries. This includes French eyewear brand, Alain Mikli, and American sunglasses brands such as Ray-Ban, Arnette eyewear, Costa Del Mar, Eye Safety Systems (ESS), Native Eyewear, Oakley, and Oliver Peoples.
Though, EssilorLuxottica is licensed to design, produce and distribute eyewear or frames for the following luxury Italian sunglasses brands:
- Prada;
- Miu Miu;
- Dolce & Gabbana;
- Bvlgari;
- Versace;
- Giorgio Armani;
- Valentino;
- Brunello Cucinelli;
- Scuderia Ferrari
In this section, we will provide a background behind the major company and outline the specialist and/or luxury Italian sunglasses brands they own or distribute to.
Persol
Guiseppe Ratti founded Persol, an innovative Italian luxury sunglasses brand, in 1917. He created Persol to address the needs of pilots and sports drivers who required eyewear offering optimal protection and clarity. The name “Persol” derives from the Italian phrase “per il sole,” meaning “for the sun.”
Today, Persol sunglasses continue to be handmade at its historic Lauriano factory in Turin, Italy, renowned for luxurious craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail.
Meflecto System
The brand is renowned for introducing pioneering technologies in the eyewear industry.
Persol developed the world’s first flexible stem system called Meflecto(TM). This allows the temples to bend and fit the unique shape of the wearer’s face and head without causing damage. This innovative technology, patented in the 1930s, provides superior comfort without compromising durability.
Crystal lenses and premium frames
Persol sunglasses often feature crystal lenses, which provide excellent clarity, sharpness and colour enhancement.
Unlike plastic lenses, crystal lenses have a higher refractive index, which means they bend light more efficiently. This property enhances colour perception by minimising colour dispersion and providing truer colour representation. The higher refractive index also creates sharper vision by reducing chromatic aberration (a phenomenon whereby different colours of light focus at different points, leading to blurriness).
This brand is also know for its use of high-quality materials in its frames. These include acetate and metal, ensuring durability and a luxurious feel.
Creative design
Persol’s iconic designs feature elements like the inverted V-bridge and strong metal temples, finished with elongated tips crafted from acetate to provide a comfortable, secure, and elegant fit.
Persol Eyewear Products
Vogue Eyewear
Luxottica Group acquired Vogue Eyewear, an Italian brand launched in 1973 under the same name as the iconic fashion publication Vogue. The brand manufactures its products in Italy or China.
Vogue Eyewear has developed as an international contemporary brand with products aimed at young, fashion-conscious individuals. Vogue Eyewear frames feature durable, long-lasting materials, including high-quality titanium for their metal eyewear. The brand offers polarised lenses and on-trend frame styles, such as the classic Aviator style and Cat-Eye style frames.
Examples include the Vogue VO4140, one of the bestsellers from the Gigi Hadid for Vogue Eyewear collection. Notable products from Vogue Eyewear include the VO4085s, co-designed by Gigi Hadid, and the popular Cat Eye style frame La Fayette VO4138S.
Bvlgari
Bvlgari launched their sunglass ranges in the early 1990s as a fusion of Italian luxury and bold design.
Inspired by the brand’s Roman heritage, Bvlgari sunglasses often showcase intricate detailing, unique shapes, and exquisite craftsmanship. Bvlgari elevates eyewear to a new level of opulence by using precious materials such as gold, diamonds, and exotic skins in their sunglasses. Their sunglasses command a premium price range of US$250 to $700+.
Bvlgari Eyewear Products
Dolce & Gabbana
Dolce & Gabbana’s sunglasses are a vibrant celebration of Italian glamour and bold design since their eyewear launch in the mid-1990s.
Drawing inspiration from Sicilian heritage, the brand’s eyewear (crafted from acetate and metal) often showcases ornate detailing, playful patterns, and luxurious embellishments. Their sunglasses prices range from US$200 to $600+.
Technology – Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses
Dolce & Gabbana incorporates polarised lenses into much of their eyewear. Polarised lenses reduce glare from reflective surfaces such as water, snow, and pavements. This technology enhances visual comfort, minimises eye strain, and provides heightened clarity and contrast.
Additionally, Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses often feature anti-reflective coatings to eliminate reflections and maximise light transmission. This ensures an optimal visual experience in various lighting conditions.
Dolce & Gabbana Eyewear Products
Prada
Prada’s sunglasses are synonymous with avant-garde design and cutting-edge fashion since their launch in the late 1990s.
Renowned for pushing boundaries, Prada’s eyewear often features innovative shapes, unexpected details, and a futuristic aesthetic.
Prada: Lens technology
Prada is recognised for its commitment to innovation, and this extends to the lens technology incorporated into their sunglasses.
The luxury brand utilises advanced lens coatings and materials to enhance eye protection and visual performance. Some Prada sunglasses feature photochromic lenses, which automatically adjust their tint based on ambient light conditions. This adaptive technology provides optimal visibility in varying environments, ensuring comfort and clarity.
Additionally, Prada sunglasses may incorporate high-quality materials, such as polycarbonate, with UV protection to shield the eyes from harmful ultraviolet rays.
Notably, Prada has a history of collaborating with renowned architects and designers for limited-edition collections. Prada prices their sunglasses from US$250 to $600+.
Prada Eyewear Products
Miu Miu
Sunglasses by Miu Miu (under the Prada Group) embody a playful and eclectic aesthetic, challenging traditional notions of eyewear design. The brand launched their sunglasses range in the early 2010s and priced them from US$200 to $500+.
Known for its avant-garde approach, Miu Miu often incorporates bold colours, unique shapes, and unconventional materials such as glitter-infused acetate in its eyewear collections.
Many prominent fashion editorials and celebrities feature Miu Miu sunglasses. Miu Miu “MU 13NS” glasses attract fashion-forward individuals for its oversized cat-eye shape, bold colours, and unconventional designs.
Miu Miu Eyewear Products
Versace
Versace’s sunglasses have been a bold statement of glamour, luxury, and opulence since their introduction in the early 2000s.
Iconic Medusa accents and Greek motifs
The bold prints and patterns often seen in Versace eyewear draw inspiration from the brand’s rich archives and iconic motifs. Medusa accents, one of Versace’s most recognisable symbols, frequently grace the temples or frames of Versace sunglasses, adding a touch of luxury and sophistication to the designs. Additionally, intricate detailing such as baroque-inspired patterns, Greek key motifs, and geometric shapes further enhance the distinctive allure of Versace eyewear. Browse a few of the ever-so-slightly more understated designs in the below Versace product carousel.
Overall, Versace eyewear exemplifies the brand’s commitment to pushing boundaries and embracing creativity in fashion. The brand often utilises metal alloys and high-quality acetate in their frames. Versace prices their eyewear products in the range of US$200 to $600+.
Versace’s advanced lens coatings
Versace places a strong emphasis on eye protection. Some of their sunglass models feature:
- Advanced lens coatings
- high-quality materials with UV protection, safeguarding the eyes from harmful UVA and UVB rays
- anti-scratch coatings to enhance the durability of the lenses;
- anti-reflective coatings are also a common feature in Versace sunglasses. These minimise glare and reflections for improved visual clarity.
These advanced coatings and materials contribute to superior eye protection whilst enhancing the overall durability and longevity of Versace eyewear. This aligns with the brand’s commitment to quality and style.
Versace Eyewear Products
Max Mara
Max Mara, Italian fashion house established in 1951, offers sunglasses with premium acetate and lightweight metals. These offer durability and comfort without compromising style. Max Mara incorporates cutting-edge lens technology, including polarised and anti-reflective coatings, to enhance visual clarity and protect the eyes from harmful UV rays. The collection includes a diverse range of styles, from classic aviators and oversized frames to sleek cat-eye and retro-inspired designs, catering to diverse tastes and preferences.
Max Mara Eyewear Products
Safilo Group S.p.A
Based in Padua in Northern Italy, Safilo Group S.p.A is the third largest Italian company on the global eyewear market. Safilo Group was founded by the son of Italian emigrants in the United States in the 1930s.
The market capitalisation of Safilo Group has reached €410.85 million. Annual revenue generated reaches almost one billion Euros, with 47% comprising sunglasses sales.
This Italian eyewear company specialises in designing, producing, and distributing prescription frames and sunglasses under licensed brands and its own five house brands:
- Safilo: Namesake brand offers a quality and stylish eyewear;
- Carrera: Austrian luxury eyewear brand with sports-inspired sunglasses;
- Polaroid: Popular U.S. brand offering a wide range of polarised glasses and frames;
- Oxydo: Italian brand targets trend-conscious consumers with creative, modern designs; and
- Smith: U.S. brand specialising in performance eyewear.
Safilo Group is also a famous producer of ski glasses, sports eyewear and helmets.
Moreover, Safilo Group is licensed to design, produce, and/or distribute eyewear for approximately 32 luxury brands. The company has partnered with two notable Italian luxury houses:
- Valentino Garavani; and
- Fendi.
Valentino Garavani
Valentino Garavani, often simply referred to as Valentino, is a prestigious Italian luxury brand founded in 1960. In terms of their eyewear, Valentino ended their license agreement with Luxottica Group in 2012 and signed on with Safilo Group for the production and distribution of their eyewear.
Rockstud aesthetic
Valentino utilises high-quality materials such as acetate, metal alloys, and sometimes even precious metals like gold and silver for their frames. These materials ensure durability, comfort, and a luxurious aesthetic. Their sunglasses often feature bold shapes and intricate embellishments.
Notably, the brand incorporates its iconic Rockstuds embellishments into various aspects of its fashion accessories, including sunglasses. Manufacturers place the rockstuds, small pyramid-shaped metal studs, along the frames or temples to add a touch of edginess and sophistication to Valentino’s eyewear designs.
Valentino eyewear is manufactured in Italy, in accordance with the brand’s tradition of Italian craftsmanship and excellence. The production process involves skilled artisans who meticulously craft each pair of sunglasses or eyeglasses to meet Valentino’s standards of quality and sophistication.
Valentino sunglasses are priced from US$250 to $600+.
Valentino Eyewear Products
Fendi
Fendi sunglasses exemplify the brand’s commitment to innovation, luxury, and distinctive style. Renowned for their bold designs and impeccable craftsmanship, Fendi sunglasses collections often reflect Fendi’s rich heritage and contemporary sensibilities, blending classic elegance with modern flair.
Furthermore, Fendi sunglasses often utilise premium materials such as high-quality acetate, lightweight metals like stainless steel and titanium. They occasionally incorporate precious materials like gold and Swarovski crystals. These materials ensure durability, comfort, and a luxurious aesthetic, therefore reflecting Fendi’s dedication to quality craftsmanship.
Fendi sunglasses are characterised by their iconic design elements, including the FF logo, geometric shapes, and bold embellishments. The FF logo, which stands for “Fun Fur” or “Fendi Fashion,” can frequently be seen upon the temples or lens of Fendi sunglasses. Whilst The Redefined Feminine advocates for understatement, you may browse a few more minimal styles below. Additionally, Fendi sunglasses often feature innovative frame shapes, oversized lenses, and unique colour combinations, reflecting the brand’s avant-garde approach to fashion.
Fendi technology
Fendi incorporates advanced lens technologies and coatings into its sunglasses to provide optimal visual clarity, UV protection, and glare reduction. These technologies may include polarised lenses, anti-reflective coatings, and gradient tints, thereby enhancing both the functionality and style of Fendi sunglasses.
Fendi Eyewear Products
Pramaor Srl: Blackfin sunglasses
Pramaor Srl is the parent company responsible for the creation and management of the renowned Blackfin luxury brand. The brand was founded in 1971 by Maria Pramaor in Agordo, Italy, after she ceased working for a large optical company for nine years.
Blackfin is distinguished by its dedication to precision engineering and artisanal craftsmanship. The brand’s eyewear frames are renowned for being meticulously handcrafted in Italy from titanium since 1991, when Maria Pramaor and her husband Primo Del Din began working with titanium to make different glasses.
Today, Blackfin offer a wide collection of quality titanium sunglasses (and optical frames) aimed at discerning consumers who value exclusivity, craftsmanship, and truly innovative design in their eyewear choices.
Blackfin: The Brand
State-of-the-art facilities and Italian heritage
Blackfin’s headquarters and factory are located in the small town of Agordo, nestled in the picturesque Italian region of Veneto. Agordo is renowned for its long-standing tradition of eyewear craftsmanship and is home to several prominent eyewear manufacturers.
Blackfin takes pride in its Italian heritage and commitment to artisanal craftsmanship. The brand’s factory in Agordo is a state-of-the-art facility equipped with advanced machinery and technology, combined with skilled craftsmanship, to produce high-quality eyewear frames. By manufacturing its eyewear in Italy, Blackfin maintains control over the production process, from design to manufacturing, enabling the brand to uphold its reputation for excellence.
What sets Blackfin glasses production apart from other Italian Sunglasses Brands?
Titanium is a material known for its strength, durability, lightweight properties, and corrosion resistance. Therefore Blackfin’s titanium use sets it apart from many other eyewear brands that, conversely, often rely on plastic or metal frames. Blackfin frames are not only durable but also exceptionally comfortable due to their ergonomic designs that prioritise wearability.
Each frame undergoes a rigorous production process, from laser cutting to hand polishing, to ensure the highest quality and attention to detail. This meticulous craftsmanship has garnered Blackfin a reputation for producing eyewear that not only looks stylish but also feels comfortable and long-lasting.
Beyond Blackfin’s core titanium collection, the brand also offers various product lines:
- Blackfin Titanium Collection: Blackfin’s core eyewear line with its exclusive use of titanium in its frames.
- Blackfin Razor: characterised by its sleek, minimalist design. The name “Razor” reflects the sharp, clean lines and precise detailing of these frames. These quality sunglasses are exceptionally thin and lightweight, offering a minimalist and elegant look.
- Blackfin Waves: The “Waves” collection from Blackfin takes inspiration from the fluid and organic forms found in nature, particularly ocean waves. Frames in this collection often feature curved lines and flowing shapes, mirroring the elegance and movement of waves.
- Blackfin Acetate: The frames from this collection are made from high-quality acetate, a lightweight and durable plastic material often used in premium eyewear.
- Blackfin Nano-Plating: The name “Nano-Plating” emphasises the cutting-edge technology used in creating these eyewear pieces. Frames in this line undergo a nano-plating process, which results in unique coloration and finishes.
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