Macron’s Blue Aviators Spur 70% Surge in Tiny Italian Firm

Summary

Podcast Summary: Bloomberg Businessweek Episode: Macron’s Blue Aviators Spur 70% Surge in Tiny Italian Firm Hosts: Carol Massar & Tim Stenovec | Guest: Stefano Fulcier (CEO, I Vision Tech) Date: January 26, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode explores how a single high-profile moment—French President Emmanuel Macron wearing a pair of blue aviator sunglasses at Davos—catapulted the small Italian eyewear manufacturer I Vision Tech (parent of French brand Henri Julienne) into global headlines and triggered a massive surge in demand and share price. Carol and Tim interview CEO Stefano Fulcier about the unexpected viral marketing event, the unique story of the brand and product, the challenges of niche luxury manufacturing, and where the company plans to go from here.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Davos, Macron, and the Viral Moment (01:37-02:29)

• Davos as a Global Stage:
  The episode kicks off by situating Davos as a place of both economic influence and high visibility, with “the world’s billionaires” and influential leaders gathering.
• The "Blue Aviators" Go Viral:
  The hosts recount how Macron’s choice of sunglasses—blue aviators from Henri Julienne—drew global attention, sparking a surge in demand.

Sudden Demand Surge: What Happened? (02:29-03:45)

• Website Overload:
  Stefano Fulcier describes the immediate aftermath:

  “From Tuesday our website went in crash different times. We have received a lot of phone calls because everybody wants to buy something like that.” (02:35)

• Unprecedented Sales:
  The company sold in one day "the same quantity of one year of production" for this particular model.

  “We are not talking about a very big numbers because we are a luxury brand... now we are more than 200 pieces in only one day.” (03:17)

  • The company’s online payment system (PayPal) was blocked three times due to the surge in orders.

The Macron Connection: How Did the President Get the Glasses? (04:00-05:12)

• The Elysee Palace Call:
  Fulcier recounts being contacted by the French president’s office in 2024, originally looking to buy a present for a minister.

  “So when we have received this call, we say, wow, this is the president. So we have to do something more and we want to make a present also to give you something. But the assistant told us, okay, but we want to pay.” (04:17)

• Made in France as a Priority:
  The Elysee insisted on glasses manufactured in France, reflecting the country’s pride and tradition.
• Brand Heritage:
  Henri Julienne is a 100-year-old French luxury eyewear brand, recently revived under I Vision Tech.

Supply Chains & Manufacturing: Made in France vs. Offshoring (05:12-08:02)

• Global Manufacturing Trends:
  Carol raises the issue of most eyewear being produced in China, but Henri Julienne’s frames are made in France.
• Company Genesis & Italian Roots:
  Fulcier explains I Vision Tech was started during the COVID period, reviving a shuttered Italian plant.

  “The idea is to restart the production of the eyewear in Friuli… So we have a huge capacity here in Italy… about 1 million highway per year.” (05:55)

• Artisanal, Boutique French Production:
  The French arm produces only ~1,000 pieces/year, focused on handcrafting and “historical process.”
• Materials & Pricing:
  The blue aviators are gold-laminated, containing actual gold, and sell for €650—a competitive price for luxury eyewear.

  “This eyewear is in gold lamination… And the final price is not too amazing, because we are talking about €650 each. And talking about gold is a very competitive price." (07:00)

• Skill and Heritage Emphasis:
  The company employs staff with 25 years of experience, highlighting the artistry and challenge of luxury eyewear production.

Growth, Investment, and the Road Ahead (08:02-09:56)

• Market Reactions:
  The company’s shares soared:

  “Shares of the company up 40% so far this month. Today they're up more than 21%.” (03:45)
  Overall, about a 70% increase during the week.

• Is Acquisition on the Table?
  Tim asks about potential offers or collaborations from eyewear giants like Luxottica.
• Family Business, Tech Ambitions:
  Fulcier highlights the company's youth, family management, and commitment to independent innovation:

  “Our idea is to develop a different type of company… we have made some M and A… and we have presented the first eyewear technological one for blinding people. So we have a patent project of that.” (09:20)

  • The company aims to become a player in smart, technological eyewear, not just luxury goods.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Viral Demand:

  "We have sold in one day like the same quantity of one year of production of this model."
  – Stefano Fulcier (03:12)

• On Presidential Prestige:

  "The assistant told us, okay... we want to pay. So, you know, they tried to respect that and they asked us to have everything made in France. So they want something, you know, every face, because you want to represent a product from the history of France."
  – Stefano Fulcier (04:26)

• On Maintaining Local Production:

  "Our idea was to produce in France only some small pieces, talking about the historical process, everything handcraft with a lot of faces... Not really easy to produce something like that."
  – Stefano Fulcier (07:17)

• On Business Ambition:

  "We are a classical company to produce standard eyewear, right. But we have all the knowledge for that. Our idea is… we want to produce something technological. So we are following smart device, smart eyewear. And I believe that in this field we can do more."
  – Stefano Fulcier (09:35)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamps | |------------------------------------------------------|------------| | Davos, Macron, and the Viral Moment | 01:37-02:29| | Sudden Demand Surge & Website Crash | 02:29-03:45| | Macron’s Acquisition of the Glasses | 04:00-05:12| | Supply Chain & Made in France Artisanal Manufacturing| 05:12-08:02| | Growth, Investors & The Tech-Infused Future | 08:02-09:56|

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Tone & Closing Remarks

The conversation is enthusiastic and incredulous at the scale and speed of public reaction, combined with curiosity about the inner workings of niche luxury manufacturing in today’s global economy. Fulcier’s responses are candid, a blend of pride in tradition and ambitions for innovation—displaying the optimism and energy of a young, family-led business suddenly thrust into the global spotlight.

Final Quote:

"The eyeglass is seen around the globe."
– Tim Stanovec (09:56)

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A must-listen for anyone interested in luxury branding, the impact of viral moments on small companies, and how old-world craft and high-tech ambition can coexist in today’s global market.

Transcript

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[Stefano Fulcier]

Bloomberg Audio Studios Podcasts Radio news.

[Carol Massar]

You're listening to Bloomberg Business Week with Carol Massar and Tim Stanovec on Bloomberg Radio. Okay, Davos. It's a place to see and be seen, yes.

[Tim Stanovec]

Or yeah, it is. I mean, listen, it's where the world's billionaires go, right? Global leaders gathered this past week at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting. It was also where a pair of blue aviators made headlines and were talked up around the globe. Those glasses became a hot item and demand according to the company that makes them.

[Carol Massar]

For more, we head to Italy and to Stefano Fulcier, the CEO of iVision Tech. It's the parent company of the French luxury brand Henri Julienne, which made the glasses. Stefano, good to have you on the program. Take us through what happened since President Macron wore those glasses. What did you see in terms of demand? What did you see in terms of people buying them? Tell us everything.

[Stefano Fulcier]

Yeah, good evening and thank you to have invited me. So I think that the effect is like a wow effect. It was amazing because from Tuesday our website went in crash different times. We have received a lot of phone calls because everybody want to buy something like that, you know, and so they have realized that the ivory is from Julienne and so we are covered for full of requests and. And now we have immediately restart to make power for the production of this model because everybody all over the world wanted so, you know, the sales impact reaction was also amazing. And we have sold in one day like the same quantity of one year of production of this model.

[Okta Representative]

Wow.

[Tim Stanovec]

Which is, which is how many. Can you share with us what that number is?

[Stefano Fulcier]

Yeah, sure. We are not talking about a very big numbers because we are a luxury brand. So we produce this eyewear that is in gold lamination, so very particular. And now we are more than 200 pieces in only one day for this model. And so the demand is. We receive orders every minute. So we have blocked PayPal three times. So we need every time to make a restructuration of the website. So it's amazing what's happening.

[Carol Massar]

Shares of the company up 40% so far this month. Today they're up more than 21%.

[Tim Stanovec]

I mean, off and running. Listen, did you know that he owned a pair? And I'm just curious, tell us about these glasses. What are they made of? I mean, how much do they go for?

[Stefano Fulcier]

So everything happens in 2024, because we have received a call from the Elysee from the assistant of the president and they want to buy one because he wants to make a present for a minister in the period of G20. So I remember that I have received this call and. And so when we have received this call, we say, wow, this is the president. So we have to do something more and we want to make a present also to give you something. But the assistant told us, okay, please, okay, but we want to pay. So, you know, they tried to respect that and they asked us to have everything made in France. So they want something, you know, every face, because you want to represent a product from the history of France. And I have to tell to you that, you know, Henri Julienne is an historical brand. The company is born in 1921 and is a hundred years company. And so when we have sent them, we didn't have any news after that. And we recognized between our customers, because some customers during Monday they start to send me pictures and they say, is it that Henri Julienne? And they say, yes. And so on Tuesday and everything happens, you know.

[Carol Massar]

So I want to talk a little bit about supply chains here because what is notable about these frames is that they are made in France. In this day and age. Most sunglasses are. And most glasses are actually made. At least the ones that come to the US are actually made in China. And I'm curious about the supply chain here. And in a conversation where we're talking a lot about domestic manufacturing in the United States, that's been a big focus of President Trump. How do you keep manufacturing in France and not outsource it to other parts of the world where it would be a lot cheaper?

[Stefano Fulcier]

Yeah, thank you very much for this question, because I would like to start from the beginning, because our company was born six years ago, because we have started in October 2020, so in the middle of the COVID period, because we have bought the Safilo plant in Oudine, so one hour from Venice. And the idea is to restart the production of the eyewear in Friuli. So Friuli is our region where I live. And, you know, in that period, Safilo has closed the plant and we restart all the production inside. And we have a huge capacity here in Italy, because our main company in Italy has a capacity about 1 million highway per year. So if we are talking about our company Richelienne, in France, we produce like 1,000 pieces per year. So we have a very niche market for this type of production. And what we have done, the idea when we have bought at e. Julienne in October 2023, so after our listing in the stock exchange, we have decided to create like a boutique. So our idea was to produce in France only some small pieces, talking about the historical process, everything handcraft with a lot of faces. And I would like also to say to you that this eyewear is in gold lamination. So what is the particularity of that? That inside you can find gold. And so it's a very precious material. And the final price is not too amazing, because we are talking about €650 each. And talking about gold is a very competitive price. But this is something that represent the story of. Of the French production. And finally, I believe that we are based in the two most made in important all over the world. Because if we are talking about eyewear production, made in France is very important, like made in Italy. So, you know, in France there is the Jura area that is very famous, like in Italy that we have Cadore. And Cadore is very famous for the eyewear companies, you know, so we have a lot of knowledge, a lot of people. And to create a good eyewear, you need also to have a good staff, good people. Our people inside has 25 years of experience to create eyewear. So eyewear is not really easy to produce something like that.

[Tim Stanovec]

So I am wondering, I just want to jump in for a moment, because we just have about a minute or so left here. And I do wonder if what the goal is because, you know, I'm looking at, as Tim mentioned, the stock up about 70% or so this week, a jump 21% today. And I'm curious that kind of can get the attention of investors or other companies out there. Is anybody calling you, reaching out to you to talk about let's work together. I think about Luxottica, who's out there, who is massive in the glass space. What is your goal? You've got brands like Ray Ban that are out there. I think we all saw that. We thought about former president Joe Biden, who used to wear the aviators as well. So what is the goal? Is Ray Ban something that you'd like? Is there a company that you're thinking, this is our goal, where we want to be, and just got about 45 seconds. Seconds or so.

[Stefano Fulcier]

Yeah, sure. So, you know, Howard is a family company. So working with me, I have my sister and my my brother. So he's a family company. I am 39 years old. So we are young and I believe that we are at the beginning to develop a company we have started only six years ago. So we are a small company then you know, the biggest one that is Luxottica that you have talk about it. So our idea is to develop a different type of company after our position of listing. We have made some M and A and we have buy some electronical companies. And in the last year we have presented the first eyewear technological one for blinding people. So we have a patent project of that. And our idea is like our name, Ivision tech. So we want to produce something technological. So we are following smart device, smart eyewear. And I believe that in this field we can do more. So we are a classical company to produce standard eyewear, right. But we have all the knowledge for that.

[Tim Stanovec]

Well, as we said, the eyeglass is seen around the globe. Really great to catch up with you. Thank you so much for finding time for us and, and have a good weekend. Stefano, full chair. He is CEO of I Vision Tech, joining us there from Italy.

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