Alessandro Zanardo.

  
LONGARONE, Italy—In a move that company executives stated will broaden its portfolio, Thélios, the eyewear division of LVMH announced the signing of an agreement to acquire Barton Perreira, the well-known luxury eyewear company co-founded by Bill Barton and Patty Perreira in 2007 in Los Angeles, Calif. "The acquisition of this timeless luxury eyewear brand further expands Thélios’ portfolio and contributes to strengthening its leadership in luxury eyewear excellence," the company said. Alessandro Zanardo, CEO of Thélios, declared, “We are excited to welcome Barton Perreira into our Maison portfolio.

"The brand is a true gemstone in the eyewear industry, standing for understated luxury, timeless designs and exceptional craftsmanship. We are looking forward to working with Barton Perreira’s talented team and dedicate ourselves to preserving its unique identity while leveraging our resources and expertise to further develop the brand,” Zanardo said.

Details of the transaction were not disclosed.

 
 Bill Barton (l) and Patty Perreira.
Bill Barton, co-founder and CEO of Barton Perreira and Patty Perreira, co-founder and designer of Barton Perreira stated, “We are incredibly proud of what Barton Perreira has achieved over the years, and we believe this partnership with Thélios will take the brand to new heights. Thélios shares our passion for craftsmanship and quality, and we are excited to see the wonderful things we will achieve together."

Currently, Barton Perreria also operates five of its own branded boutiques, two in New York on Madison Avenue and the Meatpacking District, one in Kansas City, Aspen and Bozeman, Mont.

Both Bill Barton and Patty Perreira will keep their respective roles at Barton Perreira and continue to lead the brand in its new phase of growth, the announcement said.

Building on Thélios’ and Barton Perreira’s successful track record, Zanardo told VMAIL that the partnership will elevate both companies to new heights in the eyewear industry. Through Thélios’ selective distribution network, Barton Perreira will be further introduced to the best optical stores worldwide, complementing the brand’s own boutiques. The brand, which has a strong presence in the U.S. market, will additionally benefit from Thélios’ global reach and luxury expertise, to grow in high-potential markets in Europe and Asia.

Zanardo added, "Thelios' can apply our knowledge to some very select independent eyewear brands. But ours is not a strategy of 'collecting' brands, per se. It is focusing on those independent brands that are exceptional for distinct reasons, which complement our portfolio of Maisons.

"Barton Perreira has a fundamental value, the founders call it 'design with no compromise,' and I'd add that it is also 'quality with no compromise'—it's an amazing product when you touch it, when it's worn. It's timeless. And it's a brand with a strong line to optical, too, which is unique, a brand that has been created by two amazing founders who always look for what's next," Zanardo said.

The transaction is expected to be completed in the next few weeks.

The deal with Barton-Perreira follows Thélios’ acquisition earlier this fall of its first proprietary brand, Vuarnet, an iconic French eyewear company with a strong heritage and renowned craftsmanship in mineral lenses. VMAIL reported on that acquisition in September.

Thélios designs, produces and distributes sunglasses and optical frames for the Maisons of the LVMH group including Dior, Fendi, Celine, Givenchy, Loewe, Stella McCartney, Kenzo, Berluti and Fred.

Watch for more of VMAIL's exclusive interview with Thélios' CEO Zanardo later this week.