EssilorLuxottica showcased its latest developments in AI eyewear, hearing solutions and automated retail at last week’s TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes (27 September-1 October), alongside its luxury brand portfolio and digital tools for travel retail partners.
Speaking exclusively to The Moodie Davitt Report, EssilorLuxottica Marketing Director Andrea Testaverde said: “Eyewear remains central to our company strategy. We are bringing together two journeys: innovation, through AI glasses and Nuance Audio, and our portfolio of luxury brands, including Miu Miu, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana and Versace.”
EssilorLuxottica presented the latest Ray-Ban Meta range and Oakley | Meta eyewear, developed through its partnership with Meta. The collections combine established eyewear designs with AI functionality and connected features.
“AI glasses are growing significantly and performing well in travel retail,” Testaverde said. “Travellers are willing to try new products and spend time experiencing them. That creates an opportunity to engage consumers in a different way, which is why we are working closely with our business partners to introduce and expand experiential retail,” he said.
“Buying smart glasses is a different journey from buying a traditional pair of sunglasses. There is more to discover and experience. We are supporting our retail partners with demonstration tools, including working frames and companion phones, so consumers can try the technology and understand what it can do.”
The company also showcased Nuance Audio Plus, the latest generation of its eyewear with integrated hearing technology. Updates include improved audio performance, longer battery life, enhanced fitting, additional styles and colours, and hands-free phone calls for iPhone users. Nuance Audio Plus removes traditional barriers associated with hearing devices while offering consumers a discreet, lifestyle-oriented solution.
The technology represents an important milestone in the company’s evolution as a Med-Tech leader committed to improving everyday quality of life.
“We are continually raising the bar, including with the next generation of Nuance Audio. We cannot stand still. Even in traditional sunglasses, we are looking at how to reinvent the experience and bring consumers closer to our brands,” Testaverde said.
Transitions made its first appearance at TFWA Cannes, with demonstrations showing how adaptive lenses can support wearers as they move between indoor and outdoor environments.
“As people start wearing smart glasses throughout the day, we need to consider how they use them indoors and outdoors. That is why we are showcasing Transitions at TFWA for the first time: to respond to questions from our business partners and consumers about everyday wear,” Testaverde added.
Retail innovation was another focus, with EssilorLuxottica presenting its Ray-Ban Automated Retail Solution prototype for the first time at the TFWA Cannes show. Designed for high-traffic travel environments, the concept enables consumers to explore and purchase Ray-Ban products through a digitally connected self-service format supported by AI.
The prototype reflects EssilorLuxottica’s ambition to reimagine convenience without compromising the premium nature of the brand. The company is seeking input from travel retail partners to help develop the concept.
Partner support also featured through Leonardo, EssilorLuxottica’s digital learning platform, which provides retail teams with training and product education.
Beyond technology, the company highlighted opportunities to connect eyewear with other categories through shared brand experiences. As reported, the cross-category Dolce & Gabbana activation at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport paired travel retail limited-edition eyewear with the brand’s limited-edition Light Blue fragrance.
“Our Dolce & Gabbana activation at Paris Charles de Gaulle was our first collaboration of this kind, combining the strengths of beauty and sunglasses. We matched their limited-edition Light Blue fragrance with our travel retail limited-edition eyewear. Both sides were extremely happy with the partnership, and I hope we will see more collaborations like this,” Testaverde said.
“Looking ahead, I believe we need to bring consumers into our brands in different ways. From a traveller’s perspective, a brand encompasses sunglasses, fragrances and other categories. There is an opportunity to create a more connected brand experience.”
The stand also drew on Persol’s Riviera collection and a beach club collaboration in Santa Margherita Ligure, connecting the eyewear with the Italian coastal setting that inspired it.
In addition, Prada, Miu Miu, Versace and Dolce & Gabbana presented their latest eyewear designs.
“We are also exploring settings that connect our collections with a sense of place,” Testaverde said. “Our Persol beach club collaboration in Santa Margherita Ligure brought the Riviera collection into the territory that inspired it. The aim is to celebrate the collection, Italian craftsmanship and style, and immerse consumers in the brand.”
Testaverde said these initiatives reflect a broader ambition to develop how travellers encounter the company’s brands. ✈
