Early on, Luxottica S.a.s made eyewear components on contract (for Metaflex), concentrating on workshop production of stamps, molds and tools. With just a few employees, it made small accessories, by hand, acetate frames and semi-finished metallic products. Del Vecchio’s family provided crucial support for the firm during those years of sacrifice, coloring frames one by one and sellotaping the parts of glasses that had to retain a natural color.

 

The experience and extraordinary capacities of Del Vecchio, who worked alongside his employees, created know-how and improved quality in the production process. The key to success in these early years was the special relationship between him and his employees, who were ready to sacrifice themselves for the job, working up to 15 hours a day even. The business gradually grew and it was soon evident that Del Vecchio was looking farther ahead than his partners and could anticipate the market’s needs. With his marked entrepreneurial flair he decided it was time to start making his own frames under the Luxottica label.

 

In 1967 came the great stroke of intuition: whilst continuing to produce semi-finished items for clients, the company started assembling single parts to make complete pairs of glasses and selling them under the Luxottica brand. This was a brave decision but Del Vecchio was able to count on sound professionalism acquired over years of work, which enabled the firm to compete in the finished product market with great success. After this turning point the company began to expand exponentially. In 1968, Del Vecchio contacted Luigi Francavilla in Switzerland and persuaded him to move to Agordo to work with him in a factory employing 50 people, with a workshop of just seven employees.

 

1971 was the next milestone: Luxottica went to its first MIDO, a trade fair, and presented its first collection, comprising ten or so models all made by hand. The stand was small and spartan (just two meters by three) but the success was enormous, going far beyond the most optimistic expectations.

Back in Agordo, great enthusiasm and effort were needed to make all the products they had already sold at MIDO, but there was disappointment too: Del Vecchio’s two Metaflex partners decided to pull out. Buying their stakes required what was an enormous sum in those days but Del Vecchio managed to find a new partner, from Mantova, and buy out the other two. Eight months later he decided to buy out Luxottica’s new partner as well.

 

With Del Vecchio now the sole owner, Luxottica launched itself on foreign markets, first through local distributors and then directly. In this period, the firm clearly needed more modern machinery and more space: extensions were added onto the original plant and then a new block was built across the road. With demand for Luxottica frames growing at 20% a year, the company had to keep enlarging its premises.

 

This was when Del Vecchio became convinced he should base his strategy not only on manufacturing know-how but also on an adequate distribution capability. In 1974 he acquired the Turin-based Scarone, a distributor already marketing well known brands, and started to expand Luxottica’s business throughout the country.