Safilo Lets Dior Licensing Agreement Expire

Eyewear manufacturer Safilo has confirmed that the licensing agreement for its Dior and Dior Homme lines will end when it expires in late 2020.

Safilo has been creating, producing and selling Christian Dior eyewear for more than 20 years. Over that period, the company has sold more than 30 million pieces of Dior eyewear. In the 2018 fiscal year, the Dior license accounted for roughly 13 percdent of Safilo total sales. The company made the decision to not renew the deal with Dior in an effort to better balance its licensing portfolio with its growing proprietary brands.

"Our company has 85 years of expertise, with a commitment to and passion for the industry, which we are proud of," says Angelo Trocchia, chief executive officer, Safilo Group. "To build an even stronger Safilo for the future, we are ready to continue leveraging on our human capital and the solid foundations of our attractive and balanced license portfolio, as well as our proprietary brands, which are growing in line with our plan."

Prior to the announcement, Safilo partnered with ex-soccer star David Beckham for a line of sunglasses and eyewear.