Marcolin renews Guess eyewear license until 2040

Fashion Network

2 days ago

Italian eyewear group Marcolin and Guess have announced the early renewal of their exclusive licensing agreement for the design, production and international distribution of Guess and Marciano sunglasses and eyeglasses. The deal, which was previously set to run until 2030, has been further extended until 2040. Marcolin has held the Guess license for over 30 years, positioning it in the market's premium segment. Guess eyewear features the label's classic shapes, reinterpreted in contemporary fashion through bold colour combinations, glittering details, animal prints, and mirrored lenses.
'Renewing the licence deal so early is a strong demonstration of confidence in the work we are doing and fills us with pride, giving us the responsibility to continue this journey together with the Guess family, one of our flagship brands and a globally recognised lifestyle icon,' said Fabrizio Curci, CEO and managing director of Marcolin.
'By extending our agreement, we are preparing to collaborate for almost half a century! This is a testament to the great commitment and trust that characterise our partnership. I am excited about the successful future that awaits us,' said Paul Marciano, co-founder and chief creative officer of Guess.
In the meantime, Marcolin has presented Atelier, a new production department within its factory in Longarone, Italy, where the group will manufacture high-end models. This is the latest evolution in Marcolin's industrial strategy, a new investment in the production site where the group was originally set up, and in the specialist manufacturing skills that abound in the local area.
Atelier has been created as a place where avant-garde design, technical innovation and craftsmanship combine to achieve maximum manufacturing flexibility. The Atelier staff will consist of a select team of some 15 professionals specialised in making high-complexity acetate collections. At Atelier, the staff will also regularly engage in advanced technical training.
Marcolin Atelier will deal with the most prestigious brands in the eyewear group's portfolio, those requiring a high level of manufacturing expertise. The list includes Zegna, Pucci, Louboutin and Tom Ford. This year, Marcolin and Tom Ford are celebrating their partnership's 20th anniversary.
'The collaboration was actually more of a creative act, in other words developing the Tom Ford eyewear brand from scratch. The lines we designed for this Tom Ford accessory have become so unmistakable that they have been incorporated in the style of the label's apparel and accessories collections,' said Lara Marogna, Marcolin's creative director, speaking to FashionNetwork.com. 'Tom Ford has always been a timeless brand, and the biggest difference we've seen with the label's new style direction is that Tom Ford, and I'm talking about the designer, imagined the world of the night, featuring warm, liquor-like colours, for example cognac, while Haider wanted to 'move to the morning after', that was the definition he used when he spoke to us. He wanted eyewear that expressed a brighter light, the light of the morning after the party,' she added.
Marcolin was founded in 1961 in the heart of the Veneto region's eyewear district. The group produces two proprietary brands (Web Eyewear and ic! berlin) and 21 licensed brands: Tom Ford, Guess, adidas Sport, adidas Originals, Max Mara, Zegna, GCDS, Max & Co., MCM, Pucci, BMW, K-Way, Kenneth Cole, Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, Rag & Bone, Timberland, Gant, Harley-Davidson, Marciano and Skechers. With its direct retail organisation and global network of partners, Marcolin distributes its products in over 125 countries. As of the end of 2024, the group had approximately 2,000 employees, 58% of them women. Its net revenue was €545.8 million, 49% of it generated in EMEA, 36% in the Americas, 9% in Asia, and 6% in the rest of the world. In 2024, Marcolin integrated ic! berlin within its commercial structure, and upgraded its group corporate offices in New York and London.
In Q1 2025, Marcolin recorded a revenue of €147.3 million, up 1.2% compared to the same period last year. Adjusted EBITDA was €26.3 million (up 2.3%), with EBITDA margin growing from 17.6% in Q1 2024 to 17.8% this year.
Guess markets, distributes, and licenses a range of contemporary lifestyle products including ready-to-wear, denim, handbags, watches, eyewear, footwear, and other products. On April 2, 2024, Guess bought all the operating activities of New York label Rag & Bone, as well as a 50% share in its intellectual property rights. As of February 1, 2025, Guess was directly operating 1,070 stores in Europe, the Americas and Asia, plus 527 partner- and distributor-managed stores, with a presence in approximately 100 countries. In fiscal 2024-25, Guess's revenue increased by 8% to $3 billion (just over €2.7 billion), thanks to a solid fourth quarter performance and the effect of the Rag & Bone acquisition.