The annual Davos summit was meant to focus on pressing global issues, but all eyes were on French President Emmanuel Macron and his striking pair of sunglasses. The €659 shades, made by the French company Maison Henry Jullien, were not just a fashion statement – they were concealing a burst blood vessel in Macron’s eye, a condition he described as “totally benign.”
The president’s appearance in the reflective, aviator-style glasses prompted a flurry of speculation. Had he been injured while sparring in the boxing ring? Or was he simply trying to avoid eye contact with US President Donald Trump? Macron himself joked that the problem was “l’oeil du tigre” – a reference to the Rocky III theme song.
For the artisan workers at Maison Henry Jullien, the presidential endorsement was an unexpected boon. The company, which has been making glasses in the Jura region of eastern France for over a century, was flooded with inquiries after news of Macron’s choice spread.
“My first reaction can be summed up in three letters: wow! It has not been a typical day. I feel very honoured that the president is wearing our glasses,” said Stefano Fulchir, the president of iVision Tech, the Italian company that owns Henry Jullien.
Macron’s office had contacted the company in 2024 to purchase the Pacific S 01 Double Gold sunglasses, both as a diplomatic gift and for the president’s personal use. Fulchir said the team of 10 staff at the Lons-le-Saunier factory produces around 1,000 of the model worn by Macron each year.
The glasses, which feature hand-assembled gold detailing and blue-tinted UV lenses, are described as a luxury product built to last. While not yet available in the UK, the company hopes Macron’s high-profile wearing of the shades will boost their global profile.
Some have suggested the president’s choice was more about image than function, with one medical commentator saying the glasses “protect his image, but not really his eye.” But for the proud makers of Maison Henry Jullien, it’s a presidential seal of approval that money can’t buy.
