Sometimes the economy writes stories that could hardly be more contradictory. At the beginning of the year, the sunglasses of French president Emmanuel Macron attracted worldwide attention. At the World Economic Forum in Davos he wore a model with distinctive blue lenses that within days became a topic of discussion on social media. A particularly prominent video clip of his English “for sure” circulated widely, making the glasses an unexpected fashion phenomenon.
For the French eyewear industry this moment seemed like a gift from heaven. After all, the sunglasses’ lenses came from the traditional Jura, a region long regarded as the heart of French eyewear manufacturing. Behind the lenses was the company Dalloz Creations from Saint-Claude.
Then the managers hoped for renewed attention to their craftsmanship. It’s not surprising: the media world was talking about the French president’s striking glasses. For a maker of high-quality sunglasses lenses, such a scene is usually priceless.
But between media fame and economic success there is often a deep chasm.
Just a few months after the international appearance in Davos, Dalloz Creations declared bankruptcy. The commercial court of Lons-le-Saunier issued a decision for the company’s judicial liquidation. This ends the story of a traditional business that for decades was one of the respected specialists in producing high-quality sunglasses lenses in Europe. For 29 employees this means the loss of their jobs. At the same time the company has been put up for sale.
Dalloz Creations was founded in 1957. The company gained popularity primarily through polycarbonate processing and the development of special technologies for smooth color transitions and high-quality coatings, which were particularly in demand in the luxury segment. In recent years the firm has also focused on strengthening production in France, short supply chains and more environmentally friendly manufacturing processes.
Despite these efforts, the economic situation worsened. Profits fell significantly over several years. What seemed like a difficult period in the market gradually turned into an existential crisis. In the end, technical expertise and high product quality proved insufficient to halt the decline.
This case shows the pressure many French industrial companies are under. Even firms with decades of experience are struggling against global competitors who can often produce much more cheaply. On top of that, costs for energy, staff and raw materials are increasing.
So the brief fame around Macron’s glasses leaves above all a bitter realization: attention does not pay the bills. Photos from Davos spread around the world, while the economic problems in Jura remained almost unnoticed. For Dalloz Creations the international media hype proved only a short flash — until reality caught up with the traditional manufacturer.
Author: Andreas M. Brocker