A pair of sunglasses has done what earnings calls and investor presentations often struggle to achieve. When Emmanuel Macron walked onto the stage at the World Economic Forum in aviator shades, markets moved. Shares of Milan-listed iVision Tech jumped nearly 28% on Thursday after the French president's Davos look went viral, turning a medical necessity into an unexpected stock-market catalyst.
The eyewear was quickly identified by iVision Tech as the Pacific S 01 model from its high-end French brand Henry Jullien, priced at around $770. What followed was a classic case of internet buzz spilling over into financial markets. Memes, jokes and speculation flooded social media, with Macron repeatedly compared to characters from Top Gun and other action franchises.
"This certainly created a wow effect on the stock," iVision Tech CEO Stefano Fulchir told Reuters. The rally added roughly $4.1 million to the company's market capitalisation in a single day, putting the shares on track for their biggest one-day jump on record.
Why The Sunglasses Stayed On
Macron's office later clarified that the president wore sunglasses indoors to protect his eyes due to a burst blood vessel, medically known as a subconjunctival haemorrhage, which it described as benign. While the French presidency did not confirm the brand, Fulchir said he could clearly recognise the Henry Jullien glasses, adding that he had sent a pair to Macron in 2024.
The explanation did little to slow the online frenzy. Images circulated of Macron edited into posters for "Cobra" and "Terminator," while Donald Trump also weighed in, quipping publicly about Macron's "beautiful sunglasses."
Trading Halts And A Website Crash
The stock reaction was considerably swift and volatile. Shares rose nearly 6% on Wednesday before being automatically halted for much of the session. Trading briefly resumed on Thursday before being halted again after it peaked 28%, underscoring the intensity of the move as investors piled in.
As the brand name spread, Henry Jullien's website reportedly crashed for most of the day.
Founded in 1921, Henry Jullien is a niche luxury eyewear maker, producing about 1,000 pairs of the model worn by Macron each year. The glasses are hand-assembled at a small workshop north of Geneva using an old technique involving gold bonding rather than standard gold plating.
The brand has brushed pop culture before-actor Sigourney Weaver wore its sunglasses at Spain's Goya Awards last year-but Davos has proved far more powerful.
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