Which company acquired Ray-Ban in 1999?

Luxottica acquired Ray-Ban in 1999.

Before the deal, Ray-Ban belonged to Bausch & Lomb, the American optical company that had developed the brand’s famous Aviator and Wayfarer lines. Bausch & Lomb sold the sunglasses business to the Italian eyewear group Luxottica for a reported $640 million, transferring one of the world’s best-known eyewear brands to a company focused on manufacturing, distribution and retail.

The acquisition strengthened Luxottica’s vertically integrated business. The company already operated across several parts of the eyewear chain and had acquired brands and retailers including Persol and LensCrafters in 1995. Ray-Ban became one of its flagship brands, alongside names such as Oakley and Persol.

A frequent source of confusion is Essilor. Essilor did not acquire Ray-Ban in 1999; Luxottica did. Essilor later merged with Luxottica in 2018 to form EssilorLuxottica, the current corporate parent. Thus, Luxottica is the historically correct answer for the 1999 transaction, even though the brand now sits within the larger combined company.