Lionel Giraud.

NEW YORK—Vuarnet has appointed Lionel Giraud as CEO and Luc Zeltner as development director. As part of the continued expansion of Vuarnet, it is merging all of its product categories together--glasses, sportswear and ski equipment--into a single business entity that will be driven by this new management team.

According to the company, creating a single entity enables it to pursue growing opportunities in the luxury eyewear, retail and global ski equipment market with more focus and clarity. “We want to take this exceptional French brand and create the conditions for a 360 degree international project," said Giraud. “We are creating a modern vision, combining heritage, style and creativity.”

Founded in 1957 out of a collaboration between Olympic ski champion, Jean Vuarnet and pioneering optician, Roger Pouilloux, Vuarnet is known for its mineral glass lenses, which are always hand made in its own factory located near Paris.

Giraud has more than seventeen years of luxury brand experience and in his new role will play an instrumental role in Vuarnet’s longstanding and iconic eyewear business, the company said. Prior to joining Vuarnet, he held various management positions with Cartier, where he directed the watchmaking division; Chaumet (LVMH), as vice president and artistic director; and André as CEO.

Zeltner joins Vuarnet with more than fifteen years of professional experience and most recently held a management position at the concept store, Merci. He has worked with Cartier, Louis Vuitton and Lacoste. According to Vaurnet, he will be essential in developing and innovating Vuarnet’s product offerings, as well as overseeing and expanding the company’s retail business worldwide.

In the U.S. market, the recently incorporated NY subsidiary Vuarnet Inc., founded and lead by U.S. CEO, Lucio Lozza, has reintroduced the line to premium optical stores, selected sport specialty and top fashion boutiques across North America. Lozza, will report directly to Giraud.