MILAN — As fashion’s fixation for sports doesn’t seem to wane, Portuguese soccer champion Luís Figo is getting increasingly serious about his menswear fashion brand LF Luís Figo.
Launched in 2023 with business partner Gandolfo Albanese, the brand introduced its first eyewear range at the Mido trade show in Milan earlier this month as part of a collaboration with Lozza, owned by De Rigo Vision.
Lozza is Italy’s oldest eyewear brand as it was founded in 1878 and emerged as the perfect partner for Figo, even though he had little familiarity with it, its style and heritage designs with a vintage and sophisticated flair.
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“I’m very honored to be collaborating with Lozza on this project. Since launching the LF Luís Figo brand, our vision has been rooted in product quality at an accessible price point,” Figo told WWD.
Since the inception Figo, the winner of the 2000 Ballon d’Or award, has aimed to offer a total look and potentially collaborate with the “best-in-class brands” for capsules and partnerships.
After its recent participation at the January edition of menswear trade fair Pitti Uomo, which boosted brand awareness, its foray into the eyewear was the natural next move.
The seven-style range comprises five sunglasses and two optical frames coming with clip-ons. Working golden and silver metal into minimal silhouettes with a vintage flair, including aviator styles, the eyewear is defined by stripe-engraved temples, a signature Lozza trait, embellished with the LF monogram. The lineup also includes acetate designs.
“First and foremost, these are designs that I like, everything we do needs to fit with my personal taste, but it’s always about finding the right balance to cater to a wide audience,” Figo said. “By working with De Rigo’s team of eyewear specialist we managed to diversify the offering to tap into different styles and tastes. Their contribution was fundamental to make the right choices in terms of materials and colors,” he offered.
A second capsule collection is already in the pipeline, Albanese said. He didn’t rule out venturing into a more articulate licensing deal in the future.
“Eyewear is for sure complementary to what we’ve built so far. The LF Luís Figo brand is a total look, encompassing ready-to-wear and accessories, we only missed this one category,” Albanese said. “It’s also going to be a strong business lever,” he added.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with the LF Luís Figo brand, a global sports icon who perfectly embodies the style and values of Lozza,” said Barbara De Rigo, chief marketing officer of De Rigo Vision. “This partnership allows us to create an exclusive and highly sophisticated collection, combining our expertise in crafting high-quality eyewear with Figo’s unmistakable style,” she said.
The capsule collection is to hit select opticians in April retailing between 209 and 249 euros.
The move into eyewear speaks to Figo’s ambition for his namesake fashion project aimed at men with a penchant for traditionalism looking for wardrobe-budling pieces — formal and classy but comfortable and versatile.
“It’s been two years in the making, a labor-intensive journey, and for sure the recent participation to Pitti Uomo was a strong statement, with a thorough collection,” Figo offered. “The brand winks to luxury, with Made in Italy manufacturing, but at an affordable price point,” he said.
LF Luís Figo boasts distribution in key European countries with a proprietary showroom in Milan, and is available in the Middle East, Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States through local agents and distributors. Albanese said they are in talks with partners for North and South America.