Luxottica's Sunglass Hut Further Expands Its Global Footprint by Strengthening Presence in Southeast Asia

Luxottica Group S.p.A. (NYSE: LUX; MTA: LUX), a global leader in the design, manufacturing and distribution of premium fashion and luxury eyewear, today announced that Sunglass Hut, the Group's main sun retail brand, has further expanded its global footprint by entering Thailand, a key Southeast Asian growth market.

The Group has signed a franchising agreement with the privately-held Diethelm Keller Limited that will initially add 15 stores to Sunglass Hut's global network in a new market for the brand. Sunglass Hut's growing presence throughout the Asia-Pacific region currently comprises 220 stores in markets that include Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Chris Beer, chief executive officer of Luxottica Group's retail business in Australasia, Southeast Asia and South Africa, commented: "Sunglass Hut is today the leading sun retail brand in the industry and the only truly global player. The entry into Thailand strengthens our presence in Southeast Asia, a high-potential growth region for the sun retail business. It is also an example of the significant additional opportunities for additional growth that the Group sees for Sunglass Hut both in the region and globally.

"Specifically," concluded Mr. Beer, "this transaction represents an important step in the development of the Sunglass Hut brand in Asia-Pacific, allowing us to leverage its global attributes while partnering with local expertise to maximize growth opportunities also in new markets."

Sunglass Hut is the world's single largest [premium/specialty] sun retail brand, with 1,970 stores as of March 31, 2008, mainly in North America, Asia- Pacific, UK, South Africa, the Middle East and now Southeast Asia.

Terms of the transaction announced today were not disclosed.

Luxottica Group S.p.A.

Luxottica Group is a global leader in eyewear, with over 6,200 optical and sun retail stores in North America, Asia-Pacific, China, South Africa and Europe and a strong brand portfolio that includes our key house brand, Ray- Ban, the best selling sun and prescription eyewear brand in the world, as well as, among others, license brands Bvlgari, Burberry, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Donna Karan, Polo Ralph Lauren, Prada, Salvatore Ferragamo, Tiffany and Versace, and other key house brands Oakley, Oliver Peoples, Vogue, Persol, Arnette and REVO. In addition to a global wholesale network that touches over 130 countries, the Group manages leading retail brands such as LensCrafters, Pearle Vision and Sunglass Icon in North America, OPSM and Laubman & Pank in Asia-Pacific, and Sunglass Hut globally. The Group's products are designed and manufactured in six Italy-based high-quality manufacturing plants, in the only two China-based plants wholly-owned by a premium eyewear manufacturer, and in manufacturing facilities in the United States acquired as part of the Oakley acquisition. For fiscal year 2007, Luxottica Group (NYSE: LUX; MTA: LUX) posted consolidated net sales of ... billion. Additional information on the Group is available at http://www.luxottica.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those which are anticipated. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the ability to successfully integrate Oakley's operations, the ability to realize expected synergies from the merger with Oakley, the ability to successfully introduce and market new products, the ability to maintain an efficient distribution network, the ability to predict future economic conditions and changes in consumer preferences, the ability to achieve and manage growth, the ability to negotiate and maintain favorable license arrangements, the availability of correction alternatives to prescription eyeglasses, fluctuations in exchange rates, the ability to effectively integrate other recently acquired businesses, as well as other political, economic and technological factors and other risks and uncertainties described in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward- looking statements are made as of the date hereof, and we do not assume any obligation to update them.