Havas Acquires Eyesight to Enhance Luxury and Event Production Capabilities
Havas announced the strategic acquisition of Eyesight by its global network dedicated to luxury, Maison BETC. This acquisition solidifies Maison BETC’s leadership within the luxury sector, particularly in the design and production of high-profile fashion shows and events for luxury brands.
Eyesight, founded in 2002 by Thierry Dreyfus, is an independent agency known for its exceptional capabilities in bespoke event design and production. The agency has cultivated a strong reputation for managing the artistic and technical execution of prominent fashion shows and events for various luxury houses. This acquisition will enhance Maison BETC's positioning by integrating specialized expertise in a sector that sees fashion shows as crucial communication opportunities.
A collective of experienced talents supports Eyesight's work, including Edward Ross as the Artistic Director based in New York and Los Angeles, Alexandra Avalone overseeing client liaison and production in the same cities, and Marie Meresse, a producer leading teams from Paris. Their collaborative effort brings together a wealth of experience, notably in fashion shows and luxury brand events across major global cities such as Paris, New York, and Milan.
Eyesight has a stellar track record, orchestrating over 3,000 shows for high-profile luxury brands like Dior Homme, Yves Saint Laurent, Fendi, and celebrities and designers such as Virgil Abloh and Comme des Garçons. The agency is celebrated for its intricately designed artistic productions that effectively blend art direction, lighting, scenography, and new media, creating emotionally resonant large-scale international projects.
Through this acquisition, Maison BETC enhances its capabilities to support luxury brands comprehensively throughout their value chain. Eyesight will bring additional know-how to both Maison BETC and its production entity, POP. The acquisition also opens avenues for Eyesight to leverage BETC’s creative excellence and expansive international network, positioning itself to foster new high-value collaborations with top-tier brands.
Both companies have already initiated the development of a joint expertise in artificial intelligence, anticipating that this will elevate the fashion show experience and its production. Yannick Bolloré, Chairman and CEO of Havas, expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition, stating, “We are delighted to welcome Thierry Dreyfus and the entire Eyesight team to the Havas family. This acquisition is fully in line with our ambition to offer brands increasingly more desirable, innovative, and premium experiences in a highly specialized area where we were not previously active.”
Mercedes Erra, Founder and Chair of BETC’s Supervisory Board, highlighted Eyesight’s alignment with BETC’s core values and qualities. She noted, “Eyesight’s know-how and creative sensitivity resonate perfectly with Maison BETC’s DNA. Together, we will be able to explore new territories and design experiences that combine aesthetic power, precision, and emotion.”
Thierry Dreyfus, CEO and Artistic Director of Eyesight, remarked on the significance of aligning with Maison BETC, emphasizing a shared pursuit of beauty and human-centric creation. He stated, “Joining Maison BETC means combining our strengths to imagine experiences that are even more sensitive, more accurate, and more ambitious for the brands we support.”
Clément Boisseau, CEO of Maison BETC and Global Chief Strategy Officer of BETC, indicated that this acquisition supports the agency’s developmental goals in Paris, New York, and Shanghai, while establishing an international network focused on the future of luxury.
Overall, the acquisition of Eyesight by Havas represents a significant move to enhance capabilities in the luxury segment of the agency world, reflecting an ongoing trend of consolidation and specialization as agencies seek to deliver more sophisticated and impactful experiences for clients in the competitive luxury space.