The story of Luxottica is the epitome of the American Dream but it happened in Italy. It is the largest eyewear-producing company in the world and, more likely than not, your own glasses are a Luxottica product, if you think it owns iconic brands like Persol, Ray-Ban, Vogue, and produces for Prada, Miu Miu, Chanel, Burberry, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Tiffany, Versace, and Valentino. And if you get your glasses in Target or Sears, well, those are made by Luxottica, too.

Luxottica was born from the dream of one man, Leonardo Del Vecchio – Milanese, class 1935. His beginnings weren’t easy: his father, who was a vegetable street vendor, died before Leonardo was born leaving the family in poverty, so much so he had to spend seven years of his childhood in an orphanage.