Luxottica Group puts its competitors firmly in the shade. As the world's largest eyewear firm, Luxottica designs, makes, and sells eyeglass frames and sunglasses, offering more than 20 licensed designer brands (Burberry, Chanel, Tiffany) and a dozen house brands (Ray-Ban and REVO). The group's 7,000-store (about 615 stores are franchises) retail arm, Luxottica Retail, operates LensCrafters and Pearle Vision optical shops, Sunglass Hut, Watch Station, and Watch World, and the EyeMed Vision Care group. It owns US sport sunglasses maker Oakley, as well as China's Modern Sight Optics. The company announced an agreement to merge with France-based lens-maker Essilor International in 2017.