MILAN and LONDON—Luxottica Group S.p.A. (NYSE: LUX; MTA: LUX) and Stella McCartney Limited, a joint venture between designer Stella McCartney and the Gucci Group N.V., have announced the signing of a new six-year exclusive license agreement for the design, production and worldwide distribution of sunglasses under the luxury lifestyle brand Stella McCartney, to be launched in the summer of 2009.

McCartney will personally follow each step of the creative process, together with the Luxottica design and product team, according to a joint statement from the companies. The agreement, effective Jan. 1, 2009, is automatically renewable for an additional five-year term.

“We are extremely pleased with the new partnership with Ms. Stella McCartney and the Gucci Group,” said Andrea Guerra, CEO of Luxottica Group. “She is one of the most renowned and respected young talents of the new generation of fashion designers. The values that her brand stands for are a perfect fit for our brand portfolio and an important step toward further strengthening its offering.”

“This new agreement is geared towards strengthening further the presence of Stella McCartney eyewear in the market and aimed to further increase the international development of the brand,” added Marco Bizzarri, CEO and president of Stella McCartney. “We are particularly pleased to partner with Luxottica, the leading company in the sector, and combine our experience and expertise to make it a particularly strong partnership.”

McCartney first introduced an eyewear line in 2003 produced by the Sàfilo Group. The Stella McCartney sunglasses from Luxottica will be distributed through premium retail locations. After an initial launch phase during which the new collections will be distributed through Stella McCartney stores and "the most exclusive doors in North America, Japan, Hong Kong and the Middle East,' according to the announcement, distribution will be broadened to reach all other key global eyewear markets.