Design Eyewear Group is expanding: Acquires the MENRAD brand and licensing agreements with Jaguar, JOOP! and Morgan

Aarhus, 6 June 2025

We’re proud to announce a major expansion of Design Eyewear Group’s brand portfolio. As part of our continued commitment to innovation, creativity, and international growth, we have secured licensing agreements with Jaguar, JOOP!, and Morgan, as well as taking over full proprietary ownership of the brand MENRAD, including its design rights and technical assets.

Formerly under the umbrella of the 125-year-old German eyewear manufacturer MENRAD, these brands each bring a distinctive identity, established customer base, and international recognition that align with our values and expertise in eyewear design and distribution.

With the addition of these brands, we’re strengthening our presence in especially Germany, and we also see major potential to expand in the US, Canada and other major eyewear markets globally.

Strategic Growth With Purpose

According to Lars Flyvholm, CEO of Design Eyewear Group, a key factor in the acquisition – carried out in the wake of MENRAD’s unfortunate insolvency – was our reputation as a stable, long-standing company with deep industry knowledge and strong customer relationships. Honouring MENRAD’s long-standing legacy, the acquisition represents a natural fit: both for the brands themselves and for Design Eyewear Group’s identity and values.

“This portfolio expansion reinforces our long-term strategy: to offer a diverse, high-quality selection of eyewear brands that resonate globally and reflect individual expression. The license owners have shown strong enthusiasm for partnering with us—not only because of our distinctive design profile and our ability to translate brand DNA into compelling eyewear collections, but also due to our solid track record, established market presence, and well-developed sales and distribution network in Europe and North America.”

Bringing New Life to Established Icons

The acquisition of the brand MENRAD marks a significant milestone. Not only are we taking over the entire inventory, but we now also have full creative and commercial control of a brand with storing potential for revitalisation and growth. MENRAD is known for its skilled craftmanship and technical innovation, and we look forward to shaping its next chapter under our roof.

A New Chapter Begins

“Entering the world of licensing marks an exciting new chapter for us. It’s a natural evolution of our design expertise and global presence—and it opens the door to fresh opportunities for growth. We’re committed to working closely with license owners, combining their deep brand knowledge with our strengths in product development and distribution. Each eyewear collection will be crafted in close alignment with the brand’s identity, ensuring every frame reflects the DNA that customers know and trust. We look forward to sharing more as development begins across these new lines,” Lars Flyvholm concludes.

Design Eyewear Group will take over the brands starting 10 June 2025.