Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio, a 31-year-old heir to the vast Ray-Ban fortune, has opened up about his struggles with addiction and a history of relationships, claiming to have slept with over 2,000 women. These revelations seem to stem from a complicated relationship with his late father, which he describes as lacking love. His comments emerged in an interview that also criticized the management of the company that oversees the brand.
Del Vecchio, worth over $5 billion, has been caught in a challenging familial and corporate battle concerning the future of EssilorLuxottica, which includes prominent eyewear brands like Oakley and Persol, alongside Ray-Ban. The company is also known for its collaboration with Meta on advanced AI-driven eyewear.
In a video podcast with Italian rapper Fedez, Del Vecchio spoke about turning to drugs as a means of coping with the emotional void left by his father’s affection, saying, “He gave us all but love.” He mentioned that he has preferred benzodiazepine for anxiety and sleep issues, noting he’s on a path to manage his addiction, though it’s still a work in progress.
“That darkness was filled and filled, yes, also by drugs,” he remarked, sharing that he feels hopeful of change, particularly since his daughter, Bianca, is a significant part of his life now.
Expressing that he has yet to fully overcome his challenges, he stated, “I’m not saying I’m out of it forever but, yes, this time I do see the light.” Del Vecchio discussed how treatment focuses on addressing root causes rather than just symptoms, casting doubt on the effectiveness of drugs.
The social scene of Del Vecchio is equally colorful; he proudly declared he has likely been intimate with over 2,000 women, claiming that his charm often came from his rendition of “Hero,” a popular tune by Enrique Iglesias. Although he jokingly noted that singing it too much could ruin his voice, he’s confident in the song’s ability to win hearts.
This summer, Del Vecchio left his roles as chief strategy officer of EssilorLuxottica and president of Ray-Ban, with plans to explore new business ventures. He is involved in a contentious dispute over control of the family fortune, having recently sought support from their holding company for substantial loans aimed at buying out his siblings—a move that didn’t gain traction.
The heir has been vocal in his criticism of the company’s current leader, Francesco Milleri, who was selected by his father. Del Vecchio attributes the company’s struggles to a lack of direction since his father’s passing, with shares dropping significantly—46% this year—making it the hardest-hit in the Euro Stoxx 50 index.
While he insists personal ties with Milleri aren’t the crux of the issue, he believes the CEO has not produced favorable results for the company. Following the elder Del Vecchio’s death in June 2022, the governance of the family fortune became complicated. Each heir was allocated a 12.5% stake in the family’s holding company, Delfin, designed to maintain familial harmony but leading to deadlocks on major decisions.
Delfin retains considerable influence over EssilorLuxottica, along with key stakes in banking and insurance firms. Del Vecchio aims to consolidate his ownership, pushing to increase his stake to 37.5%, which would position him as the largest stakeholder in Delfin and potentially bring stability to the family business.
His life has been marked by controversy; in 2023, he became engaged to actress Jessica Serfaty, but their relationship quickly drew scrutiny. Serfaty later made accusations of abuse against him, which she retracted, only to imply later that external pressures influenced her decision to take it back. This situation seems to hang over his public image, with about 950 million euros in disclosed debt linked to both personal and investment obligations.
Efforts to reach out for comments from both Del Vecchio and EssilorLuxottica have yet to yield responses.
