The country of origin can greatly influence eyewear style or design, and undeniably, France is home to many manufacturers and brands that offer the most creative eyewear styles in the world. It is probably because France holds some of the most iconic accessory and clothing designers worldwide. This turned the country into the leader and forerunner in the world of fashion for centuries.
Let’s delve deeper into the story of French eyewear as told through the top eyewear brands that represent it.
Lunettes ALF
Lunettes ALF (Atelier de Lunetterie Francais) is one of the newest brands offering French eyewear. It was founded by brothers Germain and Alexis Bouchara. The two brothers came up with the idea of creating a discrete yet elegant collection of luxury eyewear and glasses. They want to create French eyewear that will showcase their technical skills and artisan knowledge. Their focus is also to produce their glasses in such a way that they deliver simple elegance, optimal comfort, and top-notch quality.
With the training received by Alexis at the school of the best workers in France eyewear (Les Meilleurs Ouvriers de France Lunetiers), as well as Germain’s extensive and unique experience in marketing management, they were able to found the Lunettes ALF.
The frames used in their glasses were actually derived from the designs during the 20s to 50s. They created a design team that brought the most fantastic shapes during that era into the present by adding a touch of modernity in their personality and overall style.
When they were just starting, Lunettes ALF gave birth to just a tiny collection of elegant, timeless, and refined sunglasses. These glasses gained traction even up to the present because aside from being easy to use and wear, they also showcase the best out of French eyewear, particularly their sharp craftsmanship.
Gouveneur Audigier
The list of the best French eyewear designs will not also be complete without learning about the ones offered by Gouveneur Audigier. This top brand actually started when Clément Gouveneur built his factory in Morez, the eyewear capital, in the year 1878. The founder had this strong desire to incorporate the precision and luxury handcraft tradition into the French eyewear industry. He was able to expand the production successfully upon deciding to manufacture seamless nose pliers.
In 1905, the company name was changed into Gouveneur Audigier after Clément teamed up with Maxime Audigier, his son-in-law. The two continued to invent and made a significant contribution to eyewear evolution as they follow the groundbreaking procedure of using flexible, refined, and flexible wire temples.
However, it was only in the year 1930 when they ventured into the industry of producing contemporary and elegant French eyewear. This happened after Emile Boisseau, along with three others, partnered with them. This prompted the start of combining prestigious and elegant handcraft tradition with technological innovation, resulting in the creation of stylish, practical, and comfortable French eyewear designs.
From the time they started producing eyewear, Gouveneur Audigier continues to focus on innovating their designs to ensure that they deliver elegance and give users superior comfort. The brand was even able to hit the international scene, meaning their products were already known in various parts of the world.
Gouveneur Audigier has this goal of nurturing the legacy of their creators, so even after several decades, they still exist. They continuously produce exclusive eyewear that combines the most advanced technologies with the expertise they inherited.
Maison Nathalie Blanc
In terms of craftsmanship, you will not also go wrong with the French eyewear designs offered by Maison Nathalie Blanc. Founded in 2015, Nathalie Blanc Paris was among those companies with a noticeable and rapid growth. This famous luxury eyewear brand gained recognition quickly, allowing it to set itself apart from the others through the delicate French eyewear design that it has.
In addition, the eyewear makes use of only the finest materials while showcasing the exceptional French style. The brand continuously gains traction, thanks to the strong force and power behind it, the passionate and daring Nathalie Blanc, a French designer.
From the time she established her company, Nathalie Blanc never failed to show everyone that she is indeed the real ambassador of manufacturing eyewear in France. She has excellent know-how and talent, which you can expect to witness right away based on the delicate and refined frames that Nathalie designs.
What makes Maison Nathalie Blanc an incredible addition to the French eyewear design story is that it focuses on combining the perfect harmony between the material, style, and face.
It was in 2020 when the brand name, Nathalie Blanc Paris, was changed into Maison Nathalie Blanc, reuniting every brand that forms part of it. The latter parts of the same year also made a mark on the brand as Maison Nathalie Blanc introduced the Monsieur Blanc, the latest brand collection.
This collection is designed specifically for men. This means that the brand no longer only caters to women and girls. You can now also find men’s eyewear here that features trendy and sharp lines and the finest materials.