Origin: FRANCE Designed in France Handmade in France and Japan
Specialty:
petite,
expressive color combinations,
redefined shapes,
artistic expression
Anne et Valentin is a highly sought after collection worldwide. They are constantly redefining their adventurous shapes, colours, and eyewear glasses material combination.
The collection is founded on a love story of a husband and wife who collaborated for over 30 years to bring us the concepts and designs we see today. Valentin received his Optician degree in France in 1980 and opened up their optical store in Paris. Valentin managed the optical side of their business, while Anne curated the aesthetic and window displays of the shop. They were eager to offer a different approach than the norm at the time: a unique selection of original eyeglasses with a radically different philosophy. From day one of opening their store, they steered away from adapting a customer’s face to a frame. They decided to take a more comprehensive approach which considered how their customer’s move, live, and think. This philosophy helped them to find the perfect eyewear to match their customer’s unique personalities.
They soon discovered that there was a divide in the eyewear industry for well-fitting, designed, colourful eyeglasses that matched their approach, Anne began draw her first design and prototype and launched their first collection in 1984, which we now fondly know as Anne et Valentin. Their creations are original, colourful, lively, innovative, and technical works of art that respect those who wear them. Anne et Valentin desired people to find the perfect frame, and not conform to the fashion trends of the day.
Their headquarter is in Toulouse, a small town in the south west of France. They have been working with the same factories located in the French Jura mountains since their inception 30 years ago. Anne et Valentin’s titanium models are manufactured in Japan because the best titaniums are Made in Japan.
Anne et Valentin originally sought out to create unique eyeglass frames for their friends. Today, our friends at Anne et Valentin creative studio continue to research, design, and craft eyewear glasses fuelled by the highest standard and love for design and eyewear. A well known quote from the founders is, “Using colour to improve expression.” Color is a language that can speak volumes on a face. Anne et Valentin are masters of layering and complimenting colours to get an unexpected result.
Anne et Valentin cultivates personalities of deep, curious and surprising. They come from all ages, styles, genres:
art,
architecture,
photography,
plastic arts,
fashion,
cinema.
They believe that everything is a source of inspiration to our
creative flow,
movement,
transformation,
color,
and matter.
Their imagination stretches beyond average thinking.
The company continues to hand make all of their eyeglass products since they started selling eyewear in the 1980s. There is a natural quality, passion, and love when something is handmade, which gives a product character and a unique personality.
One of Anne et Valentin’s original and most well known concepts is the Alpha series made to turn heads. This concept is inspired by lines that represent the essence of Anne et Valentin - essential frames and strong identities for the discreet yet joyous types. Alpha eyeglasses boldly blend two colours within the same frame. This historic trademark offered unrivalled exclusivity in colour and composition.
Another concept by Anne et Valentin is The Symbolique. These eyeglasses are completely made of 100% titanium. The hinges and articulations in retro-vintage vocabularies send these glasses back to the future with boldly inventive design. Anne et Valentin successfully brings a softer dimension to this concept, reinforcing its aesthetic and making a genuinely loveable frame. The models are inspired by the refined concept of movement and time. Each piece gives off a Delaunay or Duchamp’s kinetic type of work with a mechanical precision and cosmic articulations of planetary movements.
These are archetypal frames for the philosophers, researchers, and theoreticians whose everyday constantly lean towards extraordinary. This concept is pleasing to the
musician,
artist, or
anti-hipster who pave the way for a revolution and are counterparts to the conventional.
The final iconic concept by Anne et Valentin is Forma-color. This design is born out of structured metal and softened acetate with the focal point in this series is its association of materials matched by its association of subtle colours. This is the chameleon of the eyewear world adapting to all personalities. Clean, gentle lines become chic and cheery. These original and bold Anne et Valentin eyeglasses make for a unique line that anticipates a clientele of eclectic taste who are intrigued by style and substance.
You can find these concepts and more by Anne et Valentin at Respect Eyecare in Inglewood Calgary.
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