POTTS POINT's independent optometrist - Australia's online eyewear boutique. Family owned & operated since 2000. Free Shipping.

AHLEM Eyewear - Spectacle Frames

Parisian-born Ahlem Manai-Platt launched her first eyewear collection in 2014; quickly becoming a globally recognised brand. Inspired by Bauhaus art principles of the early twentieth century, AHLEM eyewear represents a unique blend of art and culture.

...

Tradition x Modernity

To this day, AHLEM optical are designed in Los Angeles and hand made in Oyonnax, France. Throughout production, frames travel to just three ateliers and into the hands of nine skilled artisans, each with a specialisation learned over generations. For Manai-Platt, preserving the practices and intergenerational knowledge of French artisans is core to her mission. Every one of her frames worldwide can be traced to these three exclusive workshops and nine hands, a journey emblematic of their designer’s focus on tradition and quality.

AHLEM eyewear carries the fortitude and soft sophistication that the French are famous for. Select metal glasses are hammered by hand to produce subtly unique and textured frames. This practice, known as martele, originates from the Middle Ages and brings an aesthetic edge to otherwise minimalist frames. Other AHLEM glasses are decorated with a Bauhaus filigree of repeating round and triangular shapes, precisely engraved with lasers to produce their signature pattern. This engraving is featured on the temples, rims and nose pads of select frames, drawing out the angled features of their wearer. Palladium and 22k gold glasses are embellished with Manai-Platt’s signature triangular loops on each arm, rounded for comfort and with the lines of Bauhaus architecture. Together, each pair uniquely blends European quality with Los Angeles style, combining the rich tapestry of French history with contemporary refinement and minimalist designs.

Commitment To Sustainability

AHLEM optical for environmental protection and built to last a lifetime. Their commitment to quality is exhibited throughout their practices – from their specialised workshops and artisans to their exclusive use of durable materials and vintage accents. To maintain their high standards for quality and consistency, each production run is capped at strictly 300 pieces.

Manai-Platt was intentional in her approach to production, with both the company and its home country having an equal devotion to environmental sustainability and artistic reverence. Manai-Platt describes this as a deliberate choice – by locating her manufacturing in France, she could be confident that her products’ impact is consistent with her values. Furthermore, the limited sales of each design ensures AHLEM eye glasses are destined for collectors’ shelves, known for their artistic and timeless styles.

The Macleay Difference

Vendors of AHLEM glasses are handpicked by the company themselves – with only a handful of exclusive suppliers offering their products worldwide.

Macleay Optics has been supplying Sydney residents with AHLEM eyewear since early 2015. We stock a range of spectacles and sunglasses of both geometric and organic shapes; suited to all styles and genders. Each pair espouses the utility and practicality of contemporary design with traditional aesthetics.

Being a family-owned and independent vendor, Macleay Optics has an unbridled commitment to customer satisfaction and to finding the perfect frame for your portrait.

Browse our website or visit our Potts Point store to experience the history and decadent quality of French design for yourself.

  1. CHAMP DE MARS - BLUELIGHT
    Sold Out
  1. CHAMP DE MARS - THYMELIGHT
  1. GALLION - CHAMPAGNE
  1. LE MARAIS - YELLOW TURTLE
  1. PLACE DALIDA - ROSE GOLD
  1. PLACE DAUPHINE - PEONY GOLD
  1. PLACE DAUPHINE - ROSE GOLD
  1. PLACE DAUPHINE - WHITE GOLD
  1. PLACE DE LA BASTILLE - CHAMPAGNE WINDSOR
  1. PLACE WAGRAM - CHAMPAGNE
  1. RUE BERTHE - BURGUNDY
  1. RUE BONNET - SMOKEDLIGHT
  1. A flat topped, round pair of glasses with thick and bold geometric lines and semi-transparent deep dark blue polished acetate
  1. Front view round flat topped polished brown cellulose acetate Ahlem Eyewear spectacle frame
  1. RUE DE CHARONNE - CLASSIC TURTLE
  1. RUE DE LA ROQUETTE - BLACK
  1. RUE DE TURENNE - LIGHT TURTLE
  1. RUE DUROC - SMOKEDLIGHT
  1. RUE DUROC - YELLOW LINES
  1. VANEAU - ROSE GOLD