Anne et Valentin

From the desire to create for others what I want for myself…

From the desire to create for others what I want for myself…
Anne et Valentin’s sole existence is due to the chance encounter of Anne and Valentin. The adventure began in September 1980 when Valentin, a neo-hippie, obtained his optician’s degree and Anne wanted to offer frames that evoked intelligence and maturity, yet were artistic and playful as well. Together the young couple became eager to open an optical shop with an approach that was considered radical at the time.

From day one, rather than trying to adapt the customer to a frame, Anne and Valentin instead worked to find the perfect frame for each customer. This was a revolutionary approach that quickly met with limitations. There weren’t enough frame companies producing the styles and designs that Anne and Valentin wanted to offer their customers. They knew what they had to do…Anne began drawing their first designs, and sent them to be prototyped in a small, local workshop. In 1984, they launched their first collection, simply named Anne et Valentin.

In Toulouse, where the company began and where it is headquartered today, the Anne et Valentin founding mission continues – creating glasses with conviction! Anne et Valentin combines savoir-faire with an equal mix of respect and anti-conformism, to create frames that never let you down. Their design process is akin to alchemy; mixing geometric cuts, brilliant colors and textures. Each time you put on an Anne et Valentin frame, you present yourself to the world. Anne et Valentin works to create noble and radical eyewear with the ultimate goal to produce a frame that not only reveals, but becomes a signature of the wearer’s personality.

Anne et Valentin’s independence allows them to create glasses for a niche group of people who are looking for quirky, colorful, artsy, post-modern, retro, chic eyewear. Anne et Valentin does not create eyewear for the masses. As Valentin explains “We will never take a broad approach to address more people – because then you need to go to simple designs. So we will continue to develop great frames for a narrow distribution”.

We invite you to stop by Artisan Optics and experience eyewear with conviction for yourself.