In France, eyeglasses from different brands are sold by opticians, however, only a few of these opticians are artisan lunetiers (eyeglass designers).
Maïmouna Tirera is one of 30 eyeglass designers in France. Interestingly, she is the only Black woman eyeglass designer in the country, with only one other Black eyeglass designer, she said, according to Black Enterprise.
“Artisan is an official title. It means that you have been trained,” Tirera said through a translator.
Working as an optician, she observed early in her career the lack of colorful, original, unique and well-fitted frames in the market. To help reverse this, Tirera started her brand Maïwax inspired by her Senegalese roots.
In 2015 when she began her business, her aim goal was to promote French craftsmanship and African culture. Today, her custom eyeglasses include cowrie shells, wax fabrics found in West Africa, and other natural resources from the continent.
All her brand’s frames are made from cellulose acetate, which she describes as a natural plastic obtained mainly from cotton. Following a long manufacturing process, the plant fiber is transformed into a rigid and shiny sheet.
Her website says that “the resulting cellulose acetate is distinguished by its biodegradable and hypoallergenic properties, a guarantee of comfort and durability on par with Maïwax creations.”
Before Tirera launched her brand, she moved to Eastern France near the Swiss border to train in the art of designing eyeglasses.
Currently, she takes orders worldwide for her custom eyeglasses and sunglasses, whether those ordering have a prescription or not.
Maïwax started operations in the heart of La Goutte d’Or, a neighborhood in Paris’s 18th arrondissement called the “Little Africa of Paris.”
Eight years after being at this location, Tirera moved her shop to the Quartier Saint-Paul, part of Paris’s historic Marais district.
As someone who never saw herself being drawn into arts, Tirera is proud of what she has achieved in the sector.
“It’s a real pleasure [to be here],” she said of her brand’s success. “When someone comes in with ideas, I [enjoy] working together. This is really about exchanging ideas and [collaborating] to create the finished product.”
