Eyestylist

French eyewear company Morel has an eyewear legacy dating back to 1880. Today its history and world of craftsmanship is exhibited in a permanent exhibition at the company headquarters in the Jura in France. In a conversation with Amélie Morel in New York, Eyestylist asked about the curation of the precious materials and how the story of the company unfolds….

Inaugurated in early 2025, the exhibition of company archives and eyewear dating back to the 1880s has been curated inside Morel’s headquarters located in the Jura, the spectacle making region of France. On display is a selection of around 250 of the most representative frames from Morel’s heritage, including both optical frames and sunglasses. The exhibition also features a wide range of related communication materials such as point-of-sale displays, promotional items and catalogues, as well as a variety of objects which reflect the mood and design direction through different decades. Above: illustrating the history of the family-owned company, the exhibition includes company archives, iconic Morel frames and early advertising and promotional materials – a campaign image featuring Amélie and her brothers as children is included in the display

We asked Amélie to highlight her favourite piece amongst the displays. “It’s hard to choose just one favourite,” she said, — “146 years of history can’t be summed up in a single highlight. My three favourites come from different areas: product, communication, and events. First, on the product side, model Tydée, a Morel design which perfectly illustrates our eyewear expertise. This design was developed in multiple shapes, sizes, and colours, and has sold over one million units worldwide. Made from very fine goldfilled wire, it marked a real turning point in Morel’s success and international expansion, particularly in Asia.
I am also very fond of an image from a 1976 advertising campaign. My brothers and I took part as models, which makes it an exceptional personal memory. Even today, this campaign remains highly representative of Morel’s identity.
Finally, my third highlight here is all about SILMO. Since 1967, SILMO has set the pace for new product launches and provided opportunities to meet partners from around the world. It’s a place for connection, exchange, and discovery—and a joyful moment each year for all the Morel teams.”

A particular highlight in the space is a recreation of the original workshop of Jules Morel, dating back to 1880, which has been carefully preserved and presented with the original period tools, accounting books, and even the founder’s original business cards.

“What has been most interesting about creating this curated display is having a place entirely dedicated to our brand, where we can share our story—both as an industrial company and as a family. It has also allowed us to highlight the key moments, the people behind the company, and of course our craftsmanship….” Amélie Morel, Communications Director, Morel 

Asked to mention the most recent piece on display in the permanent exhibition, Amélie told Eyestylist: “It is a piece that dates from the 2000s featuring what were, at the time, highly innovative materials—such as wood, leather, wicker, carbon and even mother-of-pearl. These designs highlight the use of exceptional materials and showcase the craftsmanship and expertise of the artisans working here at Morel.”

Historically, Morel is perhaps particularly well-known by connoisseurs of eyewear for their gold-filled frames dating from around 1957. These wire rim designs were admired – and still are greatly – for their quality of design and refinement, using fine materials and authentic workmanship. Today the company is involved in many new directions in terms of developing their collections. They have an established collaboration collection with the world-famous architect Jean Nouvel and a relatively new line launched with the French designer, Constance Guisset.

Asked what feedback the company has received from visitors to the space so far since the opening last year, Amélie Morel observed:  “Visitors generally leave feeling impressed by the richness of our history and our know-how. Honestly, they love it! We are very proud of our heritage and every chance we get to share it with our partners.”

Images by Ben Becker, published by kind permission of Morel.  Find out more about the French eyewear company, Morel at https://morel.com.

Amélie Morel is Communications Director of Morel and President of SILMO Paris (since April 2017)  – https://www.silmoparis.com.

This is an exclusive feature written by Clodagh Norton following a conversation with Amelie Morel at LOFT in March 2026. All rights reserved.