AHLEM introduces 17 new frames in its latest collection which features both metal and acetate designs, united by the considered approach to proportion and restraint that has defined the Parisian eyewear label for more than a decade. Bronze is used in the metal frames in the collection for the first time
“This collection follows the same instinct that guides everything we make: A frame shouldn’t compete with the person wearing it, it should reveal them,” says AHLEM founder and designer, Ahlem Manai-Platt. Accompanying the releases is a campaign tracing the arc of intimacy two lovers travel over the course of a day. The dynamic emotional register of the imagery finds a parallel in the collection itself, where carefully judged proportions and detailed silhouettes are designed to complement, rather than dominate, the wearer.
The frames – which will be exhibited at SILMO next week, are described as having been “distilled to their essence” through a rigorous process of editing, whilst upholding core design vocabulary—architectural metals, refined opticals, everyday icons, bold geometrics—rendered with confident new lines, signature details and subtle innovations.
“In design, removing something is often much harder than adding something,” says Manai-Platt. “When I draw a frame, I keep removing until nothing else can disappear. What remains has to feel completely natural, almost obvious, even though it rarely is.”
The collection’s acetate frames are crafted from premium cuts derived from cotton flower, selected for depth of colour, durability and lightness. This season’s shades— ranging from striking jewel tones to translucent neutrals—were tested on human faces (as opposed to sample cards), and judged against changing light before approval. The result is a series of naturally radiant acetate frames that feel substantial in the hand but are lightweight on the face.
The optical frames include the square shape, Houdon, with its distinctive architectural structure, visible wire core in the temples and pared-down artistic colours, ranging from the greyish crystal “November Light” to the soft bluish “Petrol Light”.
Metal styles are electroplated with palladium and finished in 22k-gold, balancing palladium’s cool, strong structure with the warmth of gold illuminating the surface. This season AHLEM announces the introduction of a new material to its metal roster: a temple crafted from a nickel-free bronze, more than a year in development. Most eyewear makers avoid bronze due to its cost and the complexities faced when working with it.. AHLEM pursued it because, once mastered, bronze offers a stability that holds its shape, a gentleness against the skin and a lightness that contradicts its sturdy feel.
“You won’t notice it on the first day,” says Manai-Platt. “You’ll notice it six months in, when you’ve completely forgotten you’re wearing glasses at all. That’s the only kind of improvement I’ve ever really cared about—invisible at a glance, but enjoyed every time the frame is worn.”
Find out more about the new collection showing at SILMO Paris 2026 at www.ahlem-eyewear.com