When the Palais Galliera inspires Ahlem

The collaboration unites AHLEM’s modern, minimalist eyewear with the PALAIS GALLIERA’s world-class fashion archive, in a partnership of extraordinary style.

“Every time I visit the Galliera, I walk away exhilarated and inspired,” says Ahlem Manai-Platt, founder of AHLEM. Never was this more true than when she had the privilege of viewing the exhibition Vogue Paris 1920-2020. “After hours wandering the galleries, I left feeling so energized that I took out my notebook in the taxi and immediately began sketching.” The resulting work paid homage to the Galliera’s dimensions and noblesse by synthesizing centuries of fashion’s history and heritage into one gaze. As she worked, Ahlem reflected on the archive’s enormous gift to culture: "that it honors the humble alongside the magnificent, the functional as well as the expressive, fashion’s process as well as its impact."

The culmination of that initial surge of inspiration is AHLEM’s  Galliera frame, which incorporates elevated concepts within simple forms. The Galliera is simultaneously casual and sophisticated, low-key and high-impact. Oversize, full-coverage lenses evoke the mystery, glamour and power associated with high fashion: These frames can shield the wearer from all intrusions, not just sunlight. But Ahlem was also interested in conveying something subtler. The Galliera’s architecture—sculptural curves and softly inverted lenses—is plainspoken and unadorned, almost gentle.

Minimalism is for the truly confident, because there’s nowhere to conceal poor craftsmanship or bad ideas. “I’m drawn to this tension between statement and understatement, between minimalist structure and maximalist effect,” says Ahlem. “To me, these dialogues are the essence of fashion."

The Galliera glaces, available in 4 colours, are sold at the Palais Galliera bookshop & store and on the AHLEM website.

Learn more : www.ahlemeyewear.com