Ahlem Designs Expands to Melrose Place Ushering in a New Era of Luxury Eyewear

Nine years after launching her eponymous eyewear brand with a single store in Venice, Los Angeles, designer Ahlem Manai-Platt is expanding her global footprint with the upcoming opening of her second Los Angeles boutique in Melrose Place. This new location marks her fifth worldwide, joining existing stores in Paris, New York, and San Francisco. The expansion comes just months after Manai-Platt partnered with investment group 1686, signaling a new phase of ambitious projects for the brand.

Los Angeles holds a profoundly special place for Manai-Platt, serving as the birthplace of Ahlem. She describes it as the city where she took the risk of launching the brand, driven by an intuition that "something had to exist differently." It was also a place that offered immense freedom, fostering a more instinctive and less codified approach to living and creating. While her first boutique on Abbot Kinney embodied a "pioneering energy," the new Melrose Place location signifies a different chapter. Manai-Platt envisions it as a space reflecting "maturity, elegance, and intimacy," an evolution that tells another facet of the brand's story.

Each Ahlem boutique is meticulously designed to reflect Manai-Platt's state of mind at the time of its creation, acting as a "page in a diary." The Melrose Place store promises to be distinct from its predecessors, conceived not as a traditional retail space but as a "domestic space," akin to a quiet house where every detail serves a purpose. It will feature noble, raw, and timeless materials like metal, wood, and plaster, fostering an atmosphere that is both soothing and intense, refined yet never cold. The goal is to create a welcoming environment where visitors feel comfortable, even if they're not there to purchase.

A key offering at the new Melrose Place location will be a bespoke service, which Manai-Platt feels best embodies her passion for the profession. She sees it as going "far beyond the product," emphasizing human interaction, dialogue, and the creativity that arises from a personal encounter. This service involves deeply understanding a client's personality, gaze, and gestures, then translating that into a unique frame. It's also a deliberate stance against fast consumption, celebrating the time, attention, and care required to create an individual, unique object.

Beyond its emotional significance, California remains a pivotal market for the brand. Manai-Platt highlights its influence on her vision, particularly in the relationship with light, space, and time. She appreciates California's "very free way of appropriating objects—without codes, without snobbery," which resonates deeply with Ahlem's philosophy of creating glasses that are worn naturally and become an integral part of the wearer. Looking ahead, the brand plans further expansion within the United States, including a second store in New York City and a location in Chicago. Manai-Platt's strategy is not about widespread proliferation but about creating a select few, "very good ones," focusing on deeply rooted places that evolve into meeting points for the Ahlem community.

Ahlem's appeal also extends globally, notably in Japan, where Manai-Platt observes a profound appreciation for sincerity. She attributes this to Japan's culture of craftsmanship, precision, and skill, which aligns seamlessly with Ahlem's meticulous approach. The Japanese audience, she notes, discerns subtle details, even those unstated. This enthusiasm naturally leads to ambitions for a Tokyo opening, where Manai-Platt envisions creating a "silent, almost spiritual temple, centered around the idea of the gaze." The broader Asian market, including China and Korea, is identified as a key development area, approached with a focus on reaching audiences who value "well-made objects, authentic craftsmanship, and brands with soul," rather than purely commercial metrics.

The partnership with investment group 1686, a significant step for the previously independent designer, has proven to be a synergistic collaboration. Manai-Platt, who never envisioned opening up her capital, connected with the group on a personal level, finding partners who understand and respect her creative vision without attempting to alter it. This alliance was forged out of a desire for growth without compromising brand integrity. While retail development is a crucial component, the partnership's objectives are broader, encompassing brand consolidation, strengthening internal teams, improving manufacturing processes, and continually creating exceptional products. The overarching goal is to build something "sustainable and solid" that will remain relevant for decades.

Product innovation remains a driving force for Manai-Platt, with continuous exploration of new materials, shapes, and unexpected collaborations. There's a persistent desire to push boundaries further, with an increasing focus on bespoke designs and very limited series, akin to "works of art." This direction, she explains, is one that deeply fascinates her. Despite leaving Los Angeles five years ago, Manai-Platt expresses no regrets about relocating to Paris. She considers Paris her city, a place that has profoundly shaped her, giving her a depth she wouldn't have found elsewhere. In Paris, she feels "legitimate, aligned, rooted," affirming it as the only place where she can create with her "whole truth," even as California's influence continues to reside within her.