On the face of it, Valérie Carlotti had no predisposition whatsoever to take an interest in the world of eyewear, with the possible exception of an unbridled curiosity and an incessant entrepreneurial spirit. A chance meeting, however, marked the genesis of a new departure and the birth of a creative, luxurious and original world of eyewear.
In Paris, on one of fashion’s most legendary streets, 22 rue Cambon, in the heart of an international hub, she formalized her vision and created an exceptional boutique. A precious, resolutely contemporary showcase, unlike any other, far removed from impersonal spaces.
In a total break with these codes, here the very idea of the salon is favored, featuring intimacy and rare objects, exchange, listening and advice. It’s also about luxury. But it is this discreet, elegant, elitist luxury that offers time for oneself, for appreciating fine work, for rediscovering the pleasure of choosing.
Guided by her passion alone, Valérie knows better than anyone how to unearth talent. Making “no logo” her spearhead, she encourages encounters with passionate, multi-skilled Creators, and flushes out the goldsmiths who polish horn or shape wood. Intuitive, she hunts down alchemists who transform acetate into powder, make titanium as light as a breath, and make screws and hinges magically disappear. On the lookout, she seeks out the exclusivity of designers who transcend the fashion accessory in gold and diamonds to make it essential.
A CREATIVE GLASS WORLD.
A return to the fundamentals of the trade, with creativity and personality in the choice, excellence and expertise in the service, elegance and style in the silhouette. What you come to Carlotti for isn’t a pair of glasses, it’s a look.
In its Rue Cambon setting, designed with architect Véronique Laurent, nothing is left to chance, and the universe expresses itself around the single object of eyewear. Behind the elegant black façade, everything is wonderfully thought out. Luxurious materials and technical aspects are combined to create a look that is perfectly in tune with the object. Niches, like secret boxes, pierce the walls where, simply placed on sheets of glass, the glasses seem to float, as if levitating. Anthracite waxed concrete, absinthe-green or ice-blue silk velvet are used for the decor. On the ceiling, scrolls sculpt the light, which is reflected in scratched metal.
In this art-de-vivre universe, Valérie sets up a jewellery-inspired ceremonial worthy of a tea ceremony. An initiatory journey where the modus operandi begins on an iridescent leather table. With the help of a lighted mirror – to forget the shadows – in the luxurious confines of an intimate conversation, opticians decipher, beyond their technical skills, the habits, tastes and lifestyles of their customers in order to accompany them with attention and exacting standards as close as possible to their desires.
Like finery, the glasses appear, worn in black gloves, on a velvet tray; never more than five pairs at a time. The technological aspect is also essential. The scrupulous selection and ultra-precise sizing of lenses in the in-house workshop, and the perfection and millimeter-perfect adjustment of frames, are all part of this made-to-measure service.
Stopping off at 22, rue Cambon is a true experience, one of rediscovered pleasure, harmony, discovery and beauty. Today, CARLOTTI creates a new way of looking at eyewear, a certain idea of ALLURE.
Carlotti
L’ALCHIMISTE DE L’ALLURE
UN UNIVERS UNIVERS LUNETIER CRÉATIF
22, RUE CAMBON – PARIS 1er
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