Max Pittion

Nestled in the Jura Mountains, the French town of Oyonnax was once home to woodworking and cowhorn carving artisans responsible for the world’s finest combs. During a time of French artistic revival in the wake of World War II, a young design visionary named Max Pittion was immersing himself in the world of new plastics and acetate technology. He transformed his father’s humble comb-making business into the one of the world’s finest handmade eyewear producers: Pittion Lunetterie.

In the years that followed, Monsieur Pittion quietly designed and produced frames on behalf of many famous fashion houses like Lanvin and Azzaro. In 1967 he founded the Salon International de la Lunetterie. SILMO, as it is known, it still considered to be the most prestigious eye wear fair in the world.

Max’s bold, daring designs were painstakingly engineered to the highest possible standards. His boundary-pushing innovation in materials and processes resulted in rich, exquisite and entirely unique hues. His most iconic frame, the Politician, graced the faces of artists, tastemakers and Hollywood stars alike. Since their debut in the 1960s and ‘70s, Pittion’s elegant styles have retained their cult appeal among those who know the story of this most enigmatic brand.

Today, another eye wear industry legend continues Max Pittion’s legacy of timeless design, exquisite handcraft, and material innovation. The Light Co’s Tommy O’Gara, working in collaboration with Max’s son, Bernard Pittion, has been entrusted with the brand’s revival, both honoring and evolving its core offering. Expert craftsmen and technicians, headquartered in Japan, now produce these legendary designs by hand from plant-based cellulose acetate, using responsible production techniques and heritage equipment. This next chapter is inspired by a fusion of Max’s uncompromising designs, energized by Tommy’s meticulous approach to creativity.