Some names leave a mark on their time; others help shape it. J.F. Rey does both. Founded in Marseille in 1995, J.F. Rey has become an international benchmark in eyewear design. It stands for a bold, creative, and free-spirited vision of eyewear that blends artisanal craftsmanship with cuffing-edge innovation and strong stylistic choices. Known for its distinctive, colourful frames, J.F. Rey has won more than 20 prestigious awards worldwide. 

The brand thrives on a forward-thinking approach, constantly exploring new materials, shapes and techniques. With an in-house design studio, a multicultural team, and distribution in over 50 countries, J.F. Rey embraces an experimental take on design.

"This year, we're proudly marking 40 years of daring design and creative freedom," Fabrice Albert, CEO since 2024, tells us. "To celebrate this major milestone, we've staying true to our 'Beyond Limits' philosophy. Our teams have poured their passion and worked hard on the new collection, including exclusive previews and a special anniversary series that traces our creative journey, all this will be unveiled at Silmo."

It all began in the Jura, historically, this region is the heart of French eyewear. Alongside his father, a skilled eyewear maker, Jean-Francois Rey discovered at an early age a love for fine materials, precision craftsmanship and attention to detail. This artisanal know-how would become the foundation of his creative approach, deeply inspired by his passion for art and design. In Marseille, he launched his first collections with immediate success.

The Paris fashion scene quickly took notice, leading him to open a showroom in the capital and collaborate with major fashion houses of the 1980s, including Agnes B., Bensimon, and Issey Miyake. The latter's Japanese aesthetic left a lasting mark on his work. These key encounters pushed him to explore a new kind of eyewear: bold, independent and unconstrained.

It was the start of a style that broke away from traditional norms. In an era dominated by functional eyewear, Jean-Francois Rey dared to be disruptive, employing bold colours, graphic lines and radical materials. Alongside design pioneers like Mikli and Khanh, he transformed glasses into style statements. The J.F. Rey style was born: vibrant, offbeat and unmistakably free. In the 1990s, joined by his wife Joëlle as Artistic Director, the brand sharpened its identity: bold contrasts, architectural lines and fearless colour.

Launched in 1995, J.F. Rey quickly gained global recognition for its design-led approach. From 2002, with the founding of the Ellaps factory, the brand deepened its commitment to French craftsmanship. It expanded into distinct collections: Boz, Kids & Teens, Petite, Volte Face, and Sky Eyes. Iconic models like the JF2180 and Scorpion redefined the market, while award-winning lines like Carbon Inside and Sledge pushed boundaries further.

J.F. Rey remains a benchmark in eyewear: visionary, expressive and unapologetically bold. "Our Sledge Series is arguably the most emblematic expression of J.F. Rey's identity and design direction," Fabrice Albert says. "It encapsulates the brand's ongoing commitment to innovation, structure-driven design, and construction and material experimentation. This concept revisits those early industrial roots while incorporating new textures, layered geometries and bold chromatic contrasts. In this way, the essence isn't lost, it's reimagined. The archive serves as a creative springboard, not as a constraint."

Originally published in Eyebook 35 (September 2025)