Maïmouna Tirera is France’s only Black woman artisan lunetier, or eyeglass designer. She founded Maïwax in 2015 to bring more inclusive shapes, colors, and cultural elements into the French eyewear industry. A trained optician, Tirera noticed early in her career that most frames lacked proper fit and originality, especially for customers seeking distinctive styles. She decided to train further near the Swiss border, in a specialized field that only about 30 people in France practice. Of those, she says only one other artisan is Black.
Drawing from her Senegalese heritage, Tirera integrates West African elements into her work, including wax fabrics, cowrie shells, and Bogolan material from Mali. Her frames are made from cellulose acetate, a natural fiber derived primarily from cotton, which she processes in her own shop into durable and polished sheets used for eyeglasses.
Tirera’s first boutique was located in La Goutte d’Or, a Paris neighborhood often called “Little Africa.” For eight years, she served local and international customers there before moving to Quartier Saint-Paul in the historic Marais district. The move reflects the growth of her brand and the reach of her custom work.
Though she didn’t consider herself an artist at first, Tirera now collaborates with customers to bring their ideas to life. Each pair is handmade, whether for prescription use or fashion purposes. Today, Maïwax ships custom eyeglasses and sunglasses to clients around the world.
