The Bonnet family has been involved in eyeglass design for four generations. The story starts in the 1930s with Alfred Bonnet, a craftsman in a spectacle workshop in Morez (still known as the capital of eyewear design). As early as then, Alfred Bonnet had made gold and shell frames his speciality.

After Alfred came Robert Bonnet. Robert joined the prestigious Maison Achard, and later supervised all operations at Boidot. At the time, both these companies had an impeccable reputation in designing and making luxury eyewear. Robert, having gained a reputation in his own right through his unique skills, did justice to his entrepreneurial nature by creating Maison Bonnet in 1950. From the day of its opening, the Maison has specialized in custom-made eyewear, exclusively hand-crafted using precious materials.

It was with Christian Bonnet, Robert’s son, that Maison Bonnet reached the next level. At age 14, Christian Bonnet studied optical sciences at the Pasteur Institute while practicing the family craft at the Bonnet workshop. He naturally took over from his father in 1980. Resisting market constraints and fickle trends, he managed to maintain the excellent reputation of the Maison at a time when a lot of its competitors disappeared. The Maison’s rich heritage was perfected through collaboration with masters like Jacques Rameau and Francois Mandon. They passed their secrets, their tools and their stocks on to Christian Bonnet.

In 2000, Christian Bonnet received the distinction of « Maitre d’Art » (Art Master) from the French Ministry of Culture. He joined a very exclusive circle of 74 craftsmen representing French savoir-faire in different areas of craftsmanship. It was natural for Maison Bonnet to join this exclusive community, with the unique work it performs on turtle shell. Even today, every pair is made in the legendary workshop in the town of Sens, Burgundy.

Christian Bonnet’s son, Franck, followed in his father’s prestigious footsteps, adding a burst of flamboyance to the family’s traditional craftsmanship. Together with his brother Steven, an expert on acetate, he modernized Maison Bonnet to propel it into the 21st century. As a result of all these efforts, Maison Bonnet received the label “Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant” (‘Living National Heritage Company’). In 2009, Maison Bonnet opened its first Parisian showcase. The initiative met with great success and the Maison joined the ranks of Paris-based luxury institutions.