Max Pittion
Franco-Japanese heritage eyewear, handmade in Sabae.
Philosophy
French heritage, Japanese technique. Each frame is handmade in Sabae in small batches. Japanese cotton-based acetate, brass hinges, medical-grade titanium. No mass production, no shortcuts. Original 1940s-70s designs reinterpreted with Sabae precision.
History
Max Pittion is a story in two acts. The first unfolds in Oyonnax, at the foot of the French Alps. Max Pittion, the real one, transformed his father's comb workshop into an eyewear house after the war. Pittion Lunetterie produced for Lanvin, Azzaro, and Max founded the SILMO in 1967, the international eyewear fair that still exists today. The Politician and Polaris models became classics worn by Hollywood stars. Then time passed, and the brand faded.
Second act: Tommy O'Gara, an American based in Japan, former creative director of Dita Eyewear, picks up the brand. He relaunches it from Sabae, Japan's eyewear city, through his company The Light Co. Ltd. (founded 2013). Musician John Mayer owns the brand. Each frame is handmade by a small team of artisans in Sabae.
The result is a fascinating hybrid. The shapes are French - round, bold, with that slightly offbeat elegance of the 1960s. The manufacturing is Japanese - proprietary cotton-based acetate, brass hinges, medical-grade titanium. Tolerances are measured in millimeters.
Quantities are deliberately restricted. No large runs, some models become deadstock once sold out. The price is high but justified by the level of craftsmanship. For eyewear enthusiasts who want something between authentic French vintage and contemporary Japanese precision, Max Pittion occupies a unique niche.