(PRESS RELEASE) LOS ANGELES & PARIS — Luxury brand AHLEM, the award-winning eyewear label headquartered in Los Angeles, today announced its strategic partnership with 1686 Partners, the Luxembourg-based private equity firm specializing in purpose-driven lifestyle companies. 1686 Partners’ investment will support the brand’s expansion globally, enhancing AHLEM’s retail presence, client services, wholesale operations, marketing initiatives and production capacity. Powered by the 1686 Partners funding and the leadership of newly appointed CEO Enrico Sanavia, AHLEM aims to double business within three years and establish itself as the most recognized and respected luxury eyewear company in the world.
“We are delighted to join forces with the team at 1686 Partners, whose uncompromising principles around responsible growth prove it is possible for companies to develop with integrity,” says Ahlem Manai-Platt, AHLEM’s founder and creative director. “I’ve always run my business on intuition, and after meeting with the team I knew that this would not just be an investor relationship but a partnership of unified vision. We share the same priority: To build a meaningful and enduring legacy.”
Founded in 2014, AHLEM’s timeless aesthetic and emphasis on craftsmanship have made the company’s frames a favorite of cultural tastemakers. High-profile collaborations with musicians Leon Bridges and Beck, Vogue editor Jorden Bickham and GQ’s Fashion Director at Large Mobolaji Dawodu, philanthropic organizations such as (RED)—as well as a devoted celebrity clientele—have fueled the brand’s ascent in the international creative community and beyond. In the past five years sales have doubled, with new retail ateliers opening in Paris and San Francisco to join AHLEM’s flagship stores in Venice Beach and New York City.
As demand has increased, AHLEM has remained committed to its philosophy of minimalism in both design and footprint. Recognized as a pace-setter in environmental standards for the eyewear industry, the company developed reusable and compostable packaging alternatives and introduced an upcycling initiative that gives second life to used frames. This “protect and respect” approach extends to the heritage of the French savoir-faire behind AHLEM’s handmade frames. “We love technical innovations and use them frequently in our work,” explains Manai-Platt. “But the soul of AHLEM will always be in the original technology of human skill.”
In 1686 Partners, AHLEM discovers a uniquely synergistic partnership. Founded in 2023, the platform aims to transform innovative companies into industry leaders. 1686 Partners investments look beyond pure financial logic; reflecting a new generation’s priorities, the fund champions brands with strong values, promoting technological innovation, sustainable materials and eco-responsible distribution channels.
