Quick answer: Caroline Abram is a Parisian eyewear designer known for sculptural cat-eye, butterfly, and panthos frames made in France from resin, wood, silver, and semi-precious stones. City Optix, San Francisco’s Marina District optometrist since 1986, carries a rotating designer collection and offers in-person try-ons at 2154 Chestnut Street.
Who Is Caroline Abram?
Caroline Abram trained as an optician working in designer-oriented boutiques before spending years at storied French eyewear houses Alain Mikli and Face a Face. That apprenticeship shaped her eye for what makes a frame worth wearing: precise construction, unusual materials, and a shape that does something for the face rather than just sitting on it.
She launched her own eyewear line in 2008 with a debut collection built almost entirely around cat-eye shapes, a reaction to how unfeminine most retro reissues felt at the time. The bet paid off: her designs earned the Silmo d’Or, the eyewear industry’s top design award, in both 2010 and 2012, and the brand is now carried in roughly 3,000 optical stores across 54 countries, made exclusively in France.
What Makes Caroline Abram Frames Distinct
Every collection pulls from the same well of references: 1960s fashion, Miami art deco, and the designer’s own Senegalese heritage. That mix shows up as:
- Butterfly curves, panthos, and oversize cat-eyes, shapes with real presence, not safe ovals
- Rare materials, resin, wood, sterling silver, semi-precious stones, and Swarovski crystal detailing, often combined in a single frame
- Jewelry-level finishing, hardware and temple details built more like accessories than hardware
- A distinctly feminine point of view, frames designed to flatter, not just fit
It’s a brand for someone who wants their glasses to read as a piece of styling, not just a prescription. If you gravitate toward statement jewelry, vintage-inspired pieces, or frames that start a conversation, Caroline Abram is worth trying on before you commit to something safer.
Why See Them at City Optix
City Optix has been the Marina District’s eye care fixture since the 1980s. Dr. Rich and the team pair real eye exams and contact lens fittings with a genuinely curated frame collection, not just a wall of inventory. The shop’s whole philosophy is that photos are a starting point and the decision happens in the mirror: how the shape sits against your face, how the color reads against your skin tone, whether the proportion is actually right for you.
That in-person, no-pressure fitting process is exactly how a detail-heavy brand like Caroline Abram should be shopped. Crystal accents, sculpted acetate, and unusual color combinations photograph differently than they wear, so it helps to get a second look from someone trained to assess fit, not just style.
Visit City Optix at 2154 Chestnut Street, San Francisco (Marina District). Walk-ins welcome, Monday through Saturday, 10am to 6pm. Call (415) 921-1444 to check what’s currently in the case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does City Optix carry Caroline Abram eyewear?
City Optix carries a rotating, hand-curated selection of designer frames. Availability of specific Caroline Abram styles changes with each drop, so call ahead or stop by to see what’s currently in stock.
What is Caroline Abram eyewear known for?
French-made frames known for cat-eye, butterfly, and panthos shapes, built from resin, wood, silver, and semi-precious stones, with a design point of view rooted in 1960s fashion and art deco.
Is Caroline Abram a luxury eyewear brand?
Yes. The brand has won the Silmo d’Or design award twice (2010 and 2012) and is sold in around 3,000 optical stores in 54 countries, all manufactured in France.
Where can I try on Caroline Abram glasses in San Francisco?
City Optix in the Marina District (2154 Chestnut Street) offers in-person try-ons and fitting guidance for its designer eyewear collection, walk-ins welcome.