VAKAY Eyewear began with a single request in 2012 when a client asked Tunisian designer Amine Gharbi for a pair of wooden sunglasses. The idea grew quickly. Together with his brother Hichem Gharbi, and later with engineer Majdi Ghorbel and designer Ashref Chichini, the small experiment became the first premium handmade eyewear label to design and manufacture entirely in Tunisia. Early collections reached opticians and concept stores in Tunis, Paris and Barcelona, recognised for their strong geometry and Mediterranean character. What started as an artisanal studio has developed into a full scale production company that exports Tunisian eyewear design to international boutiques while keeping its creative base in Tunis.
Natural Innovation In Materials
Each pair of VAKAY sunglasses is produced in Tunisia from start to finish. Local artisans prepare and stabilise hardwoods such as olive wood, walnut and ebony before shaping and polishing every component by hand. Frames combine these woods with Italian Mazzucchelli acetate, stainless steel or 18 carat gold detailing, and Carl Zeiss lenses. The process merges woodworking, jewellery making and precision engineering. Sanding, cutting and finishing are done in small batches to maintain control over every surface. The result is handcrafted eyewear that feels substantial, functional and distinct, with the texture of craft and the accuracy of design.
VAKAY Eyewear collections, including Paragon, Escapade and Heritage, show how materials and culture can inform modern form. The lines are sculptural and balanced, taking inspiration from Mediterranean architecture, local craftsmanship and the colours of Tunisian stone and metal. The Heritage series incorporates jewellery techniques from the Sfax medina, a reminder that VAKAY continues to build on regional expertise rather than outsource it. Each model is refined through a long process of testing for proportion, weight and visual rhythm.
"We love our work and our manual processes. We give the best of ourselves for good manipulation of natural materials to materialize comfort with a distinctive design."
