Paloceras Sculpting Vision Into Wearable Fantasy
Paloceras stands out not merely as a luxury brand but as a creative provocateur, a house that crafts glasses as artefacts, not accessories
In an era where eyewear straddles the line between fashion and function, a new generation of designers has begun to redefine what it means to see and be seen.
Among them, founded in 2022 by two visionary designers, Paloceras has quickly emerged as one of the most compelling voices in contemporary eyewear design, blurring the boundaries between sculptural art and wearable objects.
Origins: A Meeting of Minds
The story of Paloceras begins not in a corporate design studio but in the vibrant corridors of one of Europe’s most experimental art and design schools. It was at L’École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne (ECAL) in Switzerland that Finnish designer Mika Matikainen and Canadian designer Alexis Perron-Corriveau first crossed paths during a Master’s programme in Design for Luxury & Craftsmanship.
Matikainen arrived with a background rooted in digital environments, a designer who had spent years navigating interfaces and visual systems and who was yearning for a more tangible craft. Perron-Corriveau, on the other hand, came from a hands-on tradition rooted in woodworking and architectural materials, trained to think in physical forms and richly
layered surfaces.
Their partnership sparked not through strategy but through curiosity. Late-night conversations after class, shared hikes in the Alps, and ruminations on what it means to make led to an idea: what if eyewear could be more than an industrial product? What if it could be an expression of imagination, an object that feels like a story when you place it on your face? The name “Paloceras” itself emerged organically — inspired by the Latin term Rhopalocera, meaning butterfly, but reimagined and shortened in a moment of creative serendipity on a walk through a Swiss park.
Philosophy: Between Dream and Reality
From the beginning, Paloceras positioned itself not simply as a maker of glasses but as a narrator of vision. The brand’s philosophy resides in a liminal space: between what is seen and what is felt. Its founders describe their work as “fantasy eyewear,” a term that encapsulates the poetic tension between conceptual design and palpable wearability. Every piece is conceived digitally first — a virtual apparition that exists in code and imagination before it ever becomes physical.
This fusion of digital genesis and tactile execution is central to the brand’s creative language. In a world where most eyewear design begins with conventional sketches and follows predictable archetypes, Paloceras embraces computational design and virtual simulation to let forms emerge intuitively.
Then, with artisan precision, those forms are translated into Mazzucchelli acetate frames, polished and perfected by hand. CR39 lenses with high-clarity coatings are integrated, not as an afterthought, but as an intentional part of how each piece communicates with light and the human eye.
Design Signature: Sculptural Presence
What sets Paloceras apart visually is its audacious sculptural language. The brand’s first major offering, the Pebble Collection, introduced a series of frames that eschew minimalist reduction in favour of what feels like sculpted presence. Rounded yet bold, these acetate frames — conceived through generative digital processes — resemble river stones or glass formed by natural forces. They possess a tactile quality that invites touch, a depth of colour achieved through custom lamination techniques, and forms that feel familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.
Rather than following industry conventions, Paloceras designs shapes that play with volume — inflated contours and layered surfaces that feel alive or in motion even when still. Colourways like Lilac Dream, Havana Gold, and Galaxy Glaze are not merely finishes but expressions of a mood or narrative, each one a fragment of a broader visual lexicon.
Expanding Narratives: Beyond Sunglasses
In 2026, Paloceras continues its trajectory not by scaling up in the conventional sense but by deepening its cultural footprint. Its Nouvelle Fiction optical collection signalled a shift toward everyday wearability without sacrificing expressive identity. These frames reflect a broader shift in luxury consumption — where buyers seek objects that integrate into daily life while still articulating character and presence.
Simultaneously, the brand explored collaborations and multi-media expressions. A silk scarf collection with London drag icon Bo Quinn, for example, fused Paloceras’s visual language with performative art, underscoring that the brand’s ambition stretches beyond eyewear to encompass wider cultural textures.
Cultural Reception and Influence
Though young, Paloceras has already garnered significant attention in fashion and design circles. The brand has been featured in Vogue Portugal, Harper’s Bazaar, Numéro Switzerland, and the Financial Times, earning praise for its sculptural vision and conceptual depth. Early adopters include creative professionals and tastemakers, drawn to eyewear that feels distinctive, narrative-rich, and unmistakably present.
Importantly, Paloceras has also expanded geographically. What started as a European indie house now sells globally — online with virtual try-on capabilities and through a curated network of boutiques in major cities, including showrooms by appointment in Helsinki, Lisbon, Ferrol,
and New York.
Paloceras is a brand that refuses the comfort of trend-driven design, choosing instead to engage with what eyewear could mean — as a personal artefact, a sculptural presence and a narrative agent in how we present ourselves to the world. Many luxury eyewear brands lean on heritage or celebrity endorsement, but Paloceras stands apart by anchoring its identity in conceptual exploration.
This is eyewear conceived not just as an optical tool but as a medium for imagination, where every frame encapsulates a tension between reality and resonance. As Paloceras continues to evolve — gently broadening its collections while retaining its core ethos — it remains a compelling example of how design, identity and craft converge in the next phase of luxury eyewear.
The Alchemy of Materials
At the core of the brand’s craft is an appreciation for both heritage and experimentation. Paloceras frames are born from the finest materials available: premium acetate for structure and depth, CR39 lenses for optical clarity, and bespoke hardware that underscores durability without diminishing elegance. The brand also offers bespoke services from its London atelier, where customers can tailor size, colour, and detailing — reinforcing its identity as a house of personalised luxury.
One of the brand’s most distinctive moves came in 2025 with Hydroceras, a limited edition series that leaned into the possibilities of 3D printing and digital form generation. Described by design press as “like liquid frozen in time,” Hydroceras frames exemplify Paloceras’s commitment to advancing craft through technological means. They are not just eyewear but sculptural experiments in how material and algorithmic form can intersect.
