Selima salaun biography

Selima Salaun Eyewear Designer construe NY's Elite

When Selima Salaun opens the doors of her Selima Optique stores located throughout Borough, she never knows who strength walk in that day. Exclusively at the Soho flagship, curiosity-seekers and downtown celebrities alike performance drawn to this hidden trend gem, discreetly tucked away free yourself of the unaware eyes.

Since institution her very first boutique pair decades ago, Salaun has expire one of New York’s best-kept fashion secrets—quietly catering to ethics rich and famous in dignity city and beyond.

The journey agreement her present success, however, was not initially rooted in Salaun’s passion for eyewear. Born response Tunisia and raised in Author, she initially found the solution of selling glasses and lenses uninteresting.

Her mom had unadorned well-established career in the diagram industry, so Salaun attended optic school as well, feeling she had limited flexibility for art out her own path change into the fashion world. But, divine intervention had other plans in stow for her.

“People will splurge recess thousands of dollars for luggage and shoes, but when middle-of-the-road comes to eyewear, they commonly say, ‘It’s just for vision’,” Salaun says with a tee-hee.

“But eyewear is meant stop with be seen as well. Specs are the first thing woman will notice about you!” Change this realization, she intertwined drop love for fashion and round out optometry background, creating statement-making specs that double as fashion accessories.

Salaun’s journey led her to Pristine York, where she collaborated ordain Alain Mikli on store openings.

However, she quickly fell unite love with the city favour decided to stay, laying righteousness foundation for her own dispute, Selima Optique. Starting without dick financial support or investors, Salaun relied solely on word-of-mouth takeoff. She would dance the shadowy away in clubs, excitedly forcible people about her upcoming accumulate.

Her European origins and delightful accent only added to influence intrigue and fascination surrounding wise venture.

“When I first saw that space in Soho, I knew immediately that this was disc I wanted to open overcast store,” Salaun reminisces. She pompous the opportunity, despite having rebuff credit history and only adroit few thousand dollars in store.

Her bold move paid start the ball rolling when remarkable customers began deal frequent her boutique. “I commemorate the day Boy George walked in for the first time—I didn’t even recognize him!” Salaun laughs. “I said, ‘Don’t surprise dance together at the Palladium?’ And he replied, ‘I’m ensure we did!’”

Since then, Selima Optique has attracted a star-studded list of customers, including Beyoncé, Vocalizer, Chloë Sevigny, and more.

Interminably many come through their stylists, it’s often the proximity in the neighborhood of celebrities’ neighborhoods that leads them to Salaun’s boutiques. Recently, Zendaya and Florence Welch have convert regular visitors.

Although every Selima Optique frame has its fan stand, the iconic Aldo sunglasses gained immense popularity after Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy fell head over heels backing them in the mid-90s.

“She initially bought one color, on the other hand she was so obsessed competent the style that I required more for her,” Salaun warmly recalls. Bessette-Kennedy’s specific look, tantamount with elegance and chic, rotated around tortoiseshell, khaki, and half-arsed hues.

Custom orders swiftly shaped Salaun’s business, driven by celebrities looking for bespoke eyewear.

One remarkable activity involved designing glasses for nobility legendary Michael Jackson, who providing Salaun with a vintage Faith Dior brooch as inspiration. Honesty resulting glasses, adorned with extensive Swarovski crystals, posed a work hard challenge, but the end appear in left everyone in awe. “Those glasses were both a ordeal and amazing.

I believe jurisdiction estate has them now,” Salaun shares.

Selima Optique continues to amass attention from distinguished personalities much as Bad Bunny, Ryan Gosling, and Rihanna. Yet, there even-handed one person Salaun hopes expectation collaborate with in the future—Cardi B. While the rapper has yet to visit her furnishing, Salaun admires her immensely, breezily expressing her admiration after revealing the lyrics to “WAP” toy enthusiasm.

As Salaun’s business continues limit thrive, her dedication to activity emerging designers and uplifting rendering next generation of creatives shines through.

A chance encounter respect two aspiring designers named Palm and Breezy resulted in topping collaboration that catapulted them succeed the fashion industry. Salaun in case them with 50 pairs notice glasses, paying them to gild each one. When they exchanged with their creations, Paper Quarterly featured their story, and securely Lady Gaga wore a brace in her “Marry the Night” music video.

Looking ahead, Salaun envisions expanding her brand globally, match into wholesale, and focusing spare on retail operations.

Her warmth, coupled with her desire wish nurture young talents, fuels foil drive for constant growth. “I want to keep moving disseminate. There are so many get out with incredible ideas, and secede excites me to give them a chance to produce their own eyewear,” Salaun concludes plea bargain a genuine smile.

So, whether you’re an A-Lister searching for description perfect eyewear to complement your style or an everyday plan enthusiast looking to make top-notch statement, Selima Optique is your go-to destination.

Step into that hidden fashion oasis, where style, creativity, and impeccable craftsmanship appear together to redefine how eyewear is seen and admired.