In Vancouver, Niche Eyewear is the go-to, and Valerie Afriat travels the world to source the very best in artisanal, independent, hand crafted eyewear selections. Her connection to her craft was formed early on, hanging out with the fashion designers and seamstresses at her parents’ Montreal clothing factory. “I was captivated by the magic of transformation,” she recalls.“Watching designers take a simple piece of fabric and turn it into something extraordinary sparked my imagination.
“It wasn’t just about the creation of new garments; it was about the journey of turning an idea into reality and I was most fascinated by the emotion that accompanied wearing something crafted uniquely for me.” She discovered that selection of colours, textures, and fi nishes to create one-of-a-kind pieces proved exhilarating. “The transition from ordinary to exceptional in what I wore made me feel like a million bucks. “Even at a young age, I relished that sense of individuality and specialness.
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“ Watching designers take a simple piece of fabric and turn it into something extraordinary sparked my imagination.”
“The joy of crafting something that could transform ‘blah’ into spectacular was both invigorating and addictive, and it left a lasting impression on my love for design and creativity.” As someone who started wearing glasses as a child and having to come up with her own outfits, she found it frustrating to have to wear boring frames. “I hated that we all looked the same back then,” she recalls of her childhood eyewear options. Growing up, finding eyewear that reflected her personality became an obsession.“There was a freedom in being able to make something that fit properly, and in the colours and textures I liked.”
Valerie soon came to discover that the eyewear business incorporates significant handmade aspects. Upon graduation, she moved to Toronto and toiled in all levels of the fashion industry, from retail to wholesale. In 2018, Afriat moved across the country and opened her first Niche Eyewear Boutique in Vancouver’s Main Street neighbourhood.Today, Niche Eyewear has three Lower Mainland locations. Valerie Afriat designed and built out the locations’ interiors herself, right down to the furniture.
The clean, linear look and all-white background keep the emphasis on the frames while remaining welcoming and “not too medical.”
She exudes appreciation with the company’s growth.
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“ The transition from ordinary to exceptional in what I wore made me feel like a million bucks.”
“Growth in a niche market like eyewear often refl ects hard work, creativity, and a deep understanding of the customer’s needs and trends,” she says.“It’s been six years since I opened my fi rst location. “I look at it like a labour of love and can’t believe where I am. “I sometimes have to pinch myself.” And whether the glasses are by prescription or merely a fashion accessory, Afriat assures that there is a frame to fi t every face.“Yea, there is,” she declares, adding, and it’s not always by following any standards set out by the industry.
“While individual preferences play a signifi cant role in choosing eyewear, there are general frame styles that tend to complement specifi c face shapes: but some of our designs do not follow any of these rules.“I suggest you come in and give us one to two hours to set out for a complete makeover.“Relax and have fun while we go through a selection of diff erent shapes and styles and colours to fi nally fi nd that one frame that illuminates who you are and truly makes you smile.”
