A Comprehensive Guide to JACQUES MARIE MAGE | Why It Captivates Eyewear Enthusiasts Around the World

LOOK from the launch of the first collection in 2015 (from the official JMM "La Maison" page)

Even for those accustomed to eyewear, the moment they first pick up a pair of JACQUES MARIE MAGE (hereafter JMM) glasses, they will find themselves unable to look away.

Thick acetate. Three-dimensional cutting. Adornments reminiscent of precious metals. And a distinctive sense of weight and substance that can be felt the moment you hold them.

At first glance, they appear bold and highly distinctive. Yet when you actually wear them, they offer more than mere flash, leaving a mysterious sense of elegance around the face. This "coexistence of boldness and refinement" is a major reason why JMM attracts eyewear fans from around the world.

Based on the brand overview previously provided by TOKYO MEGANE JUNK, this article thoroughly explores JMM's appeal, from the life of founder Jérôme Mage to limited production, Japanese craftsmanship, iconic details, and collaborations.

◎What is JACQUES MARIE MAGE?

JMM is a luxury eyewear brand founded in Los Angeles by French designer Jérôme Jacques Marie Mage.

The brand was founded in 2014. After several years of development, it unveiled its first collection in the spring of 2015. While design is based in Los Angeles, the frames are carefully crafted in small quantities in highly skilled workshops, primarily in Japan.

Jérôme's sources of inspiration are not limited to eyewear. He draws from cultures spanning different eras and regions—the First French Empire, Art Deco, American Western culture, film, music, photography, architecture, and motor culture—and translates them into a single frame.

This is why JMM glasses have an atmosphere distinct from both mere vintage reproductions and pure modern fashion. While respecting past designs, they are reconstructed with the scale and tension that suit contemporary faces.

◎Founder Jérôme Mage | A Designer of "Lines" and Stories

Founder and Creative Director Jérôme Mage (from the official JMM "La Maison" page)

His Origins: The "Clean Lines" of Comics

Jérôme Mage grew up in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne region of central France. As a child, he was passionately drawn to American comics such as X-MEN and Spider-Man. He reflects that the "sense of drawing clean, unnecessary lines" he honed then continues to influence his eyewear design today.

From Paris to Los Angeles

At age 15, he moved alone to Paris to study art and design. After studying product design, he moved to Los Angeles at age 21. At that time, California was experiencing the rapid spread of action sports cultures such as snowboarding, skateboarding, and motocross. In the free atmosphere of California, which differed from France, Jérôme worked on the design of the street eyewear brand SPY and gained experience with products including sunglasses.

A Perspective Honed Through Sports, Mass Production Design, and Watches

In 2001, he founded his own design studio. With clients such as Quiksilver and Burton, he worked broadly on apparel, goggles, eyewear, and watches. Through work that considered not only fashion but also the functionality required to withstand intense movement and the conditions of mass production, he developed the ability to unite form and practicality.

In 2009, he co-founded the French watch brand MARCH LA.B with Alain Malick and Joseph Châtel, serving as Creative Director in charge of design. His experience translating the forms of Los Angeles and Biarritz, the 1970s, and French elegance into modern watches continues to influence JMM today. After approximately two years of development, MARCH LA.B unveiled its first watch in 2011.

Toward the Glasses He Truly Wanted to Create

As his career progressed, Jérôme gradually began to feel that he could not express what he truly wanted to create through projects that prioritized profit and efficiency. Choosing eyewear over shoes, both of which he loved, he began development in 2013. He founded JMM in 2014 and released the first collection in the spring of 2015.

The lines he learned from comics, the functionality of action sports, the precision of watches, French history and ornamentation, the free culture of Los Angeles, and Japanese craftsmanship. JMM glasses do not fit into a single style because Jérôme's own journey has crossed different cultures and products.

For reference: HOOK "INTERVIEW — JEROME MAGE" / MARCH LA.B Official Brand History

◎JMM Appeal 1 | The Exclusivity of "Limited Production"

When discussing JMM, limited production is the first thing that cannot be overlooked.

For many models, the production quantity for each color is predetermined, and the inside of the temple is engraved with a serial number indicating "X of Y." Most are produced in quantities of several hundred, but special collections may be made in editions of dozens or even fewer.

While the same model name may reappear in a different color or specification, the exact same pair from that edition is not always available. The encounter with a favorite shape, color, and production number is itself a once-in-a-lifetime event.

This rarity is not merely a device to stimulate the desire for ownership. Because it is not based on mass production, JMM can adopt complex cutting, unique metal parts, and time-consuming finishing. The method of limited production itself makes JMM's design possible.

The included certificate also bears the edition number, and some are signed by the craftsman. This approach is consistent down to the smallest detail, delivering not a "product" but a "collectible" with its own background.

◎JMM Appeal 2 | Los Angeles Concepts Shaped by Japanese Craftsmanship

While JMM's bold forms tend to catch the eye, their appeal is supported by extremely meticulous craftsmanship.

Officially, it is explained that a single pair of glasses undergoes approximately 300 processes and involves the skills of nearly 100 craftsmen. Mold making, acetate cutting, metal part processing, laser welding, assembly, and polishing. Rather than making just one process luxurious, every step leading to completion is carried out to a high standard.

In 2017, JMM also released titanium eyewear utilizing Japan's precise metalworking technology. A characteristic of JMM is its pursuit of the structural beauty unique to each material, not just thick acetate.

LOOK from the titanium eyewear released in 2017 (from the official JMM "La Maison" page)

When you actually hold the frame, the difference is conveyed not only through its weight but also through the beauty of its surfaces. The edges carved from thick material are three-dimensional yet not rough, and their expression changes depending on the angle at which they catch the light. The density of the construction can also be felt when opening and closing the temple.

JMM is not highly regarded solely because it makes "thick and powerful glasses." It is also because it completes bold designs with the precision of a work of art. Its value lies in this balance.

◎JMM Appeal 3 | Iconic Details That Instantly Identify JMM

JMM frames project their presence through their silhouette from a distance, and the closer you look, the more surprises you find in the details. Let's look at some representative designs.

The Arrowhead-Shaped Pin

The arrowhead-shaped pin placed at the front hinge is a signature detail of JMM. It is a motif reminiscent of the American Western culture that Jérôme has long been drawn to, and depending on the model, sterling silver or precious metal finishes are used.

Although it is a small part, its shine when it catches the light gives tension to the thick acetate and tightens the overall frame. It is not merely a substitute for a logo, but a mark that conveys the brand's cultural background.

The front of the ZEPHIRIN “VENOM.” The shining arrowhead at the hinge tightens the thick acetate (from the official JMM product page)

Spur-Shaped Rivets Reminiscent of Horse Spurs

The serrated rivets lined up near the temple are a unique JMM design reminiscent of horse spurs. Not only are they beautiful as decoration, but they are also part of the structure that secures the metal parts.

The idea that "function becomes decoration" is common to JMM's details. Because they are not merely ornaments for show, they do not look gaudy even though they are substantial.

Multi-Plate Hinges Designed for Each Model

JMM uses custom hinges with 5, 7, or 9 plates, depending on the volume and structure of the model. They are an important part that securely connects the thick front and temple and supports stable opening and closing.

The hinges and wire cores are sometimes finished with delicate hairline engraving, so that even places that are hard to see once worn are meticulously crafted. The brand's commitment is revealed in these hidden details.

Our store's macro photo of the inside of the ANN. You can check the multi-plate hinge, three rivets, and cameo-shaped metal part at once (ANN product page)

10mm-Thick Acetate and Three-Dimensional Cutting

What creates the volume characteristic of JMM is the 10mm-thick cellulose acetate used in representative models.

It is not simply a thick plate used as glasses. By carving the thick material from multiple directions and creating ridges, steps, and surface transitions, it controls the sense of weight and three-dimensionality. This is why the impression changes depending on the viewing angle—from the front, diagonally, and from the side.

When the early collection was seen in 2015, many people must have been surprised whether this thickness would be accepted by the market. However, its overwhelming coolness set a new standard for the expression of volume in glasses. While thick frames are not uncommon today, JMM has a level of perfection unique to a pioneer.

The ANN front, which looks as if it were carved from a solid block. By distinguishing where to leave the thickness and where to reduce it, it combines strength with smooth shading (ANN product page)

Cameo, Wire Core, and Inner Engraving

The three-dimensional cameo-like logo on the inside of the temple, the engraved wire core visible through the material, and the engraving by foil stamping. JMM embeds stories in places that cannot be seen from the front.

Interest in the French Empire and Art Deco, longing for the American West, and Japan's precise craftsmanship. Different cultural elements coexist in a single pair without being excessive.

The engraved wire core of the ANN emerging from the transparent acetate. Because it is our store's product photo, you can check the depth of the actual product and the metal finish (ANN product page)

◎JMM Appeal 4 | A Work of Art Including Accessories

JMM's thoroughness does not end with the glasses themselves.

The leather case made in Italy, the box covered in silk fabric, the large cleaning cloth, and the letterpress certificate are all designed to create an experience from the moment you open the box. The design of the case and cloth may also change depending on the collection or model.

Usually, accessories such as cases are made in relatively large quantities to reduce costs. Making them for each small-production frame is difficult if efficiency is the only consideration. Nevertheless, JMM does not spare the effort to maintain its worldview. This attitude makes JMM not just luxury glasses, but a "product with the joy of ownership."

Special editions may also include booklets, records, and cloths using original art. The expression that it is like the excitement of opening a watch or jewelry is very fitting.

◎JMM Appeal 5 | Collaborations That Turn Film, Music, and Art into Glasses

JMM is also creative in its choice of collaboration partners and methods.

Film director Stanley Kubrick, actor and photographer Dennis Hopper, jazz label BLUE NOTE, and rock band THE VELVET UNDERGROUND. Furthermore, the collaborators span a wide range of fields, including writers, musicians, artists, and racers.

THE STANLEY KUBRICK COLLECTION. A collection that reinterprets the eyewear of the film's characters and Kubrick himself through JMM's design (JMM official special page)

The important thing is that it is not merely bearing the name of a celebrity. It deciphers the glasses the person actually used, the colors of their works, the atmosphere of the era in which they were active, and even the photographs remaining in the archives, and translates them into the shape, color, and accessories of the frame.

For JMM, collaboration is not about creating buzz, but an editorial process that retells culture in a different form. This is why even if you see a collaboration model without knowing it, it is complete as a pair of glasses, and knowing the background allows you to enjoy it even more deeply.

The 2016 collaboration with Hopper Goods. The cultural image left by Dennis Hopper was re-edited from both the eyewear and visual aspects (from the official JMM "La Maison" page)

◎JMM Appeal 6 | A Vision Directed Beyond Glasses

When discussing JMM's worldview, its support for the natural environment and culture cannot be overlooked.

In 2020, it began a collection in collaboration with Yellowstone Forever, the official non-profit partner of Yellowstone National Park. It has supported activities to preserve the park and wildlife for the next generation. In particular, the wolf is a figure deeply connected to JMM's brand story.

COUGAR, born from the collaboration with Yellowstone Forever. It unites a product reflecting the colors of nature with support for conservation activities in a single collection (from the official JMM "Yellowstone VI")

It is also working on collaborations with Native American artists and support for communities preserving traditional culture.

Rather than borrowing only superficial designs from the cultures they love, they show respect and return resources to their future. This attitude, including these actions, is what JMM considers modern luxury.

◎Why are JMM glasses so expensive?

When considering JMM, many people will surely be surprised by the price at least once.

However, when you look at what makes up that price one by one, you will find that they are not glasses you are simply paying for the brand name.

• Complex design based on limited production
• Three-dimensional cutting and polishing created from thick acetate
• Uniquely manufactured metal parts and hinges
• Production background involving approximately 300 processes and nearly 100 craftsmen
• Serial numbers and certificates
• Cases and accessories crafted for each model
• Research and expression spanning film, music, history, and craft

All of these are layered into a single pair.

Compared to inexpensive glasses, they are certainly expensive. However, when you think of them as products that allow you to enjoy the skill and story of the maker for a long time, like jewelry, mechanical watches, and crafts, the perception of the price changes.

JMM is a pair of glasses worth choosing as "the one you want to encounter in your lifetime" rather than "something you can casually buy many of."

◎Summary | JMM is a "Modern Work of Art" in the Form of Glasses

The reason JACQUES MARIE MAGE is supported around the world is not simply because it is rare, nor because the thick frames are cool.

Bold ideas born in Los Angeles. The precise skills of craftsmen centered in Japan. Deep respect for history, film, music, and art. And a worldview that runs through everything from limited production to accessories and social activities. All of this is condensed into a single pair of glasses.

Bold yet elegant. New yet somehow nostalgic. JMM-like even from a distance, with new discoveries the closer you get.

If you encounter a pair that catches your eye, please actually pick it up and try it on. Including the beauty of the surfaces that cannot be fully conveyed in photos, the density of the hinges, and the unique sense of excitement when placed on your face, you will surely see the true appeal of the brand JMM.

Watch the video "A Thorough Deep Dive into the Appeal of JACQUES MARIE MAGE" →

*Because they are limited production items, some listed models may be sold out. For the latest inventory status and fitting, please feel free to contact DOWNTOWN.