07/10/2025
The history on one of our favorite frame lines: Morel (LANCTOT)
Founded in 1880, Lanctôt is a Canadian, family-run company specializing in premium sporting goods, apparel, and eyewear. The company's roots trace back to Jules Morel, a pioneer who began crafting pince-nez eyewear in the Jura mountains of France during the winter months while farming in the summer.
His son, Marius Morel, chose to focus on eyewear manufacturing rather than optometry. In 1927, he moved to Morez and took over the Bonnefoy-Dumont eyewear shop, solidifying the Morel name in the optical world. By the 1940s, Marius partnered with Archives Optic for distribution, granting them exclusive rights to Morel frames. After health issues sidelined him, his son Jacques stepped in to help manage the business.
By the 1950s, Jacques had introduced durable gold frames and, in 1957, created Morel’s signature logo: a cat atop a capital "M," inspired by jeweler’s marks. He officially took over in the 1960s.
Today, the fourth generation—Francis, Jérôme, and Amélie—continues the legacy. Every Morel frame features five markings, symbolizing four generations of leadership and a fifth for the future. Come into Williams Lake Optometry to try on a Morel frame today.
