Ayo vs. Aribo: Anne et Valentin’s Two 48 mm Alpha Frames Compared
In short: Ayo and Aribo are both Anne et Valentin Alpha frames in pure acetate, both $385, and both built on a 48mm lens with a 20mm bridge. The only measured difference between them is a single millimetre of temple: Ayo is 48-20-141, Aribo is 48-20-142. Everything else that separates them is shape and colour — Ayo is a trapezoid over a pantos with twelve colorways; Aribo is an elongated oval with six. Neither shows stock online as this is written; both are special order at Gazal Eyecare.
It is rare to be able to compare two frames with the measurements this close. Ayo and Aribo have identical lens openings, identical bridges, and temples one millimetre apart — which means that for once the fit question is settled before it is asked, and the entire decision is about what the frame looks like.
The numbers, side by side
| Ayo | Aribo | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 48-20-141 | 48-20-142 |
| Front width (lenses + bridge) | ~116mm | ~116mm |
| Line | Alpha | Alpha |
| Material | Acetate | Acetate |
| Price | $385 | $385 |
| Colorways | 12 | 6 |
| Availability | Special order | Special order |
A 1mm difference in temple length is below the threshold anyone notices in wear, and both arms are a full adult length. Treat the fit as identical and choose on shape.
Ayo — the geometric one
Anne et Valentin describe it like this: "AYO. A trapezoidal above and a panto below. Blissfully full of contradictions. Subtle geometry. Gently stretches the eye for an almost almond-shaped gaze. Awakens expressive personalities in search of themselves. Studious, committed. Expects the same."
"A trapezoidal above and a panto below" is an unusually literal description of a drawing. The top line of the lens runs straight and angled, the way a trapezoid does; the bottom curves the way a pantos does. That mismatch is the whole design, and it is why Ayo reads as a geometric frame despite having a rounded lower edge.
Ayo also has the deeper colour bench of the two: twelve colorways, from Dark Tortoise and Tortoise/Beige at the neutral end through to Red, Purple/Green and Tortoise/Yellow. If the appeal of Anne et Valentin is the colour work, Ayo gives you twice as many ways in as Aribo does.
Aribo — the oval one
Anne et Valentin describe it like this: "Oval unleashed. Resolutely feline. Harmony. Softness. Rigor. A long-term studious spirit. Elongated gaze for added languor. Classical. Reserved. Discreet. Charming too. Says a lot, despite appearances."
Where Ayo argues with itself, Aribo commits: it is an oval, and the brand's own words for it are "classical", "reserved" and "discreet". At 48mm on an oval outline the lens is clearly wider than it is tall, which is where the "elongated gaze" comes from.
Aribo's six colorways are all current additions to the catalogue, and we have named each one from its product photography: Havana Tortoise (0930), Purple with Light Blue Temples (26A46), Burgundy Wine (26A48), Olive Moss (26A50), Dark Tortoise over Cream (26A53) and Solid Black (I). One of them — Purple with Light Blue Temples — runs a second acetate colour on the temples, which is the closest a single-material frame gets to the two-tone look of the Formacolor line.
So which one?
Choose Ayo if you want the shape to be part of the statement. The trapezoid-over-pantos outline is the more unusual drawing of the two, and twelve colorways is a genuinely wide bench to choose from.
Choose Aribo if you want the material and the making without the announcement. An oval has no corners to align with your brow or cheekbone, which makes it the more forgiving outline and the one most often recommended after a strongly geometric frame has not worked out.
There is no price argument and no fit argument. Both are $385, both are pure French acetate from the Alpha line, and both measure the same across the front. This one really is a shape decision.
A note on availability
Neither Ayo nor Aribo shows stock on the site as this is written — every colorway of both is a special order. Practically that means choosing a colorway, placing the order and letting us walk you through the production and delivery timeline. Because Anne et Valentin identify colorways by code, quoting the code in brackets alongside the name removes any ambiguity about which frame is coming.
Read the full guide
See them
Both are on the site with full photography of every colorway: Ayo and Aribo. The rest of the range is at the Anne et Valentin collection, where the genuine Anne et Valentin case is listed too.
More on Anne et Valentin
- Anne et Valentin: Acetate vs. Metal Frames — How to Choose Between the Two
- Anne et Valentin Collections & Frames: How to Choose Your Pair
- Anne et Valentin Azur: The Hexagon Question (and All Twelve Colorways)
- Feist vs. Fossette vs. Frehel: Anne et Valentin's Three Small Formacolor Frames
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Anne et Valentin Ayo and Aribo?
Very little on paper and a great deal on the face. Both are Alpha-line frames in pure acetate at $385, both have a 48mm lens and a 20mm bridge, and the only measured difference is one millimetre of temple — Ayo is 48-20-141 and Aribo is 48-20-142. The difference is shape and colour: Anne et Valentin describe Ayo as "a trapezoidal above and a panto below" and Aribo as "oval unleashed". Ayo comes in twelve colorways, Aribo in six.
Is Aribo rounder than Ayo?
Yes, by the brand’s own descriptions. Aribo is described as an oval — "oval unleashed", with an "elongated gaze" — while Ayo is "a trapezoidal above and a panto below", meaning a straight angled top line over a curved lower edge. Both have rounded bottoms; only Ayo has the geometric top.
Do Ayo and Aribo cost the same?
Yes. Both are $385 at Gazal Eyecare, in every colorway.
Which of Ayo and Aribo has more colorways?
Ayo, by a factor of two: twelve colorways against Aribo’s six. Ayo’s range runs from Dark Tortoise and Tortoise/Beige at the neutral end through Red, Purple/Green and Tortoise/Yellow; Aribo’s six are Havana Tortoise (0930), Purple with Light Blue Temples (26A46), Burgundy Wine (26A48), Olive Moss (26A50), Dark Tortoise over Cream (26A53) and Solid Black (I).
Which of Ayo and Aribo is in stock?
Neither shows stock on the site as this is written — every colorway of both frames is a special order at Gazal Eyecare. Check the product page for live availability, or contact us and we will confirm what can be brought in and how long it will take.