A new kind of structural optimization problem is tackled in this study: the simultaneous optimal design of the shape and of the material properties distribution of an anisotropic shell. Practically, we consider laminated shells made of composite materials, whose elastic properties can vary locally, a possibility now allowed by the recent techniques of additive manufacturing like fiber placing. Then, we ponder on how to design the shape of the shell and the distribution of the material so as to maximize the stiffness of the structure. The approach proposed is an isogeometric-like one while the description of the locally variable anisotropic properties is done using the polar method. That is why the proposed method is called polar-isogeometric approach.