Sunglasses are an ancient idea, but a modern fashion phenomenon. Like other premium brands, Ray-Bans are worn as much for their stylish look as the practical protection they offer from the sun. A pair of these iconic American shades can cost you anything from a couple of hundred to over three thousand dollars.
SNOW GOGGLES The earliest sunglasses were created for snow blindness . In ancient times, the Inuit, an indigenous people of the Arctic region, wore goggles made of driftwood , bone or walrus ivory with slits cut into them to protect their eyes. In the 12th century, Chinese opticians made their own sunglasses using the gemstone smoky quartz .
HIGHER GOALS The story of modern sunglasses begins in the United States. Founded in Rochester, New York in 1853, Bausch & Lomb made precision optical equipment, including eye glasses, telescopes and camera lenses. As pilots were vulnerable to the glare of sunlight, the company became a trusted supplier to the US Air Force. As technology improved, and planes flew higher, the need for eye protection became more urgent.
THE AVIATOR In 1929, Bausch & Lomb began work with veteran pilot John A. Macready to create sunglasses that reduced the dazzle of the stratosphere, and prevented the pilot’s goggles from misting up . These anti-glare glasses had plastic frames and green lenses the shape of teardrops . In 1937, they went on sale to civilians under the name ‘Ray-Ban sunglasses’, so-called because they reduced UV and infra-red rays harmful to the eyes. In 1939, relaunched with a metal frame, they were named the Ray-Ban Aviator.
RETRO-CHIC Almost unheard of until the 1920s, by the late 1930s sunglasses were a must-have product. In the US, around twenty million pairs were sold in 1937. Ray-Ban looked for celebrity endorsement , and Hollywood was quick to bring their style to the big-screen. The music world quickly followed. The Ray-Ban Wayfarer with its trapezoidal lenses and shiny rivets , was introduced in 1952 and worn by high-profile figures like James Dean, Audrey Hepburn and John F. Kennedy. The Ray-Ban Clubmaster, launched in the 1980s, was another bestseller; these drew on a 1950s intellectual look affiliated with cultural rebels such as Malcolm X. The 1990s brought wraparound styles, and further luxury models followed.
WHO ARE YOU? In 1999, Bausch & Lomb sold Ray-Ban to Italy’s Luxottica Group, which launched a brand-new Wayfarer model two years on . However, the original Aviator, Wayfarer and Clubmaster remained in high demand, and continue to shape popular culture today. Enigmatic yet assertive, they can conceal , reveal or transform character: stylish rebel, high-flyer , cool cat , intrepid explorer, good cop or bad cop; wear a pair of Ray-Bans, and choose your own identity.