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History of sunglasses
Original Ray-Bans®
Pre-Historic
Inuits created the first-known sunglasses by flattening walrus ivory with narrow slits to block the sun’s rays and prevent snow blindness. They give a whole new meaning to I Am The Walrus.
Source: 10 Facts You Might Not Know About Sunglasses
Ancient poker face
1100s
Chinese judges wore glasses with smoky quartz lenses, but not for protection from the sun. Their goal was to conceal their facial expressions when questioning witnesses.
Source: 10 Facts You Might Not Know About Sunglasses
Venetians launch UV protection
1700s
Known as “gondola glasses,” these shades were worn by the nobility to shield their eyes in and around the waters of Venice.
Source: 10 Facts You Might Not Know About Sunglasses
Star power
1920s
Silent movie stars popularized sunglasses. Sure, they used them to avoid recognition, but it’s suspected they wore them to hide their red eyes caused by incredibly powerful arc lamps used on movie sets.
Source: Stay Shady: The History of Sunglasses
Polarized lenses land in sunglasses
1936
Edward Land not only invented the Polaroid camera, he invented one of sunglasses’ biggest breakthroughs — glare-reducing polarized lenses.
Source: The Sunny Side of Glasses: Polarized Lenses
Aviators take flight
1937
Originally developed for the military, Ray-Ban® Aviators, with their iconic metal frames, went on sale to the public in 1937. Aviators were the first shades to use polarized lenses.
Source: History of Eyeglasses: Aviator Sunglasses
Purr-fectly ‘50s
1950s
Nothing symbolizes the 1950s better than cat-eye frames. Celebrities like Marilyn Monroe popularized this sophisticated and eye catching look, which still has a huge following today.
Source: Stay Shady: The History of Sunglasses
Wayfarers are a scene stealer
1952
Launched in 1952, Ray-Ban® Wayfarers were seen on screen legends such as James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause. Today, they’re still a stellar style.
Source: What Do So Many Celebrities See in Ray-Ban's Wayfarer Sunglasses?
Wrap star
1960s
Ray-Ban® Balorama wrap-around sunglasses blasted onto the scene in the 60s, but they really took off when they were worn in Dirty Harry.
Source: Dirty Harry Sunglasses Worn By Clint Eastwood
Fade in the shade
1970s
In the 1970s, faded lenses became a fashionable trend that was popularized by the stars of Annie Hall and Klute. One advantage they have is that they can be worn indoors, particularly in nightclubs.
Source: Stay Shady: The History of Sunglasses
Shields rock the landscape
1980s
Shields ruled when the King of Pop donned a pair in the ‘80s. Today, rock stars and rappers still favor this style.
Source: The History of Sunglasses
Brightest day of the year
Today
Consumers across the globe love sunglasses not only to express their unique style, but also because of UV protection and the comfort of anti-glare while having fun in the sun. It’s why more than 95.9 million pairs of sunglasses were sold in the U.S. in 2014, and why we now celebrate National Sunglasses Day on June 27th.
Source: Statistic Brain Research Institute
Shedding light on the history of sunglasses.
