Ray-Ban: Iconic Frames | Vision Express

Aviator

Perhaps the most famous of Ray-Ban iconic collection, The Aviator was created in the 1930’s. John A. Macready was an ambitious pilot, who wanted some eyewear that could protect his eyes when flying at high altitude. The Ray-Ban Aviator was born, which could protect pilots’ eyes free from glare.

The Aviator’s became the standard issue eyewear for Aviation pilots. Bold, brave and strong, the frames shared characteristics with those who wore them. Due to their popularity, in 1937 they were released to the public, and Ray-Ban became the first sunglasses brand in history.

The Aviator wasnt always symbolic of heroism. In the 60s, as seen on Marlon Brando in The Wild One, they became the sunglasses of choice for the rebellious outlaws of the anti-establishment. This carried on throughout the 60s and 70s, where rockstars and anti-heroes adopted the frames.

In the 80s however, their legacy came full circle. Thanks to Tom Cruise in ‘Top Gun’, they returned to their roots as an icon of American nationalism.

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Wayfarer

In the 50s, the Wayfarer thicker, plastic frame offered an alternative, stylish pair of sunglasses to the popular Aviator. Arriving during a boom in the US film industry, they were cemented in film history when worn by ‘The Blues Brothers’, as well as James Dean in ‘Rebel Without A Cause’ and Tom Cruise in ‘Risky Business’.

Three decades later, the Wayfarer also became synonymous with various genres of music. Johnny Marr from The Smiths and The Ramones introduced the frames to the Punk scene. They also appeared on Wham!’s ‘Club Tropicana’ music video and the sleeve of Madonna’s ‘Lucky Star’ single.

Before the noughties, Ray-Ban Wayfarer’s were exclusively available in black frames. However, this decade saw the frames reinvented and transformed with colourful, playful frames.

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Clubmaster

The Ray-Ban Clubmaster first appeared in the 80s. The winged frame was inspired by the masculine ‘browline’ that was popular at the time. With sharp angles being the style at the time, the Clubmaster curved lenses with black and gold accents made the frames an instant classic.

These versatile frames were adopted by the 80s club scene, as well as many pop and rock bands before. They were also brought to fame through cinema, with Denzel Washington in ‘Malcolm X’ and Tim Roth in ‘Reservoir Dogs’ sporting the sunglasses.

When the masculine brow returned to the forefront of fashion through Vogue Magazine in the 2000’s, the Ray-Ban Clubmaster popularity was relaunched. With the popular show Mad Men reminding us of a stylish, classy era decades ago, demand for these retro-classic frames spiked again.

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Round Frames

Round framed sunglasses are another classic pair which have seen popularity in various, often opposite sides of culture. From being worn by hippies at music festivals in the 60s to Benjamin Franklin, round frames are often associated with counterculture, vision and artistry.

In the 60s, there was a resurgence of 1920s fashion. Worn by icons like Janis Joplin, round glasses took on the spirit of free thinkers and poets, echoing the nonconformist attitudes of the 60s. Round frames took their place in the psychedelic style, shown by The Beatles’ Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Propelled by the ever-evolving music scene, round glasses were reinvented once again in the late 80s. The acid house movement began to gain momentum in 1987, and clubbers blended 1980s sportswear with sixties psychedelic fashion. A resurgence of the classic 1960s shape made round sunglasses a staple of club style.

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Hexagonal Frames

Ray-Ban round frames have constantly been reinvented throughout different eras. So much that a new frame altogether was introduced.

Ray-Ban Hexagonal frames are the next evolution of Round. The iconic circular shape has been transformed with sharper angles, giving a bold, unique, edgier twist on an iconic frame. The sleek metal frames are available in various coloured lenses. The psychedelic spirit of the 60s can live on with bright hues, or classic black lenses can give a bolder look.

With Ray-Ban constantly inventing and reinventing their frames, and the cyclical nature of fashion and culture, the popularity of Ray-Ban isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. Cemented in pop culture and history as the original sunglasses brand, be sure to keep an eye out for the latest frames in their iconic collection.

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