Sunglasses
Go Retro!

After the huge popularity
of the Wayfarer in the 80s,
the success of the
sunglasses company
Ray-Ban started to wane, but this year sees a huge revival of its fortunes thanks to a load of A list celebrities who have been seen sporting the brand again. With fashion returning to a retro 1980s vibe, the chunky black Wayfarer is once again big news, as is the gold rimmed Aviator style originally seen on Tom Cruise in the 1986 movie Top Gun.

The Aviator style that became synonymous with the 80s in Top Gun, (and as a compulsory part of the US cop uniform in movies) were originally designed for function not fashion. Pilots first worn them in 1936, and then later the company worked closely with the US Air Force to develop the mirror lens, an anti-glare measure that helped to protect pilots’ eyes from harsh light, and the glasses were worn by many pilots during the Second World War.

Today the Aviator style has been copied by many other companies and has become a classic. It still has a metal frame and shaped lens that is either polarised or mirrored, but the ongoing success proves that good design can really stand the test of time.