The History of the Aviator Sunglasses
We all know them because they have been passed down through generations since 1930. Aviator sunglasses are undoubtedly one of the most iconic and timeless pairs in the history of eyewear. But what is its history? How did it come about? And how did it become world-famous? We decided to trace its history in order to better understand its global success!
A look back at the history of aviators and their success story
The Aviator goggle is above all a solution found to a problem encountered in the early 1900s, known as a period of vast scientific and technological progress. Indeed, at the beginning of the 20th century, airplane pilots reached increasingly high altitudes, which caused them airsickness and terrible headaches. Beyond these various pains, they could not see without the help of thick protective goggles lined with fur.
According to legend, it was the American pilot John Macready who wanted to develop glasses designed especially for aviators after seeing one of his friends suffer serious eye damage after furtively removing his sunglasses at an altitude of over 10,000 meters.
Following this incident, he decided to call on the company Baush and Lomb in 1937 to develop sunglasses capable of protecting pilots from the blinding rays of the sun during their flights. This resulted in the first Aviator glasses, recognizable by their very thin metal frame and their convex "RB3" dark green lenses, known for considerably reducing glare and improving vision. These new glasses are more commonly called "Ray Bans".
The beginning of the success story of Aviator glasses
In 1944, General MacArthur first popularized them by deciding to wear them when his troops landed in the Philippines.
Very quickly, aviator glasses won the hearts of civilians but also of the military, as well as sportsmen. Appreciated as much for their elegance as for their functionality, they were commercially developed in mass from the beginning of the 1950s. This immense success would subsequently lead to the development of different glasses specially designed for the activities and leisure activities of the time (golf, fishing, hunting, etc.).
Stars Who Adopted Aviator Shapes
If aviator glasses have already won the public's heart, it is undoubtedly thanks to several public figures that they have been able to achieve the global success that we know today.
From the golden frames worn by Elvis Presley, to Tom Cruise in the film "Top Gun", Marlon Brando in "The Wild One", Freddie Mercury who combines them with a white suit on stage or David Bowie who poses nonchalantly with a cigarette hanging from his lips; we find the aviator shape in all styles and in all eras.
If at first it was mainly the male gender who adopted them, we see them more and more on female silhouettes from the 70s onwards, like Gloria Steinem, Charlotte Rempling, Diana Ross, Stevie Nicks and Bianca Jagger.
They have recently made a big comeback on the catwalks, notably at Celine during its fall-winter 2019 show. More recently, we find revisited aviator glasses at Loewe, Louis Vuitton, Givenchy, Tom Ford, Armani and Emilio Pucci.
Aviator glasses have therefore largely exceeded the aviation sector and have continued to (re)conquer a new audience over the decades. Rock, hippie or grunge style, aviator glasses can easily be combined with all styles, masculine or feminine!
Our selection of Aviator glasses at Seconde Vue
At Seconde Vue, we find several versions of the Aviator signed Thierry Mugler, fashion icon of the 80s. Most of our frames, meanwhile, date from the 90s.
Mugler's glasses are designed so that they can be easily spotted: marked with a star, a lightning bolt or sometimes even his initials. Mugler has reworked the aviator shape in different ways: with gold or silver frames and lenses in brown, black or the classic emerald green, of course!
You can also find Aviator frames from the 80s by the German designer Colani. Colani's particularity lies, among other things, in the design of his glasses arms that he makes start from the bottom of the lens. His shapes are generally inspired by nature, we find in his creations organic curves reminiscent of tree branches.
For a more contemporary version, the frame from the Oliver Peoples brand in collaboration with The Row dating from the 2000s will find its place in all wardrobes! Featuring a gold titanium frame and emerald green lenses, it will fit in both a feminine and masculine wardrobe.
Aviator glasses have undoubtedly marked the history of fashion. Without knowing it, the pilot John Macready will shake up the world of glasses by trying to find a solution to protect the eyes of pilots when they reach high altitudes. Accompanied in his research by the company Baush and Lomb, they develop together the first Ray-Ban Aviator glasses.
The Aviator shape, an icon in the world of optics
Although it was initially General MacArthur who made them popular by wearing them when his troops landed in the Philippines, they quickly became quite popular with several public figures who would allow Aviator glasses to become known throughout the world. Their success with civilians was also immediate and has continued to grow over the years.
Even today, aviator glasses remain one of the essential pairs of your wardrobe. Thanks to their androgynous look, they cross generations, eras and adapt to all styles. At Seconde Vue we offer you a wide selection of vintage aviator glasses, they stand out for their quality, originality and their exclusive character.
