The history of fashionable sunglasses

Nowadays countless types of sunglasses are available. From mirrored sunglasses to clip-on sunglasses – not only are there different shades of lenses but there are also various shapes of sunglasses. Some of them have risen to iconic status. The classic cat eye sunglasses and aviator sunglasses are among the most well-known styles of eyewear available. Just like any other part of fashion, the styles and appearances of sunglasses has been ever changing. Especially sunglasses in movies made an impact on style and often reflected the current zeitgeist. We compiled an overview over various fashion icons and their influence on sunglasses.

Two iconic shapes come to mind, when thinking about sunglasses from the 70s. On the one hand there were oversize frames, while on the other hand there were small round sunglasses, such as frequently worn by John Lennon. Frames often referred to as John Lennon sunglasses are mainly associated with the hippie subculture of the 60s and 70s. These shades were worn in several colours such as blue, red or pink.

The 1990s were without a doubt a decade of supermodels. Popular models like Kate Moss or Claudia Schiffer opted for sleek frames and dark hues. Sleek, small designs dominated the fashion industry and grunge chic posed an edgy counterpart to the otherwise colourful and lively fashion of the decade. The late 1990s produced various hit movies which featured popular sunglasses. The most well-known example are probably the sunglasses from the Matrix movies, starring Keanu Reeves.

At the beginning of the century, Marvel turned the X-Men comic book series into a movie franchise. In his role as Cyclops, James Marsden wore red sunglasses because his character used them to keep his power under control. The frame was rather small and in wraparound fashion.

Another major trend during the 2000s were rimless sunglasses worn by starlets such as Paris Hilton. Frequently worn colours included blue, red and various shades of pink. Sometimes the lenses were bedazzled or otherwise decorated.

Ever since its beginning stages in the 1850s, ZEISS has had a strong focus on optics. In the 1920s ZEISS started producing tinted lenses to enable the enjoyment of natural beauty without endangering the eyes by over-exposition to sunlight. During the century different shades were added to the portfolio. In the 2000s ZEISS Sunlens expanded their product range and added non-prescription sunglass lenses to their range of products.

Even though ZEISS does not offer sunglasses to end-consumers, we offer tinted lenses to designers who use ZEISS Sunlens products to create the best sunglasses for eye protection. One of our partners is European brand Massada eyewear, which connects artful designs with protective eyewear.