In the 1300’s quartz eyewear was used in Chinese courts to conceal the judges expressions, but it wasn’t until 1937 after the invention of Polaroid (1929) that the pair of sunglasses as we know it was born – enter the Ray Ban Aviator.

The pre-war holiday boom spurred a surge in production of cheap sunglasses and by the 1940’s they were everywhere. From the Jazz club shades of downtown 50’s New York, to the Pucci-pretty Beatniks of the swinging 60’s. The bug-eyed Nina Ricci’s of the Jackie O generation, and the 80’s military precision of Top Gun inspired aviators – the ubiquitous statement shades have certainly earned their place in the 20th century wardrobe hall of fame.

Music + Sunglasses = Cool.

Ray Ban’s cult Wayfarer design was introduced in the 1950’s and catapulted into the global limelight courtesy of a young Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1958). The Wayfarer soon became the go-to shade of the 50’s and 60’s glitterati, most notably music legends John Lennon, Roy Orbison and Bob Dylan. In the 80’s Madonna and Debbie Harry inspired the 80’s club kid generation; and more recently the 2008 ‘Colorize’ launch saw a rainbow of Wayfarers descend upon the global festival and nightclub scene. Whilst their popularity is undoubtedly style induced, there’s an underlying aspect of practicality. Summer festival-goers need UV protection. Cue sunglasses, which double as the perfect nighttime disguise hiding partied-out eyes aplenty – and providing substantial morning-after relief.

“The world looks more beautiful through tinted glasses…” Karl Lagerfeld was famously quoted. Rarely without his trademark dark shades, Largerfeld reverses their role – rather than changing our perspective of him, they change his perspective of us. The notion of ‘rose-tinted spectacles” perhaps goes some way to explain why sunglasses are so popular today, especially within the aesthetic-loving realms of the fashion industry. It could however be a symptom of excess; too many late nights, alcohol and coffee.

Which leaves me to ponder the darker side of shade culture: as eyes everywhere cower behind designer lenses are we on the verge of an identity crisis? Corey Hart’s anthemic ‘Sunglasses at Night’ (1983) depicts a totalitarian society in which we’re forced to wear sunglasses at all times. With Ms. Wintour and Co promoting this ethos to such a literal extent, is this prophecy about to become a tinted reality?

Picture by whitewhitewine