HISTORY OF RAY-BANS.

Sarah Fakray discovers how the story of the iconic Ray-Ban sunglasses started in the skies...


Ray-Ban began manufacturing sunglasses with ergonomics rather than fashion in mind. Ray-Ban soon became the Army Air Force's sole supplier of sunglasses, and remained within the domain of aviation until 1936, when the company produced their first model to go on sale to the public a classic Aviator shape with a plastic frame.

The following year, the Ray-Ban trademark was registered, which came from the phrase "Banish Rays". Ray-Ban then produced a new model with a metal frame, the still-lauded Ray-Ban Aviator. During the war years of the 1940s, American air force pilots used Ray-Bans on their missions, and they became symbolic of war heroes like General Douglas MacArthur.

1952 marked Ray-Ban's ascension to iconic status, with the launch of its instant classic, the Wayfarer. They were the first pair of sunglasses to focus on the chunky, plastic frame rather than the lens. Big, shiny, and unspeakably glamorous, they decorated pin-up beauties Kim Novak, Marilyn Monroe, and most memorably Audrey Hepburn in the classic 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Ray-Ban's rock'n'roll credentials have remained consistently high, as the sunglasses have long gone hand-in-hand with a black leather jacket and bashed-up guitar. Freddie Mercury, Lou Reed and Michael Jackson were all committed to their Aviators, while Patti Smith, Debbie Harry, Elvis Costello, Roy Orbisn and Bob Dylan have all been associated with Wayfarers. "Personally I think the association with Bob Dylan was a particularly lucky one," remarks Ray-Ban Brand Director Marcello Favagrossa. "He's rebellious with a cause, with content, with depth. About looks but also substance. And that's exactly how I would love the brand to remain."

For the 2007 spring/summer collection and to celebrate their 70th year, Ray-Ban considered a number of their classic models for relaunch, but in the end decided that the Wayfarer was the one that could change the style of catwalk collections the most after the huge success of the Aviator. Extra colours, a bold red and clean white, were added to the classic options, and for their S/S 2008 collection, Ray-Ban are offering a whole new line of pastel colours in green, blue, pink and purple.

-Cinista.