12 Sunglasses to Elevate Your Summer Style
- Sunglasses have a long history dating back to the 17th century, with the first UV-protective sunglasses created by a German firm in 1899, becoming a mainstream fashion trend in the 1920s.
Few accessories can so instantly and dramatically transform one's presentation as a pair of sunglasses (if further evidence is needed, just think of Snoopy's transition to Joe Cool). And the annals of cinema are filled with countless iconic examples, from Cary Grant in North by Northwest to Tom Cruise in Risky Business to Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith in Men in Black.
While history abounds with protective, proto-sunglasses ranging from the smoky quartz panes worn in medieval China to the glare-reducing Murano glasses donned by the Doge of Venice in the 17thcentury, the first sunglasses capable of shielding the eyes from UV rays were created by the (still existent) German firm Rodenstock GmbH in 1899. This new accessory found mainstream appeal in the 1920s, coinciding nicely with the rise of the film industry, whose stars and starlets soon made the protective eyewear a bonafide fashion trend. Throw in the early 20th-century beginnings of beach culture and the development of polarization in 1936, and sunglasses were here to stay.
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While many sunglasses today are made by the same handful of major manufacturers and are simply branded with a given designer or company name, there remains a rich ecosystem of independent brands and makers, many of which are located in either Italy or Japan, which continue to lead worldwide acetate production. From classic aviators to chunky mid-century charmers to envelope-pushing mavericks and beyond, we've curated a wide range of sunglasses—and their makers—worth paying attention to today.
RandolphAviator
Founded in 1973 by two engineers who had fled their native Poland to escape repressive regimes—Nazi Germany and Soviet-era communism, respectively— Randolph continues to manufacture its metal frames in the small Massachusetts city that served as its namesake. The family-owned business, which is operated today by the sons of its original founders, produces over a dozen models but is most readily identified by its squared-off Aviator, which it has supplied to the U.S. military since 1982. More recently, the brand has produced limited editions with everyone from The Brooklyn Circus to Dave Portnoy.
AkoniEris II
Founded in 2020 and named after a Latin term with the dual meaning of "priceless" and "worthy of admiration," Akoni is a partnership between two cultures famed for their high level of craftsmanship and attention to detail. Designed in Switzerland and made in Japan, each showcases an obsessive level of technical artistry, from the knurled temple fronts inspired by watchmaking to the titanium temple tips that recall high-end fountain pens. The glasses themselves, made either from Japanese titanium or an extra-aged acetate derived from wood and cotton, are executed in strikingly original shapes, such as its octagonal, '90s-inspired Eris II .
Morgenthal Frederics Freeman Horn
Since 1913, Morgenthal Frederics has prided itself on making heirloom-quality eyewear, with hundreds of hours of labor required to make every individual piece. This bespoke-level attention to craftsmanship is reflected in the buying process as well, with clients encouraged to first make an appointment to be fitted and styled at any of its 13 boutiques spread across the U.S. (five of which are in New York). In addition to its own stable of house designs, it also produces sunglasses for a number of high-end names including Sabyasachi. Its chic yet chunky Freeman Horn , made in Germany from natural buffalo horn, is a standout from its ongoing Classic Actor Series.
Garrett Leight Getty II S
California, more than any other place, may be responsible for making sunglasses synonymous with a certain sense of midcentury cool. Headquartered in the Los Angeles Arts District Garrett Leight taps into that rich cultural vein with specs inspired by the Golden State and made from deadstock or hard-to-find acetate colorways. Its product range is split between the more recognizable silhouettes of its "Forever Classics," plus a curation of more premium and design-forward frames branded as "Mr. Leight." Among the latter camp is the Getty II S, a classic squared-off style modeled after Old Hollywood glamour and named in honor of the Getty Museum.
District Vision Junya Racer Black D+ Sports Yellow
District Vision takes a holistic approach to athletic eyewear. Designed specifically for high-exertion activities, its Japanese-made lenses aim to enhance performance by reducing the eye strain caused by any given sport, namely running. Its ace in the hole is the D+ Lens, a proprietary technology that has been engineered to relax the eye muscles in relation to light and color transmission and serves as the foundation of its best-selling Junya Racer line.
Oliver Peoples Cary Grant Sun
If you're ever asked to close your eyes and imagine one pair of sunglasses from a particular film, there's a good chance you're envisioning the keyhole-bridge, tortoiseshell frames sported by Cary Grant in North by Northwest . While the originals worn by Grant on the set of the 1959 thriller were made by Arnel, the Grant estate has licensed Oliver Peoples to carry on its legacy today, which they do through the aptly named Cary Grant Sun model. It's far from the only cinematic influence in the Luxottica-owned business's range: Oliver Peoples also offers a Gregory Peck Sun modeled after the actor's shades in To Kill a Mockingbird, and more recently launched a limited edition pair inspired by Benicio Del Toro's eyewear in Wes Anderson's freshly released The Phoenician Scheme.
Moscot Lemtosh Sun
What began with a pushcart on Orchard Street in 1899 has since become a 5th-generation family eyewear business forever tethered to its birthplace of New York, where its sunglasses are still designed and quality-tested. Perhaps unsurprising for a brand whose CEO is also a Doctor of Optometry, Moscot 's sunglasses are available in four different sizes ranging from narrow to extra wide to better suit every individual client's face. In addition, the maker also provides a range of nose pads made from acetate or titanium to further zero-in on the fit. Its most iconic make may be the Lemtosh Sun , a pleasingly round and chunky frame that's been sported by everyone from Matthew Macfadyen to King Charles III.
Matsuda M3105-D
Even by Japanese standards, Matsuda is exacting. Its sunglasses, made from such materials as organic acetate, titanium, sterling silver and even 18k solid gold, can require 250 individual steps and as many as two years to make. Its signature CR-39 lenses, meanwhile, are notable for their lighter weights, heightened impact resistance and a grand total of seven layers of anti-reflective coating. Among its varied range are a number of sleek, rimless models, including the coke bottle-shaped M3105-D made from ultra-lightweight titanium.
Kirk Originals Hays
The history of Kirk Originals is one of fits and starts. Its earliest iteration can be traced back to 1919, when a pair of trailblazing brothers named Percy and Sidney started a pioneering eyewear business that was cut short by WWII. In 1992, a Kirk descendent discovered some of these vintage frames in a box and quickly sold out of them, which led to the business's rebirth as Kirk Originals. While the brand quickly became synonymous with the 1990s UK music scene—having Liam Gallagher sport them on-stage certainly didn't hurt—the aughts saw the business's fortunes recede and its manufacturing go overseas. But in 2017 the brand was relaunched and re-shored, and today continues to make weighty, masculine models that call back to its original vintage appeal, particularly the Swinging Sixties-inspired Hays .
American Optical Original Pilot
With a history stretching back to 1833, American Optical has milestones to spare, including the design of the first aviator sunglasses for the U.S. Army Air Corps and even outfitting the crew of the 1969 moon landing in their Original Pilot model (the same specs that later appeared on Jon Hamm's face in Mad Men). American Optical continues to manufacture in the U.S., having moved their production to a factory in Chicago in 2019.
Jacques Marie Mage Johnny Cash by JMM: Cash
Jacques Marie Mage (aka JMM) is a Los Angeles-based brand whose designs are indebted to everything from Art Deco to the American West to the First Empire movement. Handmade in Japan through a 300-step process involving as many as 100 individual artisans working in acetate or titanium, its substantial, mid-century designs have a decidedly cinematic flair and model names like the Fellini, the Jagger or the Yves that often point back to the larger-than-life figures who serve as their aesthetic inspiration. Most recently, the brand revived its Johnny Cash collection with a pair of rectangular frames modeled after those worn by the musician during his infamous arrest in 1965.
L.G.R. Reunion
L.G.R. 's founder and namesake—Luca Gnecchi Ruscone—founded the business after discovering a collection of vintage sunglasses in an old warehouse in Eritrea once owned by his grandfather. Luca would go on to reverse-engineer them by tracking down the Italian firms responsible for their original manufacture, launching an eyewear business of his own in the process. Even by sunglass-brand standards, L.G.R.'s clientele has been an unusually star-studded bunch, with its acetate frames appearing on the likes of Timothée Chalamet, Adam Driver, Anne Hathaway and Prince William. One of its original and most recognizable silhouettes, the rounded Reunion made with flat lenses, takes its inspiration from vintage eyewear once worn by Italian military officers.
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