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History of Designer Sunglasses


Sunglasses in some form have been around for centuries. In Roman times, Emperor Nero created a shield from the sun for his eyes while watching gladiator competitions by viewing through polished light emerald green gems held up to his eyes. The invention of sunglasses dates back to between 1268 and 1289.

Some of the first sunglasses were flat-paned smokey quartz. The first corrective sunglasses lens used to improve vision were developed in the mid 18th century. The color of these lens were blue or green.

The first sunglasses frames were made from leather, bones and metal; and the earpieces were silk strips of ribbon that looped around the ears. It was difficult to keep these sunglasses propped up on the nose. Instead of loops, the Chinese added ceramic weights to the ends of the ribbons. Benjamen Franklin invented the bifocal lens in 1780.

By the 20th Century, sunglasses were used to protect the eyes from the sun. Still popular today, the first mass-produced sunglasses were Foster Grants beginning in 1929. They marked the beginng of the trend for sunglasses worn for fashion.

In the 1930's Bausch & Lomb developed sunglasses designed to reduce high-altitude sun glare for pilots in the Army Air Corps. These sunglasses were dark green tinted sunglasses that absorbed light through the yellow spectrum.

In 1936, Edward H. Land began using the Polaroid filter he had invented a few years earlier, in sunglasses. Movies stars wore these sunglasses to hide behind and as a fashion statement. Aviator sunglasses have been popular with movie stars and the general public since 1937 when Ray Ban introduced polarized anti-glare sunglasses. The longer lens was created to give more protection to pilots' eyes from light reflecting off their control panels.

By the 1970's, clothing designers and Hollywood stars were branding sunglasses with their names, and everyone had to have them. This trend is even stronger today. Tabloids and fashion magazines are filled with pictures of stars making a protecting their eyes from harmful sun rays sporting oversized designer sunglasses.

Famous designers who have put their names on today's sought after sunglasses include Chanel, Coach, Dolce and Gabanna, Oakley, Gucci, Christian Dior, Versace and many others. While designer sunglasses are a status symbol, they are made using high quality frames, lens, and construction.

With modern technology and improvements, the making of sunglasses continues to evolve from the vintage sunglasses of yesteryear. Sunglasses today with features such as Oakley's built-in digital audio players have come a long way from gems held to the eyes.








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