History of the Aviator Glasses The most iconic in the world!
Surely you have heard about the famous aviator glasses! One of the most iconic sunglasses models in all of history. No doubt you've seen them at some point, because they're so cool and the truth is that they're almost a “must” in the sunglasses.
The aviator glasses or “aviators”, as they are also known, are distinguished by being wide with a thin metal frame, highly recognizable for their double bridge design adapted to the curve to the nose, which holds his contact lenses in the form of tears that gives him his very particular style.
But the truth is that one of the most special hallmarks of aviator sunglasses is the way in which their design and size manage to completely cover the eye to guarantee maximum protection against sunlight, using completely dark or reflective lenses. And it is that the aviator glasses were created especially for this purpose!
Do you already know the history of aviator glasses? Keep reading and find out the curiosities hidden in this iconic pair of glasses that cannot be missing from your collection.
What is the origin of the Aviator Glasses?
The aviator glasses have their origin and fame in the Second World War. This historic moment arose the need to develop special glasses to supply mainly aviation pilots, as well as members of the US Navy and Army. It is from there that its representative name arises: "Aviator" for the aviators of the USAAAC (United States Army Air Corp.)
The origin of the aviator glasses is even more interesting! It begins in the 1930s when the Air Force commissioned the optical products manufacturer Bausch & Lomb with the task of creating and designing specially dedicated sunglasses to protect pilots from the sun's rays in their missions, in which they They were at very high altitudes and with a very strong exposure to radiation and excess light. Hence, the company did not stop until it reached the famous aviator glasses.
Who invented aviator glasses?
It was in 1936 that Bausch + Lomb created the first Ray-Ban sunglasses for military aviators that began to be marketed a year later. The company's opticians and physicists managed to come up with a specialized tint in 1936, of a dark-green color capable of absorbing light in the yellow band of the spectrum, and with a very wide frame that would accommodate a pair of large crystals that covered very the eyes well (and that's why they reached the cheeks), slightly tilted so as not to interrupt his vision of the plane's controls or his aerial view.
Although we can find many imitation models and cool new adaptations on the market today, this was really the origin of the Ray-Ban brand, the original creator of the model of aviator glasses, which received by US Air Force pilots free of charge for use in warfare.
Why are aviator glasses so popular?
aviator sunglasses were popularized in World War II by General Douglas MacArthur, in 1944, who was captured in an iconic photograph wearing his aviator sunglasses.
Later, in 1947 the company officially developed the renowned sunglasses as a fashion accessory for the public using advertising campaigns (aimed at both men and women) especially related to patriotism and national pride that was booming in those times, although they also greatly promoted the technological advances of the time and their rational advantages (functionality and comfort). They came to use the figure of the pilot Amelia Earhart as an image in some of their campaigns to approach the female audience with this patriotic dynamic.
Of course, this furor guaranteed many sales for the brand and also made the model of glasses a success in society from that moment on, and until the end of time. It was also a model of glasses that was marketed under the concept of happiness and family unity despite the times of war, attracting a lot of public attention with slogans such as "Tomorrow's members need good eyes."
The aviator sunglasses did not have a specific audience, it was for everyone, and hence its popularity ; They could be used from young people to adults, and they were used by both men and women, which was also the cause of their great popularity.
Today, the model of aviator sunglasses comes and goes from season to season. Surely you have noticed how this model always returns in the waves of vintage and retro fashion. But the truth is that it is an iconic sunglasses model that is here to stay. Despite the fact that its original creators Bausch + Lomb finally sold the Ray-Ban brand to the Italian company Luxótica in 1999, the brand has remained the official creator of this emblematic aviator sunglasses model.
Many other brands (designer and low-cost) have taken this original model and have marketed it for years, reinterpreting the design of aviator sunglasses with different colors, frames, lenses, and sizes. So it is not uncommon to see many people wearing this model in a unique and different way, but maintaining its originality.
This is how aviator glasses have also become very popular due to their appearances in films such as “Cobra” and “Top Gun”, starring Sylvester Stallone and Tom Cruise respectively, as well as its popularity among artists such as Paul McCartney, Brad Pitt, Freddy Mercury, Steve McQueen, David Bowie, Elvis or Diana Ross, among many others.
There is no doubt that aviator glasses have become a cultural icon in the history of fashion and sunglasses!
It's amazing and admirable that a sunglasses so useful and so genuine at that time, thanks to technological advances and problem solving in moments of crisis. And you, what do you think of the great story behind the aviator glasses?
