The Ray Ban Wayfarer style of sunglasses have had a long stay within the fickle confines of pop culture. Considered revolutionary by those in the fashion industry, these unique and distinct sunglasses have long been staples in fashion, film and television, and have a remarkable history as well as a lengthy list of famous fans.
The Wayfarers were a huge departure from the metal Aviator frames that were popular around the time that they were introduced, choosing instead a bold, plastic frame that had not been seen before. Here you’ll find a brief history of this veritable pop culture phenomenon.
The Ray Ban Wayfarer style of frames were first introduced in 1961 where they were seen in the popular movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Worn by Audrey Hepburn, the movie sent women scattering to find the sunglasses themselves. Now easily recognizable in pop culture, it’s easy to spot these distinctive glasses in many other films and fashion during that decade.
While they faded from popularity in the 1970’s, they were back on the market and back in the spotlight with a clever marketing scheme that placed the already well-known frames in movies, magazines and on television. Most notably, Tom Cruise wore the glasses in his famous “underwear scene” in the movie Risky Business.
The 1980’s presented a huge opportunity to bring about the popularity of the brand. In 1981, Wayfarers were going to be discontinued with only 18,000 pairs sold in a year. Ray Ban didn’t want to discontinue the wildly popular sunglasses, so as a last ditch effort, they signed a lucrative marketing deal for product placement, and in the next five years, Ray Bans were placed in more than sixty movies and television shows per year.
Other celebrity fans of these ray ban sunglasses include Madonna, Debbie Harry, Elvis Costello, Jack Nicholas and even Anna Wintour.
Today, you can find Wayfarers in around forty different styles, still completely relevant to our pop culture today. Many people credit the Wayfarer’s return to modern pop culture to Will Smith’s endorsement of the glasses in the movie Men in Black. The appeal of the glasses became largely vintage, and many people collect vintage sunglasses because of their desirability.
Ray Ban continues to aggressively market the sunglasses, believing in their viability in today’s culture and market. As sales for this distinctive brand continue to soar, it’s clear to see that they will be a part of our cultural landscape for years to come.
