by Rohan Tunks
Fashion editor Lauren Sams recalled that, whilst Hollywood turned female actors into fashion trendsetters by the end of the 1920s, the Australian film industry was one of the many globally that followed suit. Thus, it’s not surprising that both film enthusiasts and fashionistas recall the outlandish drag-queen dresses in Priscilla or the red satin dress of Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge! up to this day.
However, clothing pieces aren’t the only iconic fashion items in film history. Accessories like sunglasses also became trendy because they were featured in popular films. Here’s a rundown of sunglass styles that were featured on the big screen:
Ray-Ban Aviators in Top Gun
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Ray-Ban Aviators were already iconic in the first half of the 20th century. However, they became trendy again in the ’80s when Tom Cruise wore these sunglasses in Top Gun. As if that isn’t enough, Ray-Ban Aviators rose to fame again in 2022 because Top Gun: Maverick became as successful as its prequel at the box office. Tom Cruise was placed right at the centre of this sequel, and fans were definitely happy to see the main character and his usual attire once again. Aviators were originally made for US military pilots, which is why it’s fitting that they were consistently used for Tom Cruise’s character, who was a naval aviator lieutenant.
Oakley Gascan in Free Guy
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In Free Guy, Ryan Reynolds’ character discovers he’s a background player in an open-world video game and decides to be a hero in a world without limits. It’s very apt that the main character uses one of the sports sunglasses from Oakley because the brand’s sunnies are designed for people who want to perform better in sports like cycling, skating, and even gaming. In the film, Reynolds actually uses a modified version of Oakley Gascan, which is why his frames have light yellow lenses instead of the usual grey or the special Prizm lenses of the brand. The Gascan is already quite a popular style among many athletes, but this film made it more known to a wider audience.
Oliver Goldsmith Manhattan in Breakfast at Tiffany’s
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Breakfast at Tiffany’s has to be one of the most beloved films of fashion enthusiasts. Thanks to this film, the luxury jewellery from Tiffany & Co. is still beloved by many fans. As such, the luxury jewellery company continues to exhibit various elements presented in the film, such as Audrey Hepburn’s Givenchy gown. However, Tiffany & Co. isn’t the only company to benefit from this film. Oliver Goldsmith also became more famous when Audrey Hepburn wore their custom dark tortoise shades while looking through the window of Tiffany & Co. Due to the style’s popularity, Oliver Goldsmith decided to release the Manhattan, an exact replica of the sunglasses worn in the film.
Persol 2611 in GoldenEye
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The actors behind James Bond usually get to wear various types of stylish suits throughout the entire franchise. To illustrate, Sean Connery showed slick and sophisticated outfits during the first few films, while Pierce Brosnan wore suits with rich and darker colours in his era. The stylists also added a few elements to their suits to make each outfit look unique while still being on brand. To illustrate, Pierce Brosnan wore luxury sunglasses from Persol in the film GoldenEye. The Persol 2611 sunglasses are known for their premium quality and extraordinary crystal lenses. Unfortunately, the model Brosnan used was already discontinued years after the film was released.
All of these sunglasses have trendy designs and beautiful features. However, they gained even more recognition because they complemented the main characters’ outfits in these films.
