A pioneer in eyewear for many years, 'Ray-Ban' has been cherished around the world. It has become the root of various sunglasses. In this article, while introducing the standard items of the brand, we will unravel the history of the brand.
It Began with Pilots
In an era when the United States did not have an air force, pilots of the United States Army Air Corps faced issues such as eye fatigue, vision decline, headaches, and nausea due to sunlight while flying at high altitudes. As a result, a tool was needed to prevent the glare of sunlight.In 1923, the U.S. military commissioned the 'Bausch + Lomb Corporation', which had optical technology and manufactured microscopes, to create lenses for sunglasses. However, development was challenging, and it took six years to complete the lenses, which were finished in 1929.
Then in 1930, the first officially adopted sunglasses, which became the prototype for the still-popular model 'AVIATOR', was adopted.
Subsequently, Bausch + Lomb began marketing the AVIATOR. The design, now commonly known as the teardrop shape, was originally crafted by the company to ensure the maximum field of vision for human eyes. It's a design that has been consistently produced as a representation of functional beauty.
The brand name was chosen for its meaning 'to ban rays' of light, hence the Ray-Ban brand was born. This was in 1937.
The Beloved 'WAYFARER', Worn by James Dean & Audrey Hepburn
After the release of AVIATOR, functional items such as 'OUTDOORSMAN' and 'CARAVAN' were primarily released. However, in 1952, 'WAYFARER' was born as the first plastic model of Ray-Ban.Developed as a fashion item, this model quickly gained popularity after being worn by James Dean in "Rebel Without a Cause" and Audrey Hepburn in "Breakfast at Tiffany's", and has been loved by many ever since, becoming a legendary model. This is no exception in Japan, and even today, WAYFARER remains a popular model. Its unique features, such as the slant of the front and shape of the temples, continue to be beloved.
The 'CLUBMASTER' Boom from the Late 1980s to the Early 1990s
So far, we've seen two iconic Ray-Ban models, but in 1986, another renowned model was born. This was the 'CLUBMASTER', which has a distinct brow line.While successful as sunglasses, this model was also popular as an eyeglasses frame. It gained further attention when Denzel Washington wore them in the movie "Malcolm X" and Tim Roth wore them in "Reservoir Dogs."
'Ray-Ban Green', a One-of-a-kind Lens
Not only the frame, but the lens is also a vital piece in telling the popularity of Ray-Ban. One of its unique features is the logo on the upper right of the lens. Moreover, Ray-Ban has a renowned lens color known as the 'G-15' or 'Ray-Ban Green'.This lens color is highly favored among brand enthusiasts. The lenses are said to reduce glare while making objects appear in their natural color, and it's the original color of Ray-Ban.
Nowadays, many different colors and types of lenses have been released. For instance, characteristics vary by color, like brown lenses that make surroundings appear brighter on cloudy days, and the variety of plastic lens models has increased as well. Among these, the basic one would be the G-15 glass lens, also known as Ray-Ban Green. It is mostly used in Ray-Ban's iconic models.
Though plastic lenses have advantages like lightness, glass lenses have features such as resistance to scratches and distortion.
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