Film and Fashion

We sometimes forget that aside from being a fashion statement, sunglasses were originally designed with the core purpose of providing a protection for the eyes. However, over the past few decades, fashion and image certainly play a major role in our choice of sunglasses.

Films and ad campaigns are a huge influence in how a particular brand or style of sunglasses becomes fashionable. Ever since the 1960s, when Foster Grant ran the “Who’s That Behind Those Foster Grants?” campaign, sunglasses have continued to increase in popularity.

We tend to associate fashion predominantly with females but male film stars certainly influence men in their choice of shades. From Jack Nicholson in “Easy Rider” and John Belushi and Dan Akroyd in “The Blues Brothers” to Tom Cruise in” “Top Gun,” sunglasses allow males to inject a touch of personal style and have become an iconic fashion accessory. Female film stars who have made a sunglasses style famous include Audrey Hepburn in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”, Carrie Anne Moss in “The Matrix” and Angelina Jolie in “Mr and Mrs Smith”. Styles range from conservative to outrageous, and come in every conceivable colour.

So why exactly are sunglasses such a fashion statement? There is a certain mystique when someone dons a pair of shades and it is often said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. Perhaps sunglasses therefore act as a device to make the wearer seem more provocative and add an air of mystery…..