Ray-Ban Aviator Sunglasses

The brand Ray Ban was created by Bausch & Lomb to supply high quality sunglasses to US pilots in the 1930s. The initial Ray Ban Aviator design was based on a oblique teardrop shape, and over the past 75 years Aviator sunglasses have become a true design classic.

The early Ray Ban Aviator sunglasses offered wearers the first anti-glare lenses, filtering out infrared and ultraviolet rays. Combined with lightweight frames and an ergonomic fit for comfort, Ray Ban found they had an instant hit on their hands. The Aviator style became synonymous with pilots and then the military, when General Douglas McArthur was photographed wearing them during the Second World War and subsequently pictures were splashed across the world’s media. Whilst the Ray Ban Aviator sunglasses were clearly sharp and lent the wearer a distinct air of cool, they were also the finest quality sunglasses of the time and offered ultimate UV protection.

From their early link with the US military, Ray Ban’s Aviator sunglasses found another Service connection, on the silver screen in 1986, courtesy of a squadron of handsome navy chaps.

Maverick and Ice Man. Need anymore be said?

Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer immortalised Ray Ban Aviator sunglasses in everyone’s favourite Eighties classic, Top Gun. Whether he was racing his fighter jet, riding his motorcycle or bedding Kelly McGillis, Tom Cruise’s Ray Ban Aviators were ever present. So much so, that sales of Ray Ban’s Aviator sunglasses rose 40% that year!

Since Top Gun put Aviators on the movie map, dozens of other films followed suit. Memorable placements include Cobra, To Live and Die in LA and Michael Jackson’s This is It. Michael Jackson was a huge fan of Ray Ban Aviators, particularly their mirrored Aviator sunglasses, which he wore constantly in public and in many of his music videos.

Aside from movies Ray Ban Aviator sunglasses are popular with a host of celebrities and the general public. The style flatters every face shape, the lenses are so dazzlingly clear and the frames so neat and light that it’s very hard not to love the Aviator. Ray Ban Aviator sunglasses have earned their cult status and then some!

Here at Shade Station, we’re already preparing for the summer season and recently held an exciting photoshoot showcasing an array of some of the hottest sunglasses and watches that are either available to buy now or will be in stock over the next month. The photos will be up on the site soon, but we thought we’d show you a sneak peek at some of the images and the designs to look forward to this summer!

We had two models who did a superb job of making our sunglasses and watches look effortlessly stylish! First we had Marcus, who aside from being a model is also in the band The Council, and Erica who beautifully modelled a wide selection of looks ranging from Hollywood glamour inspired to boho chic.

The brands appearing in the shoot included Ray-Ban, Tom Ford, Prada, Gucci, Adidas, Diesel, DKNY and Chanel to name only a few and the creative themes we selected were perfect to represent a cool and laid-back summer vibe!

The key sunglass styles to look out for this season definitely include oversized designs (for both men and women) as seen within the Tom Ford, BVLGARI, Dior and Oliver Peoples collections, sporty, as demonstrated in the Carrera, Dragon and Oakley ranges and colourful and retro – including Ray-Ban, Jee Vice, Pucci and Marc by Marc Jacobs. For watches, you still can’t go wrong with glitzy and glamorous using Guess watches and Juicy Couture watches as the perfect examples, and also for the ladies, androgynous watches are a hot look, as seen in the collection of Fossil watches.

You’ll definitely be able to get a feel for the looks and trends when the pictures go live on our site but meanwhile, we hope you enjoy this exclusive behind-the-scenes peek at what’s to come this summer!

Brad Pitt in Tom Ford Sunglasses

Since leaving his much celebrated position as head of fashion house Gucci, Tom Ford has continued on his ascent to artistic greatness, firstly at the helm of his own Tom Ford label, and also as a lauded film director.

This connection between cutting-edge fashion and the silver screen is reflected in the sunglasses tastes of Tinseltown’s elite. From Sunset to Santa Monica, Tom Ford sunglasses have been a staple accessory in recent years, whether they’re the elegant criss-crossed silhouette models or the classic, bold-framed shades with the distinguished ‘T’ brand inlaid in the temples of the frames.

Tom Ford sunglasses are a favourite of Brad and Angelina, who are both regularly spotted, on and off screen, bearing an array of Tom’s best creations.

We all know that Brad looks good in almost everything he wears, but there’s no denying how effortlessly cool he is stepping out in this pair of Bailey Tom Ford sunglasses. The strong frame of ‘T’ branded range have been compared with the classic Wayfarer form, made famous by Ray-Ban, however, the smoother lines and finessed engineering of the Tom Ford sunglasses frames explain why they stand out as the brand of choice for the more discerning celebrity.

Other big names fashionably shielding themselves from the bright Californian sunshine in Tom Ford sunglasses include Lindsay Lohan, often snapped wearing the modest Conor or Arnaud models, and Halle Berry, recently seen showing-off the bold Bianca style.

Tom Ford sunglasses hark back to the elegant, simple styles of the 1950s. While this style is particularly popular right now, his designs embody an unmistakable, classic quality, that truly make Tom Ford sunglasses timeless.

Whether you should find yourself under the glare of the sun or the lights of the red carpet, Tom Ford sunglasses have obtained a well-deserved position as one of the most desirable, luxury brands for any occasion.

Ray-Ban Wayfarers are Tinie's Most Valued Possession!

Tuesday night saw most of us glued to our screens watching the biggest night of the year for the world of British music. Yes, The BRIT Awards rolled around again for one more year and quite a star-studded evening it was too – filled with amazing performances and the presentation of some of the most prestigious awards in the music industry.

Of course, whilst the music is the reason why the BRIT Awards happen, we can’t help but analyse what all the artists and their entourages are wearing, and we were very happy to see that Ray-Ban Wayfarers were a prominent part of one artist’s outfit in particular!

Tinie Tempah has been big news on the music and style scene over the past year, and his talent and popularity was certainly recognised at the event, with Tinie winning 2 BRIT Awards for ‘Best British Breakthrough Act’ and ‘Best British Single’.

The iconic event was sponsored by MasterCard and as part of the Something For The Fans competition every BRIT performer gave away an item of theirs that they viewed as ‘Priceless’. Of course, Tinie chose his Ray-Ban Wayfarers!

It’s clear that his Wayfarers are a symbol of Tinie’s style as when he took to the stage to perform, all of his 14 dancers were dressed as him, all rocking Ray-Ban Wayfarers. At one point in the song he refers to ‘Crazy Sun Protectors’ – meaning his sunglasses, and even lifted up the Ray-Bans whilst rapping the line!

Tinie was also featured in GQ’s ‘Brits Most Stylish Men’ and certainly looked the part, teaming his black Ray-Ban sunglasses with clear lenses with an ultra sharp white Dolce & Gabbana suit.

Ray-Ban Wayfarers are one of the most iconic styles of Ray-Ban sunglasses in the world of fashion and it definitely looks like they’re  here to stay!

Mollie King Wears her Ray-Ban Aviators

So the autumn season is upon us but that certainly doesn’t mean that your sunglasses should be pushed to the back of your accessories wardrobe – especially if your choice of sunglasses are a pair of Ray-Bans!

Ray-Ban sunglasses are a timelessly stylish and statement accessory with a huge number of the various styles always seen on the celebs and style icons. If you know you are after a designer pair of sunglasses that you want to serve style and function longevity, Ray-Ban sunglasses are a perfect choice as will always be right at the forefront of fashion and provide you with that effortlessly chic look that the celebs seem to pull off so well!

Let’s take a look some of the Ray-Ban styles that the celebrities have been seen wearing-:

Demi Levato is a big fan of her Ray-Bans and was spotted wearing the Ray-Ban 2140 Wayfarers – one of the most famous and iconic styles of sunglasses that are constantly re-invented boasting slightly adjusted frame sizes, colours and patterns to keep the look fresh and contemporary. If you are after a classic style of sunglasses, you can’t go wrong with the original black Wayfarers.

The Ray-Ban 4141 sunglasses are a huge hit on the style scene and are similar to the Wayfarer in terms of their thick frame and simple style but the lenses are distinctively more rounded. The celebs have caught onto this design quickly and the Ray-Ban 4141 style has been seen on the likes of Mischa Barton, Pixie Geldof, Pixie Lott and Fearne Cotton.

Ray-Ban was the original creator of the aviator sunglasses and today, the ultra iconic Ray-Ban 3025 style is still going strong. These sunglasses are super easy to wear – flattering most face shapes and instantly providing you with a laid-back chic look whilst also adding a smart and put-together finish to your ensemble. Ray-Ban aviators are constantly seen on the style icons and celebrity fans include Audrina Partridge, Lo Bosworth and Mollie King from The Saturdays.

The Ray-Ban 4138 sunglasses are part of the Predator Ray-Ban collection and feature a thick frame that is wrapped to provide protection and create a sleek finish. Singer Aggro Santas was pictured in the recent pair of Ray-Ban 4138 sunglasses at The MOBO Awards 2010 Nomination Launch held at the Mayfair hotel.

Ray-Ban sunglasses are ultimately one of the most iconic brands of sunglasses out there because many of the styles are simple and are designed to compliment all trend/style preferences – fans of the grunge look could easily work a pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarers as could someone who prefers a classically chic style.

Just because summer is over, Ray-Ban sunglasses certainly aren’t going anywhere so keep your eyes peeled for new styles arriving this season!

Ray-Ban Wayfarers - The Choice of the Style Icons

Despite being founded back in 1937, the Ray-Ban brand today in 2010 is stronger than ever! Every year Ray-Ban usually reveals a new and exciting style or a revamped version of an iconic style, so we are always waiting in anticipation to see what’s coming next!

Last year when retro style was a huge key trend, the old-school colour inspired Ray-Ban Clubmasters were one of the hottest designs to be seen wearing. Still a favourite that has continued through to summer 2010, the Clubmaster is an incredibly popular style and we predict that the forthcoming music festivals will definitely see the colourful and classic Clubmasters once again, in all their glory!

There is also a Ray-Ban design that all the style icons, celebrities and anyone who knows a thing or two about fashion are constantly seen wearing – the Ray-Ban Wayfarer. Kate Moss, Nicole Ritchie, Lauren Conrad, Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson have all been seen sporting their classic and colourful Wayfarers (with Robert wearing them on-screen in Twilight as well as off-screen!) and the design just seems to flatter every face shape, providing your finished look with that sense of star quality.

It’s probably fair to say that the Ray-Ban Wayfarer has become a defining fashion item of this era and is likely a staple in many of our wardrobes or at least one that is high up on our wish list! The flattering shape that looks great on men and women is synonymous with only the coolest movers and shakers in the fashion and celebrity industry, yet also looks effortlessly stylish on us ‘normal’ folk who love the opportunity to get a piece of what our face celeb is wearing – and be able to wear it according to our own style and still look great. Ray-Ban sunglasses are accessible to everyone yet still possess sought after status due to the brand’s significant history and the superior quality of each pair, meaning that you really do get more than what you pay for.

Colour and the concept of mixing patterns and prints is a huge look for summer 2010 in clothing and accessories, therefore the Wayfarer has adapted accordingly to suit this trend. The acetate, slightly masculine and bold shape remains exactly the same but vibrant colours and patterns on the main frame and/or the frame interior have being added with the result being a contemporary, fresh and trendy collection with that flawless classic edge that has highly contributed to the overall success of Ray-Ban. From desert camouflage Wayfarers to pastel multi coloured crystal Wayfarers and even bright sunshine yellow Wayfarers, make sure you check out the latest collection to see which creative design catches your eye – each and every pair will make you look instantly stylish in an effortlessly ‘thrown together’ way, and the use of colour and pattern in the new Wayfarers is a great way of adding some vibrancy to your summer style!

LTD Watches - A Hot Favourite!

On Saturday, despite the raging sunshine, fashion prevailed and we took the opportunity to head out to Earl’s Court in London to the Clothes Show event which saw a number of designer brands and boutiques on show in addition to designers and stylists providing their fashion pearls of wisdom.

The event also involved a Fashion Show in the main theatre which used the theme of fashion inspired by countries including France, Italy, USA and England and presented this with a fusion of music, a dance troupe and models which really made it more of an all-round performance as opposed to just a catwalk show. The show was full of energy, fantastic choreography and amazing outfits – all accessorised of course with sunglasses, watches and jewellery in some of the hot styles of the moment!

We were very pleased to see an array of our brands exhibiting their products including Ray-Ban, Zodiac, Fossil, Diesel, Superdry, Adidas, Guess and LTD Watches. The Ray-Ban Wayfarers were definitely a hit with the eager style spotters – particularly the new and revamped colourful versions. Guess watches and Guess jewellery were also proving incredibly popular. The watch look that all the fashionistas are sporting this season are white or light toned chunky watches – polycarbonate bracelet straps are a key look and especially with glitzy diamante embellishments to add that bit of sparkle to a casual yet statement watch! Check out this Guess Prism watch which is the perfect choice to capture the desired look!

I could hardly get a glimpse at the LTD Watch stand which is testament to how popular these strictly limited watches are. LTD Watches are highly trend inspired and the particular model that definitely seems to be a must-have this summer is the Maximo LTD Watch; available in a variety of vibrant colours and boasting a sleek yet chunky aesthetic. The Maximo watches were selling fast so make sure you check out the range here and get yours before they all go!

So, that is the rundown of some of the key looks and styles that were prominent at the Clothes Show London event which also clearly demonstrated that accessories in general are a major look of summer 2010. All of the brands mentioned above are available here at Shade Station so make sure you take a look to see what ultra fashionable designs we have, and make this summer your most stylish one yet!

Summer is officially here, the sun is shining and we couldn’t be happier! With the warmer months comes the usual smorgasbord of amazing festivals to get your hedonistic thrills at. Whether you enjoy moshing at ‘Download’, country pursuits at ‘The Green Man’, teenage kicks at ‘V Festival’, fancy dress at ‘Bestival’, glamour at newbie ‘Vintage at Goodwood’ or the mystic of ‘Glastonbury’, you must ensure you’re dressed for the occasion.

Festivals, fashionable summer gear and cool sunglasses all go hand in hand. Maybe it’s the influence of Gaga or perhaps Dita Von Teese, but this summer is all about kooky and vintage. With styles from the Fifties and Sixties making a comeback, we predict this year’s festivals to be awash with vintage shaped sunglasses in a cat’s eye style or small round frames, oversized sunglasses in reds, greens and brown and retro-looking shades.

The festival season kicked off with April’s Coachella Festival in California, where a host of celebrities dazzled with their fashionable threads and on-trend sunglasses. Kelly Osborne was spotted wearing small round framed lilac sunglasses, Katy Perry went retro in angular black frames with a bold white stripe across the top, Dita Von Teese personified Fifties elegance in oversized brown sunglasses with graduated lenses and Kate Bosworth dressed to impress in classic Ray Ban Aviators.

Aviators and Wayfarers from Ray Ban transcend fashion and will always be popular and current. For classic sunglasses you can’t go wrong with either of these styles for festival frolicking. The same goes for oversized glam shades. Designers like Gucci, Bvlgari, Versace, D&G, MDG Sunglasses, Chanel and Pucci all have great sunglasses for summer goddess style. On the other hand if you’re a seasonal type of girl with a desire to look fabulous and ‘now’ – take a leaf from Kelly O’s book and opt for small round shades. This style was all over the spring / summer catwalks and looks great in pastel coloured frames teamed with a floral frock or playsuit. Or you may want to play the vintage diva with cats eye shaped sunglasses – again a strong trend on the catwalk this year. Look to brands like Prada and Marc Jacobs to achieve this look.

We’ve got our Big Chill tickets and our festival sunnies sorted. Now it’s just a case of praying for sunshine! Here’s hoping….

Kate Bosworth Rocks her Ray-Ban Aviators in New York

When it comes to sunglasses, we all know that one of the top names around is Ray-Ban. When it comes to throwing a party that attracts all manner of celebrities and style icons it seems that Ray-Ban doesn’t do a bad job of this either!

Yes, last week in London town at the renowned Scala venue, celebrities including Miquita Oliver, Mathew Horne, Little Boots (Victoria Hesketh) and Peaches Geldof among a number of fashion bloggers and industry members were in full attendance to celebrate the re-launch of the Ray-Ban Classic Aviators. The party also saw The Big Pink and New York Dolls provide musical entertainment.

Ray-Ban certainly do like a party and therefore it seemed only fit to also hold one across the pond the week previous in New York, at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. Agyness Deyn, Kate Bosworth, Kellie Osbourne and Juliette Lewis all showed up to celebrate the re-launch of the Ray-Ban Classic Aviators and the guests were also treated to a performance by Iggy Pop which apparently ended with the audience joining the rock star on stage!

Ray-Ban Classic Aviators are timelessly stylish shades that ooze sophistication in that laid back Tom Cruise – ‘Top Gun’ kind of way (drool!). Looking equally fab on guys and girls, Ray-Ban Aviators are one of those styles that suit and flatter all face shapes and can effortlessly be added to your ensemble regardless of whether your outfit is casual, smart or sporty. If you are looking for the perfect pair of sunglasses that you can wear year after year, look consistently on–trend and provide the ultimate in eye protection, Ray-Ban Classic Aviators are definitely the way to go and are the perfect investment sunglasses.

It seemed that the celeb folks at the two Ray-Ban parties definitely agreed by the number of them wearing their aviators indoors! Any excuse!

Ray-Ban Wayfarers - Gordon Brown

What with the imminent election on the horizon, the actions of the party leaders Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg are in close observation.

However, aside from the various manifestos proposed by the Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat party leaders, in eager attempt to win our votes on the 6th May, we have been taking a close look at their choice of style to see what this perhaps reveals?

The sun has been shining and what a great excuse this has been for the Brown, Cameron and Clegg to rock their shades. So, let’s take a close look at what sunglasses they are wearing in today’s sunshine ahead of tomorrow’s Second Party Leaders’ debate in Bristol.

Gordon Brown – the Labour leader and current Prime Minister is totally working his Ray-Ban Wayfarers. Not notoriously a man who is renowned for his dynamic and cutting edge sense of style, has Gordon upped his style game and wearing his Wayfarers because he has done his research and knows they are uber on trend? Unfortunately not. He just hasn’t got rid of them from the last time.

Conservative leader David Cameron (or Dave to his friends) is a little bit more suave in the style stakes and when he is seen out and about, mingling with the public or chillaxing with his mates, he will be seen in a super stylish pair of  Ray-Ban Aviators. We all know that he is also a bit of an action man and so whilst up and down the UK clocking up the mileage on his mountain bike, he knows that Oakley Radar sunglasses are the only choice to protect his peepers on the go.

The Liberal Democrat leader and the nation’s lovable son-in-law Nick Clegg is a little more experimental with his look and likes to be cutting edge and is of course, aware how on trend bold colour is for summer 2010. Therefore Clegg will be working a pair of orange Carrera Sunglasses perfectly capturing that sporty chic vibe.

All the party leaders will be rocking their shades in today’s sunshine as they prepare for the Second Party Leaders’ debate in Bristol, but whose sunglass style are you most impressed with??