Hall of Fame
Our Top-List: the coolest, the most popular and legendary sunglasses-classics. Some of these sunglasses have become famous because they were worn by a star. Others adorned the faces of an entire generation and so gained the status of style-icons. The Ray Ban Wayfarer is the perfect example for this. Then there are the kind of glasses, which identified the wearer as a member of a special scene, as with several Cazal-models. All these glasses have gained cult-status – and you can find them here.
Alpina M1
These pilot’s sunglasses gained a global reputation because of their innovative design and unrivaled “handmade” quality. In the recent past, artists as Jay-Z and Kanye West have initiated a downright global boom of the M1. So much so, that the company Alpina decided in 2007 to reissue this success-model in a small limited edition.
Linda Farrow 6031
These vintage Linda Farrow glasses are probably the most sought-after vintage sunglasses in the world. And all because of a single star: Al Pacino, alias “Tony Montana”, in Brian De Palma's "Scarface" (1983). It took us years to even figure out the name of these sunglasses. To be honest, the Scarface sunglasses are popular based solely on their rarity and the image of the gangster boss, because Al Pacino also wore Porsche 5622 sunglasses in the same movie which are much higher quality and yet not as expensive as the Linda Farrow 6031. The simple reason for this: Availability.
Cartier Malmaison
All vintage Cartier wood-framed glasses are now highly coveted and precious, as countless celebrities have adorned themselves with them over the years. The most famous model in the Cartier precious wood series, however, is the Malmaison. This was the model worn by Diego Armando Maradona at the 1990 World Cup. Boxer Floyd Mayweather wore the Cartier Malmaison so often in recent years that the Cartier Malmaison has come to be known as the "Mayweather Cartier".
Cazal 607
Initially produced in 1982, the Cazal 607 glasses soon became an integral part of the US HipHop-scene. The US HipHop Band Run DMC made the 607 so famous, that the Cazal company, 25 years after its first release, decided to reissue the 607 model. The 607-reproductions (made in Germany) have by now almost attained the same cult-status as the 607 originals (made in W.Germany) from the 80’s.
Ray-Ban Wayfarer
In 1962 John F. Kennedy wore the USA Wayfarer sunglasses by Bausch&Lomb during the Cuba crisis. It gained cult-status, when John Belushi wore the same model in the 1980 hit-movie “Blues Brothers”. After several more movies, like “Risky Business” starring Tom Cruise or “Miami Vice” (1986), the Wayfarer became the most popular pair of sunglasses worldwide.
Lunor Classic Round
Classic, timelessly elegant and yet completely different. This description fits not only this rimless frame from Lunor, but also Apple's co-founder Steve Jobs.
Therefore, it is no coincidence that Steve Jobs made these Lunor glasses his trademark. Even the cover of his biography shows the innovative entrepreneur wearing the Lunor Classic Round.
Neostyle Nautic 2
The German brand „Neostyle“ owns its worldwide fame to the “King of Rock’n’Roll. Elvis Presley wore the model Nautic 2 during his 1972 concert at the New York Madison Square Garden. Since that time, the Nautic 2 has been in demand not only by Elvis Fans. Jeremy Piven (alias “Buddy “Aces” Israel) also wore the original Neostyle Nautic 2 in his movie “Smokin’ Aces (2007).
Persol 714
The most popular Persol is without a doubt the 714 folding-sunglasses. Steve McQueen not only wore the Persol 714 Ratti in the 1968 box-office hit “The Thomas Crown Affair”, but also privately and in doing so made it his trademark. The original was auctioned off 2006 in Los Angeles by Bonham’s & Butterfield for 70.200 Dollars.
Jean Paul Gaultier 56-8171
There are many reasons why Sunglasses 56-8171 are one of the most famous Gaultier models. These steampunk sunglasses, as they are known, were often seen in movies and music videos. The myth also persists that the Gaultier 56-8171 was the very first model of glasses by Jean Paul Gaultier. It is an assumption that no one has yet been able to validate for us. Perhaps it's due to the fact that Sylvester Stallone wore a black 56-8171 in the 1989 movie "Tango & Cash," although the Gaultier Eyewear Collection wasn't actually released until 1990 (at least in Europe).
Porsche 5622
The Porsche folding-sunglasses are among the most popular vintage sunglasses. The ingenious and practical construction was instrumental in the establishing of the Porsche folding-models “Bestseller” status 20 years ago – despite the extremely high price of approximately 700 DM (500 US-dollars).
Carrera 5512
The variety of models with regard to the old Carrera sunglasses is huge – still, through the decades, one model became especially famous: Don Johnson (alias “Sonny Crockett) wore the 5512 model in the pilot to the series “Miami Vice” in 1984. Since that time, the Carrera 5512 has been among the most popular sunglasses ever.
