A History Of Ray Ban Wayfarer Sunglasses From The 50’s To Today

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There are few things more iconic than a pair of Ray Ban Wayfarers. And there are certainly no other sun glasses that play such a large role in popular culture. Now after the launch of the Ray Ban rb 2132 New Wayfarer sunglasses, what better time to look back at the unique history of these glasses.

Ray Ban Wayfarers - An Instant Classic

Raymond Stegeman  was one of the founders of the Ray Ban company. And when he first developed the Wayfarer in 1952 for Bausch and Lomb it was a revolutionary design. The plastic molded frames were in distinct contrast to the thin metal frames that came before. And their unique shape quickly became a classic to be mimicked by 1000’s of designs since.

The Wayfarer enjoyed instant popularity amongst the glitterati and celebrities of the 1950’s and 60’s. Everyone from Bob Dylan to John F Kennedy had at least one pair. Other notable fans of these sun glasses in this era were John Lennon, Marylin Monroe, Roy Orbison, James Dean and John Lennon. They became the sunglasses of choice for anyone who was anyone.

One of their most famous early appearances that really cemented their place in popular culture was when Audrey Hepburn sported a pair in the 1961 movie, Breakfast at Tiffanys. She wore an over-sized, tortoise shell framed pair and it remains one of cinema’s most enduring images.

Fall from Grace

The 70’s however, represented a kind of dark ages for the Ray Ban Wayfarer. Fashion and the times had changed and it seemed there was no place for these glasses. The one bright spot for the shades came in 1980 with the release of The Blues Brothers where Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi were rarely seen without a pair. But still, they’d slipped into something of a slump.

Second Summer

The early to mid 80’s marked a second golden age for the sun glasses. It was all sparked off when Tom Cruise danced around in only his underwear and a pair of these glasses in the movie, Risky business. The wayfarer was back in business baby! Repeated appearances in Miami Vice did the glasses popularity no harm. And musicians too helped fuel the craze, with Madonna, Duran Duran and Elvis Costello being amongst there biggest fans.

A Downturn In Popularity

During the 90’s the Wayfarer again slipped out of favor. This time wrap around shades were taking all the plaudits, and business. The Wayfarers design was changed slightly to attract new customers but the product remained out of the lime light, at least for a little while.

Ray Ban Wayfarers’ Resurgence

However with the onset of the new millennium so the Wayfarer once more came to the forefront of popular culture. They experienced a huge revival in sales and popularity and soon the glasses, with their timeless design once again took center stage.

It was Ray Ban’s return to their classic design that spurred this revival and since then Ray Bans and Wayfarers have been omnipresent in popular culture. Celebrities  you may have seen wearing  Rayban are Kate Moss, Scarlett Johansson, Johnny Depp, Paris Hilton, and of course, famously, Borrak Obama.

Wayfarers Now: The Ray Ban rb 2132 New Wayfarer Sunglasses

This return to the classic designs of the 1950 and 60s inspired the New Wayfarer range and the Ray Ban 2132. The Ray Ban New Wayfarer still carries the same distinctive shape and styling that they did on there inception, with the same focus on lightweight stylish functionality. This, in addition to modern comfort and functionality.

Quite simply a design classic.

Click Here To Buy The New Wayfarer For Only $103.00.

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