Vintage sunglasses designers
August 27, 2015What do Michael Caine, Diana Dors, Audrey Hepburn and Nancy Sinatra have in common, apart from being famous?The answer is one of the most well known of Vintage sunglasses designers, Oliver Goldsmith, a family business going back to the mid-twenties. Their innovative designs have been worn by film stars and royalty.We’re talking Princess Grace of Monaco, Princess Margaret, Princess Diana and the Duke of Windsor.
Vintage sunglasses designers
Goldsmith designed prescription glasses as well as sunglasses, but even if you don’t need glasses, a pair of Goldsmith sunnies are essential.
Goldsmith understood the importance of hand crafted products rather than mass-produced and his tortoise-shell glasses were hand-made by carefully chosen craftsmen.
Their designs, ever more versatile and creative, became more widely known, attracting a wide audience of admirers for their eclectic range.
With the help of Oliver Goldsmith, sunglasses have gone from being functional and necessary to becoming the essential accessory to any outfit or event.
They’ve never stayed with one simple design, but continued to innovate with one adventurous line of beautiful sunglasses after another.
For vintage lovers look for vintage Goldsmith and keep an eye out for their own vintage retro range which are reproduced samples from their archive.
Otherwise, look out for Goldsmith vintage sunglasses at good vintage shops (Blue17) online or on the high street.
Vintage sunglasses designers-Ray-Ban
When you hear the word Ray-Ban you may feel immediately transported to the 1980s and 1990s when Ray-Ban was at the heights of its fame, with celebrity endorsement and film placements.
They made an appearance in Men in Black in the 90s and Desperately Seeking Susan in the 80s.
This is a company owned by American Bausch & Lomb and founded in the latter half of the 30s.With Ray-Ban, the names Wayfarer and Aviator have become synonymous with stylish eye-wear. On the eve of the millennium, in 1999, the company was sold to Luxottica Group for $640 million.
For many, Ray-Ban is a trusted brand that’s been around for a long time, and as they only specialise in sunglasses, for many it’s a reliable brand too.
Vintage Ray-Ban is always better, and as with Goldsmith if you’re after a pair, then look in reputable vintage stores both on the high street and offline.
Vintage sunglasses designers-Foster Grant
Foster Grant was founded in the late 20s and with their designer Sam Foster selling them on the boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey.Now, nearly a hundred years later, there’s a lot of Foster Grant sunglasses out there.
For those old enough to remember, if you were around in the 70s and 80s, it seemed that a pair of Foster Grants came with an obligatory bottle of Ambre Solaire as you walked on the beach in your string bikini.
Again, like Ray Ban and Goldsmiths, Foster Grants thrived on celebrity endorsement and product placement in films and in the early 60s came up with a famous advertising slogan “Who’s that behind those Foster Grants? ad campaign.
If you’re looking for some Foster Grants look online and offline and only in reputable vintage shops you trust.
You may find that Foster Grants may be a little better for your budget than Goldsmiths or Ray-Ban, and there’s plenty of variety.If you’re into the 70s and 80s, Foster Grants have some great designs.
