Sunglasses. An item owned by nearly every adult and most children. Essentially a functional item that has long been regarded as a fashion accessory and thus, an item that has been interpreted by so many designers that the styles available are truly endless and impossible to recollect.
There are legendary styles, but arguably none more legendary than Ray-Ban's Wayfarer, often cited as the best selling sunglass design of all time, since its launch in 1952. The Wayfarer was penned by Raymond Stegeman, a designer who was responsible for many patent designs made famous by Ray-Ban's parent company, Bauch & Lomb.
The Wayfarer is a truly timeless design, demonstrated by a revival after the downturn in the 1970's. The Wayfarer was one of the first sunglasses made in cast plastic instead of relying on metal frames and as a result they are often best remembered as a symbol of the 1980's! The ultimate tribute to any design is their adoption in popular culture and in that respect the Wayfarer is the king of fashion accessories. From their appearance on Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's, to nearly any photograph of Enzo Ferrari after about 1960. Andy Warhol was a serial Wayfarer-wearer and today there are numerous personalities who would wear no other style. So enduring and evergreen is the look, it has been copied endlessly and will remain a permanent item on the list of legendary designs.
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