If you’ve ever taken an interest in sunglasses, 80’s movies or aviation, it’s safe to say you’ll be familar with the Aviator/ Pilot style.
Aviators were originally created especially for pilots to protect their eyes when flying, hence the name ‘aviators’. The style was born when test pilot John MacReady approached eye health company Bausch & Lomb (founders of the Ray-Ban Brand) to manufacture something that would protect the cold wind, whilst also being dark enough to protect from the strong sunlight whilst flying at high altitudes.
The Aviator is a style that looked great in the cockpits of WWII, some might say it looked even better on Tom Cruise in Top Gun, but it also looks at home away from the airfield too.
In recent years’ the Aviator has enjoyed a bit of a shake-up. A rebirth, if you will. After several years of chunky frames and thick designs the Aviator is regaining popularity and it’s not only Ray-Ban who are taking advantage of this. Although Ray-Ban now offer the Aviator in what feels to be an unlimited number of designs, with the addition of new styles such as Evolve lenses and Chromance styles.
There has also been a surge in other brands who have released their own take on the Pilot style. We’ve delved into our collection to share just a few with you. Don’t forget you can apply a ‘Pilot’ shape to any search, sunglasses or glasses.
Whether you’re a fan of the Gucci Pilot frame that took centre stage during the 2018 Love Island UK series. The GG0062S is a beautiful reinterpreation of the classic shape.
Or maybe you prefer the sleek style of Alexander McQueen’s AM0204S with its sleek gold metal design.
It’s safe to say that the Aviator frame style is also gaining popularity as an alternative style of optical glasses. Gucci, Stella McCartney and Ray-Ban all offer beautifully styled Pilot/ Aviator optical frames.
