Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses are the airborne legend that keeps on soaring today

Do you remember the first time you ever saw someone wearing aviator-style sunglasses, and were immediately struck by their powerful and purposeful chic?

Perhaps it was when you watched George Michael’s “Faith” video, in which the then-24-year-old idol played a guitar near a classic Wurlitzer juke box, in a pair of Levi’s blue jeans with cowboy boots? Or maybe it was on sight of one of the many other music or movie stars of the ‘70s or ‘80s who you always admired, such as Freddie Mercury, Tom Cruise, Slash or Jeff Lynne?

Anyway, you get the idea. A pair of Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses was the eyewear fashion statement of a generation. Unlike so many other style staples of that era, though, they have also retained an aesthetic timelessness that has helped to make them no less relevant as part of a head-turning ensemble into the 2020s.

It’s a story that began so differently…

If there’s one reason above all others for Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses continuing to be coveted despite their ‘70s and ‘80s ubiquity, it may well be the fact that they were hardly a product of that era – and indeed, weren’t even conceived to be worn by icons of pop and rock.

Instead, the world’s first aviator sunglasses were developed by Ray-Ban’s then-parent company, Bausch & Lomb, in the late 1930s, with the express purpose of ‘banning rays’ – hence the name – from the eyes of US Air Force pilots.

Until the emergence of Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses, early 20th-century pilots had been forced to make do with fur-lined goggles if they wanted to preserve visibility and protect their eyes against the elements while in the air.

It didn’t take long after the emergence of the first Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses, however, for their unmistakable metal-framed silhouette and anti-glare lenses to catch on with the wider public – from fishermen and golfers to the World War II pilots who came to rely on them in life-and-death combat.

Then, come the 1950s, also came Ray-Ban’s first major advertising campaigns and Aviators’ booming popularity among Hollywood celebrities and other style-conscious civilians. Life for these prestigious military-inspired sunglasses would never be the same again.

Now, it’s your turn to don a pair – and turn heads

Today, the Ray-Ban Aviator continues to enjoy envious status as one of the world’s most iconic sunglasses models, and as an emblem of quality, comfort and performance.

What’s more, with Classic Gold and Classic Gunmetal variants of these legendary sunglasses now available for highly attractive prices in the IC Clothing online store, you might be surprised by how affordable they can be.

Take your pick from the latest iterations of these much-desired sunglasses, and you’ll soon discover for yourself why Ray-Ban Aviators stand for so much more than effortless rock-star style.