• Tendances

    Unisex eyewear you can share with your other half – or not!

    Gender-neutral fashion is more popular than ever. When it comes to clothes, cutting-edge designers and popular brands have worked hard to ensure this phenomenon continues. But as far as eyewear is concerned, the first unisex designs actually came out in the Fifties.

    Who knows if Raymond Stegeman, who created the famous Ray-Ban Wayfarer in 1952, had an inkling that these shades would appeal to men, as well as women? The originality of the thick plastic frames with their trapezoidal lenses combined equally well with the glamour of stars such as Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe, as it did with the masculinity of icons like Bob Dylan and James Dean. They all helped propel the Wayfarer to cult status, as the most popular style being sold around the world. In fact, this success appears set to continue for time to come. The frames feature prominently among the Optical Center’s offering, which includes a wide variety of designated ‘unisex’ spectacles and sunglasses – proof that mixed-gender eyewear is far from just a fad.

    From now on, choosing your glasses will mean freeing yourself from convention. Personality is the only thing that matters! Like the couples in The Kooples campaigns, who share everything – their taste in music and eyewear included. Although optical frames can’t be shared like shades can, the number of mixed-gender options available is growing thanks to various creative and committed brands or eco opticians, some of them entirely unisex, like Vava Eyewear and Albert I’m Stein, which focus their attention on personality and individuality.

    Check out these must-have designs, from the classic to the quirky:

    • 1-RayBan-Stories-1100x400

      © RayBan Stories eyewear

      WAYFARER STORIES BY RAY BAN

      Produced in partnership with Facebook, these new smart glasses have reinvented the original and timeless design. Expect to pay $299.

    • 2-TheKooples-1100x400

      © The Kooples

      BLUES BY THE KOOPLES

      Blues, Chillout, Rockabilly and Electro – four unisex styles that The Kooples has created in partnership with Retrosuperfuture, reflective of the new and inclusive brand image. €165

    • 3-JFRey-1100x400

      © Maison Jean-François Rey

      JF2982 BY JEAN-FRANCOIS REY

      The latest frames from the French brand Jean-François Rey combine metal with 3D printed nylon. Other characteristic features include an innovative hinge design and bold use of color.

    • 4-Moken-1100x400

      © Lunettes Moken

      DUKE BY MOKEN ORGANIC EYEWEAR

      The Thirties-inspired aviator frames from this young French brand, Moken glasses are very much in line with the retro trend. Made from biodegradable acetate, they have been designed for men, as well as women.

    • 5-Izipizi-1100x400

      © Izipizi eyewear

      D JUPITER BY IZIPIZI

      Established in 2010, the Parisian label Izipizi focuses on universal shapes, like the iconic D design, which comes in 17 colors and can offer something for every member of the family. €40

    • 6-Etnia-Hamilton-1100x400

      © Etnia Barcelona eyewear

      HAMILTON BY ETNIA BARCELONA

      The iconic and unisex aviator design has been brought up to date by the Spanish optician Etnia Barcelona that excels at the revisited vintage look. €195

    • 7-Albert-I'm-Stein---1100x400

      © Abert I'm Stein eyewear

      BROOKLYN C4 BY ALBERT I’M STEIN

      Disregarding age and sex, Albert I’m Stein, the Polish label is embracing the universal appeal of original shapes, colors and materials that everyone can enjoy.

    • 8-Vava-1100x400

      © Vava Eyewear

      BL0026 BY VAVA EYEWEAR

      Embedded in the company’s DNA is a unisex philosophy that ensures Vava Eyewear, the Portuguese label’s graphic and minimalist designs are genderless, not to mention ageless and raceless. €490

    • 9-Mykita-1100x400

      © Mykita Eyewear

      FOCUS BY MYKITA X BERNHARD WILLHELM

      Proving once again that Mykita, the German label’s unisex designs are made for men and women with an eye for fashion, this new collaboration with Bernhard Willhelm combines sexy shapes and funky colors.

    • 10-Sea2see-1100x400

      © Sea2see Eyewear

      2103 BY OPTIC2000 x SEA2SEE

      The SEA2SEE label has launched a collection of 24 frames in simple shapes for men and women. All are made from recycled marine plastic and available in exclusive colors. €129

    Written by Eleanor Fullalove