Behind the Shades: The Coolest Sunglasses Brands To Know Now
Shady business
Sunglasses do more than hide tired eyes. Slip them on and the mood shifts instantly. That’s what makes eyewear such an interesting corner of fashion right now. It’s playful, experimental, sometimes hyper-precise, sometimes completely sculptural. Either way, it no longer feels like an afterthought. Ahead, we round up the coolest brands worth keeping on your radar for your next pair.
Jacques Marie Mage
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Jacques Marie Mage operates in the space between eyewear and collectable design. Founded in 2014 by Jérôme Mage, the label is built on extreme scarcity, with certain releases limited to just 50 pieces—hence its reputation as the “Birkin of sunglasses”. Each frame is handcrafted in Japan, where heritage techniques meet meticulous precision, passing through more than 300 steps over up to 18 months and guided by nearly 100 artisans.
Linda Farrow
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Linda Farrow was founded in 1970 and introduced a new visual language to eyewear, turning avant-garde silhouettes into fashion objects. Early collaborations with Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga and Pucci pushed the label into luxury positioning, with Hollywood soon entering the conversation. The brand later went on hiatus before her son, Simon Jablon, revived it in the early 2000s, refocusing on craftsmanship with Japanese titanium and Italian acetate.
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Gentle Monster
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Launched in 2011 by Hankook Kim, Gentle Monster is known for eyewear that plays with shape and proportion, often designed with Asian facial features in mind. The South Korean brand extends its narrative through collaborations with Maison Margiela, Blackpink’s Jennie and Disney, pushing into more experimental and futuristic territory. That storytelling continues in its physical stores, shaped by large-scale installations and kinetic sculptures.
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Ray-Ban
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Ray-Ban has been behind some of the most iconic sunglasses since its founding in 1936 by Bausch & Lomb. The Aviator, developed for pilots, became an instant classic, followed by the Wayfarer, which redefined eyewear with its bold acetate frame. The Round, known for a softer retro mood, and the Clubmaster, with its strong browline and slim wire rims, remain staples today.
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Oakley
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Founded in 1975 by James Jannard, Oakley started with a motorcycle grip before shifting into protective eyewear. It’s since become known for athlete-tested sunglasses that prioritise performance over trends, seen in designs like the Eye Jacket and Ato Boldon’s Over The Top frames from the Sydney 2000 Olympics. Under EssilorLuxottica, Oakley enters the wearable tech space with Oakley Meta glasses, developed with Meta for athletic training and everyday use.
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Arcus
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Arcus offers a more defined take on contemporary eyewear. Founded by Malaysian-born Amanda Cheng and now based in Paris, the label embraces a slow-fashion mindset, producing sunglasses in limited runs. Precision sits at the core of each design, with every piercing carefully placed for a distinctive, unconventional edge.
Matsuda
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Matsuda’s story begins in 1967, grounded in Japanese craftsmanship and precision. Handcrafted in Sabae, each frame is shaped from lightweight titanium and Japanese acetate, sometimes combined in a single frame. Other details carry the story: sculptural side shields, inventive pince-nez bridges and intricate temple engravings, each giving the frames a distinct character.
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