Why it belongs in ORBIS
Bausch & Lomb eyewear brand launched 1937, originally designed for U.S. Army Air Corps pilots. Aviator and Wayfarer models became lasting design classics.
Ray-Ban was established in 1937 by Bausch & Lomb, originally designed for the U.S. Army Air Corps seeking protection from sun glare during flight. The prototype, named 'Anti-glare', featured plastic frames and lenses that banned harsh glare without reducing visibility. Released to the public in 1937, the design was remodeled with metal frames and christened the Ray-Ban Aviator in 1938. The 1950s brought the Ray-Ban Wayfarer, a bold angular acetate frame with a distinctive trapezoidal shape that became synonymous with youthful rebellion and cool sophistication. Ray-Ban developed into an extremely successful fashion brand with these design classics as world leaders. In 1999, Bausch & Lomb sold the brand to Italian eyewear conglomerate Luxottica Group. Today, Ray-Ban remains an icon of timeless optics and style.