Ray-Ban is a manufacturer of sunglasses, founded in 1937 by Bausch & Lomb. They were introduced for the United States Army Air Corps. In 1999, Bausch & Lomb sold the brand to the Italian Luxottica Group for a reported $1.2billion.

In 1920, balloon pilot Lieutenant John MacCready sustained eye damage on a flight. Determined to protect his eyes from further damage, and offer the same protection with others.
He contacted Bausch & Lomb asking them to create a type of sunglasses that would not only provide protection, but also look elegant.
On May 7, 1937, Bausch & Lomb officially took out the patent.

The U.S. Air Force became one of Ray Ban’s first clients, with pilots and others benefiting from Ray Ban’s innovative Anti-Glare technology that employed green-tinted mineral glass that filtered out infrared and ultraviolet rays.

His early aviator sunglasses design from Ray Ban were created to provide the ultimate in comfort and eye protection, under MacCready’s guidance. The light frame of these early Ray Ban sunglasses features gold plated metal, the green mineral glass lenses, and weighed less than 150 grams. At the time, these Ray Ban sunglasses set the standard for comfort, eye protection, and style in the military and out. Indeed, a photograph of General Douglas MacArthur wearing a pair of Ray Ban aviator sunglasses is an iconic image for the ages.

Pilots in the United States Army Air Corps immediately adopted the sunglasses. The Ray-Ban Aviator became a well-known style of sunglasses when General Douglas MacArthur landed on the beach in the Philippines in World War II, and photographers snapped several pictures of him wearing them.

After serving the U.s. military’s need for comfortable eye protection, Ray Ban history continued in Hollywood. Apparently, the military wasn’t big enough to contain innovative Ray Ban style.

Beginning in the 1960s – with Audrey Hepurn’s wearing of Ray Ban’s Wayfarers in Breakfast At Tiffany’s, Hollywood fell in love with Ray Ban sunglasses in a big way.

Those who have worn Wayfarers represent a veritable who’s who in Hollywood history, including names like Tom Cruise, John Lennon, Elvis Costello, Will Smith, Dan Ackroyd, John F. Kennedy, Andy Warhol, Jack Nicholson, Mary Kate Olsen, Debbie Harry, and countless others.
Because of their lightweight, high impact plastic construction, and their appealing trapezoidal shape, genuine Ray Ban Wayfarers offer unparalleled comfort, durability, and style.

Despite slumping in the 1970s, and 1990s, Wayfarer’s reemerged as Hollywood faves in the 1980s and 2000s, thanks to a brilliant product placement agreement in 1982, and a redesign in 2001.

In 1999, Italian sunglass brand Luxottica purchased the Ray Ban line, which is now headquarted in Italy. Wayfarers are now one of Luxottica’s best selling sunglass products.