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We all know Harry Potter’s round spectacles, Audrey’s Hepburn’s cat-eyes in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and Tom Cruise’s aviators in Top Gun, as glasses often form part of an iconic image on the big screen. Whether you want to recreate the look of a famous glasses wearer or not, frames in film constantly inspire the designs we see today. As a French New Wave film fan, I often see styles in this revolutionary period that are akin to what modern designers are doing today and this inspires my own collection of eyewear, and my buying here at the Frame Room.
Cleo from 5 to 7 (1962) is a film where time, and the passage of it, is the main character alongside Cleo. Another theme that runs through the film is perception and reflection. The film is full of hidden meanings and motifs and the sunglasses Cleo wears in the café scene are among these. Cleo wears her sunglasses to make herself anonymous, she is in the public eye and seeks out anonymity in a time of personal crisis. The sunglasses are a classic cat eye style, popular in the 1960s however then larger size cat eye frames were taking over in popularity. Cleo wears a style more evocative of the 1950s, possibly symbolising Cleo’s sense of self and her grasp on beauty changing.
This expressive, elegant shape reminds me of Anne et Valentin’s ‘Vrillo’ – a sunglass model that features the same exaggerated curves and oval lenses – and very fitting it is a French brand!
Also, GIGI Studios have a stunning selection of cat eyes – notably model ‘Thrive 022’ shows off this narrower style and comes in a range of colours including classic black, brown, tortoiseshell and a unique cream crystal combination pictured here.
In another scene of the film Jean-Luc Godard is featured, he is grieving and everything around him is bleak. However, when he removes his sunglasses, he sees it was only his dark sunglasses which were making the world so negative, and we see the scene recreated in a happier light. The sunglasses are used to symbolize perception, however for most of us a dark tint is favorable and has no reality altering effects!
Godard’s sunglasses here are a classic style with visible pins on each side that we see a lot in California based brand Garrett Leight. Model ‘Brooks X’ is one version of one of their most popular models, it embodies the same spirit as Godard’s frame with detailing on the sides and in a perfectly retro shade of butterscotch.
La Piscine (1969) is a wonderfully chic thriller that feels like a David Hockney painting and where Jane Birkin showcases the best South of France style. With André Courrège designing the wardrobe I love everything about the aesthetic of this film. Birkin sports a pair of oversized round tortoiseshell frames poolside, with light blue tinted lenses and this has even inspired a whole collection by Neubau – their Cote du Soliel sunglasses.
This style gained popularity in the 70s with an emphasis on bug-eyed, round shapes. The way Birkin wears them, low down on her nose so the top rim is just in line with her eyebrows, is just like out of a model shoot and is reminiscent of the curious, young character that she plays. The large round lens like a wide-eyed child. The almost transparent blue tint matches the title of the film, ‘The Swimming Pool’, a hint like the blue water of the pool. Comparing this pair and Cleo’s from Cleo from 5 to 7, Birkin is not trying to hide behind them, quite the opposite. I adore the fashion forward nature of these glasses, they are serving little to no function other than looking chic by the pool.
I love this look so much I immediately bought a pair of Cutler & Gross sunglasses for myself that I thought captured the feeling of this scene perfectly! Available in colour ‘Sand Crystal’ alongside a black and patterned ‘Brush Stroke’, model ‘1412’ is a 70s dream. Oversized with soft, almost cartoon like edges this frame is fun and carefree. Cutler & Gross released a limited-edition version of this - which I went for - in crystal with gradient blue lenses, reminiscent of Jane Birkin’s in this scene. Cutler & Gross describe this colourway as a ‘nod to LA’s sun-drenched cityscape.’ Ok, they are not great in bright light so not suitable as your only pair of sunglasses, but they look amazing on a sun lounger!
Iconic French New Wave actress Anna Karina is often seen sporting black rimmed, perfectly round frames. I love this look; they are very simple yet eager and feminine. This still is from Anna (1967) – the first colour film made for French TV. The plot focuses on a man obsessively searching for a woman he saw in a photograph, which was like me searching for glasses to recreate this!
I have had a couple of pairs over the years that I adored and brought me closer to this look – French brand Anne et Valentin naturally is my first choice for anything like this as Anna Karina is quintessentially French! Models like ‘Abby’ and ‘O Quiet’ have a similar energy, with a modern twist.
Nina Mur also has a great selection of perfect rounds, and since they are customisable you can have them in a soft black, or a brighter colour to modernise the look. Model ‘Kazuma’ has interesting detail on the bridge - pictured here in Nina Mur’s colour ‘Ancient Red’ which is a lovely terracotta shade that suits a wide range of people.
Written by Amy, head of buying at the Frame Room.