Ray Ban Eyewear

Sylvester Stallone in 1983, sporting Aviator-style sunglasses

In the early-to-mid 1980s, glasses with large, plastic frames were in fashion for both men and women. Small metal framed eyeglasses made a return to fashion in 1984 and 1985, and in the late 1980s, glasses with tortoise-shell coloring became popular. These were smaller and rounder than the type that was popular earlier in the decade. Throughout the 1980s, Ray-Ban Wayfarer were extremely popular, as worn by Tom Cruise in the 1983 movie Risky Business. Sales of Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses jumped 40%, following the release of the 1986 film Top Gun, in which they were worn prominently by Maverick and Iceman, played by Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer respectively.

Miami Vice, in particular Sonny Crockett played by Don Johnson, boosted Ray Ban's popularity by wearing a pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarer (Model L2052, Mock Tortoise), which increased sales of Ray Ban's to 720,000 units in 1984.

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