Radical by design, embraced across generations, the Ray-Ban Wayfarer stands the test of time. From James Dean to Meta smart glasses, a look back at the iconic frame that became a global visual standard.
With the RB2140, Ray-Ban lays down a statement. Dense and angular, the black acetate cuts sharply against the skin. Where metal frames soften the gaze, the Wayfarer frames it—projects it. Far from minimalist lightness, it asserts presence. A visible, urban, radical geometry.
In the 1950s and 60s, the Ray-Ban Wayfarer needed no slogan—it found its place on faces that became legend. James Dean, the rebel in uniform. Marilyn, framed by the black gleam of the lenses. JFK, glasses off, power behind the scenes. Without a media plan, the frame slipped into the collective imagination. It became image. It became style.
Rock, pop, punk—every rhythm gets its frame. Michael Jackson wears it on tour. Dylan, face veiled behind the lenses. Madonna and Debbie Harry: same lines, opposite energies. The Wayfarer becomes a visual instrument. It catches stage lights, styles music videos, defines icons.
Ray-Ban reshapes the silhouette without compromising its essence.
– RB2140: the original, angular, faithful to the 1952 blueprint
– RB2132 (New Wayfarer): slimmer, softer, built for everyday wear
– RB2185 (Wayfarer II): subtly rounded lenses, lighter temples
– Mega Wayfarer: oversized format, tailored for Gen Z
– Reverse Wayfarer: concave lenses, flipped aesthetic
– Ray-Ban Meta: tech-integrated, with cameras and voice assistant
Each version retains the core lines. Same DNA, angles reinterpreted.
The Wayfarer isn’t a relic. It’s a foundation.
Born in 1952, it became a standard—without forced shine, without fabricated storytelling.
It absorbs faces, digests eras, integrates tech.
Always aligned, never out of step.
A chosen continuity, not recycled nostalgia.
– 1952: The original Wayfarer frame (RB2140) is designed by Raymond Stegeman for Bausch & Lomb, marking the debut of thick plastic sunglasses.
– 1955: James Dean wears Wayfarers in Rebel Without a Cause (October 1955), embedding the model into the rebel mythos.
– 1980: Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi wear Wayfarers in The Blues Brothers while U.S. annual sales drop below 20,000 pairs.
– 1982: Bausch & Lomb signs a $50,000/year product placement deal with Unique Product Placement to feature Ray-Ban eyewear in film and TV.
– 1983: Tom Cruise sports Wayfarers in Risky Business—sales soar to 360,000 pairs that year.
– 1984: Miami Vice (Don Johnson) helps double sales to ~720,000. The song The Boys of Summer by Don Henley references “those Wayfarers on.”
– 1985: Wayfarers appear in The Breakfast Club and Moonlighting, pushing sales to around 1.5 million units annually.
– 1987–1989: Michael Jackson makes Wayfarers part of his stage persona during the Bad world tour.
– 1999: Bausch & Lomb sells Ray-Ban to Luxottica Group for ~$640 million.
– 2001: Luxottica launches the New Wayfarer (RB2132), a lighter, smaller redesign using injected plastic.
– 2007: Riding the vintage wave, Ray-Ban reissues the original Wayfarer (RB2140) and launches the global “Never Hide” campaign (March 7 official launch).
– Feb 2019: Release of Wayfarer II (RB2185), a slimmer, slightly rounded reinterpretation in nine colorways.
– Sept 9, 2021: Ray-Ban and Facebook launch Ray-Ban Stories, the brand’s first smart glasses (Wayfarer frame with dual cameras, mic, and speakers).
– Oct 2022: Introduction of the Mega Wayfarer (RB0840S), an oversized version with thickened frame and temples.
– May 18, 2023: Ray-Ban launches the Reverse collection, including a Wayfarer Reverse with concave lenses—first ever with inverted curvature and no optical compromise.
– Sept 27, 2023: At Meta Connect 2023, EssilorLuxottica and Meta unveil the new Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses with upgraded 12MP camera, enhanced audio, and integrated Meta AI assistant.
– May 2025: At the Met Gala, A$AP Rocky unveils a one-of-a-kind Mega Wayfarer in 18k gold and natural diamonds—Ray-Ban’s most luxurious frame to date.
Further reading :
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