My late father-in-law, Adour Douzjian, was an optician who had been involved in the production, design, and import of high quality European frames since the 1950’s. In 2009, he started an online eyewear business with his daughter, my wife. After Adour’s passing earlier this year, I myself became very much involved in the family business and became as passionate toward our eyewear collection as the late founder.
As I was listing one of our vintage Club LA aviator sunglasses on our website (pictured above), it occurred to me to read more about the history of aviator sunglasses. An article by Pagan Kennedy in The New York Times Magazine caught my eye. In it, Kennedy explains that the aviator was first created as a result of necessity: “Early in the 20th century, as test pilots began flying higher than Mount Everest, they had to defend themselves against temperatures as low as minus-80 degrees Fahrenheit. To survive the frigid blast, aviators wore leather hoods, and they insulated their eyes with fur-lined goggles. To lift those goggles for even an instant was to risk death.” After witnessing the very real threat to the pilot’s vision in a biplane at the altitude of 33,000 feet, John Macready collaborated with Bausch & Lomb in order to design the first aviator sunglasses, which came out under the Ray Ban label in the 1930s. Though they weren’t called aviators at the time, they had a teardrop shape that was designed to provide effective sun protection. In the decades that followed, the frames evolved from standard military gear, as worn by General MacArthur during World War II, to a versatile style that entertainers and artists wore to express themselves in the 1970s.
In keeping with the diversity of aviator designs, Adour Douzjian introduced Club LA 9502, a large modified aviator sunglass frame with spring hinge temples, which allow the frame to widen and fit your face according to the size and shape of your head. These sunglasses are emblematic of Adour’s unique ability to add flare to a classic design. We hope you agree!
What do you think about these frames? And what do you look for in aviator sunglasses?