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We have Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni to thank for putting Italian style on the world stage. But even before the fashion sashayed into our consciousness, he propelled the sunglasses brand Persol into the stratosphere. In two successive movies—La Dolce Vita in 1960 and Divorzio All’Italiana in 1961—Mastroianni sported different Persol frames, including the brand’s most legendary style, the 0649, with its bold acetate frame and aviator-inspired shape.
But despite its cinematic bona fides, Persol got its beginnings in more rugged pursuits. It was founded as Il Protector in 1917 by Turin, Italy–based optician and photographer Giuseppe Ratti. The aim was to make professional optical tools for racing drivers, motorcyclists, and the military—especially pilots. Ratti’s high-performance designs featured much larger frames than existing ones, rubber side guards, and an elastic strap to hold them in place on the head. Adopted by flying aces and automotive speedsters, the company soon earned a catchier name, conveniently mashing up per and sole—literally “for sun” in Italian—to become Persol.
Tex BishopThe PO8001S model from the new Riviera Collection.
In keeping with the tradition of designing for real-world pursuits, the 0649 made famous by Mastroianni was developed in the 1950s for Turin’s tram drivers, who clearly suffered more than their fair share of dust and glare. But the actor exposed Persol to a wider and more glamorous audience, and it quickly found fans across the Atlantic.
Steve McQueen was an early adopter, wearing his 0714 aviators—which share the shape of the 0649 but, ingeniously, fold (both the frame and the arms) into a tiny pouch—in The Thomas Crown Affair in 1968. That wasn’t Persol’s only contribution to sunglasses technology. The patented Meflecto hinge, common to both the 0649 and the 0714 and originating from the 1930s, is a kind of double-jointed mechanism at the temples, rather than the hinge, of Persol sunglasses. It allows them to flex, offering comfort, a superior adaptable fit, and, critically, insurance against damage when sat on or stuffed in a pocket.
Tex Bishop
Something clearly clicked with Hollywood, and Persol has been a go-to for a litany of stars ever since, including Nicolas Cage in Leaving Las Vegas (1995), Tom Cruise in Knight and Day (2010), Pierce Brosnan in GoldenEye (1995) and Die Another Day (2002), George Clooney in Ocean’s Thirteen (2007), and Robert Pattinson in The Batman (2022). Pretty good company, we’d say.
But even with all those high-caliber fans, Persol isn’t resting on its laurels. Though the 0649 and 0714 remain popular pillars of its output, the brand is constantly on the hunt for new ways to express ageless Italian style from its current base in Lauriano, just outside Turin. The Riviera Collection, which arrived this spring, includes three entirely new and subtly different acetate styles—the PO8001S, PO8002S, and PO8003V—all available in shades of tortoiseshell, gray, black, and navy blue. All feature the brand’s distinctive arrow-shaped steel hinge and a newly redesigned undulating temple profile, giving the shades a modern vibe while nodding to their illustrious heritage. We’ve yet to spot them on any megawatt movie stars, but if history has taught us anything, it’s that it’s likely only a matter of time before they make their silver-screen debut.
Still life photos by Tex Bishop @texbishop
Set Design by Gozde Eker @gozdeeker