Eight Famous Figures on Why They Love Their Sunglasses

It’s blindingly obvious (if you’ll excuse the pun) that the primary objective of sunglasses is to protect the eyes of their wearer from the sun, but for as long as they have been part of our accessory arsenal, they’ve played a multitude of additional roles. Sunglasses are perhaps unrivalled in their ability to create a veneer of aloof charisma with a simple flick of the wrist. James Dean knew. Grace Kelly has become synonymous with her preferred headscarf and thick-framed shades. Two of fashion’s most revered figures, Anna Wintour and Karl Lagerfeld, are rarely seen without theirs – and they’re far from alone.

For several seasons now Dior Homme has drawn attention for its lunettes which, some mirrored, some not, come fitted with delicate, even sculptural, frames. At the S/S17 show, these sunglasses accompanied subculture-infused tailoring and sportswear inspired by the Belgian kids that artistic director Kris Van Assche used to encounter at a funfair known as the Sinksenfoor. Showcased by his models and muses (like Dior Homme campaign stars Harlem rapper A$AP Rocky and Kids director Larry Clark), these shades rapidly become one of the most desirable accessories of the season. 

Here, alongside images of these lunettes photographed by Lorena Lohr and styled by Ellie Grace Cumming for Another Man, we present some of the most profound and pertinent words on eyewear, featuring Patti Smith and Jack Nicholson, among others.

1. “Sunglasses are seriously useful. I can sit in a show and if I am bored out of my mind, nobody will notice… At this point, they have become, really, armour.” — Anna Wintour

2. “With my sunglasses on, I’m Jack Nicholson. Without them, I’m fat and 60.” — Jack Nicholson

3. “My sunglasses are like my guitar.” — Patti Smith

4. “Sunglasses always hide a multitude of sins.” — Victoria Beckham

5. “A good trick as you get older is to get a thick pair of glasses that have a dark frame. Everything else can droop and slide but that pair of dark glasses stays sharp and crisp.” — Tom Ford

6. “Sunglasses are like eyeshadow: They make everything look younger and pretty.” — Karl Lagerfeld

7. “Sometimes you just have to bite your upper lip and put sunglasses on.” — Bob Dylan

8. “You know who wears sunglasses inside? Blind people and assholes.” — Larry David

These photographs originally feature in Another Man S/S17.