Persol Eyewear

PER IL SOLE 'For The Sun'

Persol is a brand borne from functional beginnings and has become an unmistakable style icon. Giuseppe Ratti started designing eye protection in 1917 for pilots and sports drivers that puts clear vision, comfort and safety at the forefront of the design process. In the late 30s Ratti patented the Meflecto sides, a world first; the flexible stem system was designed for the wearers' comfort and hasn't changed in 80 years.

The Iconic Persol 649

When you think of Persol glasses, it's undoubtedly the image of the 649 that will spring to mind, initially designed in 1957 for Turin tram drivers. Each of the frame’s unique features was produced for practical purposes; larger lenses to protect their eyes from the dust, a comfortable exaggerated keyhole bridge and the Meflecto sides all contributed to what we now know as the 649.

The Steve McQueen Persol 714

Not content with just producing the 649 Ratti's creative tour de force brought us the 714 in the 1960s. By doing so, he created the world's first-ever folding sunglasses, their place in history sealed when Steve McQueen donned them for The Thomas Crown Affair.