Choosing your shades for the summer can be tricky. Design, materials, fit, brand, and price are all factors playing an essential role in the process.
Below are the five brands that got it just right – #1 will surprise you!
5. Moscot
This New York City-based company has been family owned for over 100 years. They are currently in their 5th generation of eyewear specialists.
Inspired by the streets of downtown New York City, their sunglasses are all designed in-house and known for their durability. Moscot prides itself on its craftsmanship, and we can see why, but you’re gonna have to pay a pretty penny for a pair of these shades. Their sunglasses range from 250€-400€ a pair. Check them out here
4. Ray-Ban
Quite possibly the most identifiable sunglasses brands in the world, Ray-Ban was founded in the USA in 1937 and bought by Italian eyewear giant Luxottica in 1999 for $640 million.
While some eyewear lovers may argue that the quality of the sunglasses dropped following the acquisition, there’s no doubt that Ray-Ban is still one of the best brands out there! With their classic models like Aviators, Clubmasters, and of course, Wayfarers, there’s a pair for everyone. Check them out here
3. Gentle Monster
Gentle Monster is a Korean brand founded in South Korea in 2011. If it’s high-fashion and funky design you want, Gentle Monster is the brand for you. Triangular shapes, massively oversized frames, and a multitude of colorful lenses, you can snag a pair of your own starting at about 220€.
Gentle Monster has made a name for itself not only with their eyewear, but with its retail stores. Each one has a different theme and rarely has anything to do with glasses. In fact, while they have employed just six people to design their sunglasses, they’ve hired 60 people to design their store visuals. Check them out here
2. Retrosuperfuture
Retrosuperfuture was founded in Italy in 2007 by Daniel Beckerman. They only produce handmade acetate sunglasses, all in bold, eclectic styles. So while you can get some really cool shades, if metal frames are what you want, this isn’t the brand for you. But! They have done a ton of pretty cool collabs with some big international brands, including Vault by Vans, United Standard, and J. Crew.
The original idea behind the brand was affordability, and while they are priced lower than other brands on this list, they don’t quite beat out our #1 pick in terms of the quality-to-price ratio. Check them out here
1. MessyWeekend Copenhagen
Our #1 pick for the top five sunglasses brands to rock this summer is the Danish brand MessyWeekend. Founded in 2018 by two guys frustrated about price tags of quality-shades, this is by far the youngest brand on our list. But don’t let that discourage you. This company knows what they’re doing! The cool urban Scandinavian brand combines winning designs with high-quality materials, free shipping, 30-days free returns, AND a two-year warranty! That a risk-free deal, people. A pair of handcrafted MessyWeekends starts at just 60€ with their best-seller ‘Hobbes‘!
Now, it’s hard to argue against the price for quality, and the designs, but that’s not the only factor that got this Danish brand to the top of our list. For each pair sold, MessyWeekend donates part of the revenue to their partner NGO to clean 2kg of plastic waste from the Pacific Ocean. Look good, save money, and do good with one purchase. Win-win!
