As they protect the eyes from the sun and minimize the damaging effects of ultraviolet rays on the cornea, lens, and retina, sunglasses are essential eyewear for millions of individuals around the world. Thus, it’s also unsurprising that the global sunglasses industry was worth $16.47 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a rate of 5.8%, eventually reaching $20.63 billion by 2027.
Beyond the public’s increasing awareness of sunglasses for eye protection, the industry also continues to grow due to key players like Fielmann AG and EssilorLuxottica coming out with stylish and well-designed frames — allowing consumers to select pairs based on both fashion and functionality. What’s more, these frame styles and designs reach broader audiences when sunglasses brands collaborate with actresses, models, and athletes for design and promotions. Below, we highlight the best celebrity sunglasses collaborations and campaigns.
Ashley Graham x Quay
Although based in Australia, Quay has built a global cult following with its trend-forward designs for classic frame shapes like shield, aviator, and cat eye. Quay has also been active in working with celebrities for collaborative capsule collections, unveiling the Luxe sunglasses line with American rapper Saweetie in the summer of 2021.
Another notable partnership, however, is with American model and television personality Ashley Graham, who is known for being a trailblazer in body-positive and size-inclusive campaigns. As such, it’s only appropriate that Ashley Graham’s collection of sunglasses and glasses with Quay in 2021 aimed to celebrate female empowerment with its bright, floral theme. Additionally, Quay donated $100,000 to women’s organization Girls, Inc. to better promote the campaign’s message of confidence, empowerment, and self-expression.
Kylian Mbappé x Oakley
Oakley has become a legacy brand for performance eyewear, having released various sunglasses models fit for sports and outdoor activities like running, cycling, and hiking. Besides equipping its frames with its durable O matter material, Oakley caters to varying vision and lifestyle needs by offering the option for prescription sunglasses. As shown on retailer FramesDirect’s selection of authentic sunglasses brands, prescription lens options are available for popular frames like the minimalist Holbrook and high-coverage Flak.
These core brand values of next-generation performance and innovation are represented in Oakley’s multi-year partnership with French football player for Paris Saint-Germain, Kylian Mbappé. Aside from being the face of the brand’s “Be Who You Are” campaign, Mbappé also showcases Oakley’s lifestyle eyewear collection, which includes the revolutionary Kato model.
Hailey Bieber x Vogue Eyewear
In recent years, Hailey Bieber has demonstrated her impressive influence in the fashion world — not only by inspiring mood boards for street style and casual wear but also by working with designer names like Saint Laurent. True enough, the model and socialite’s reach was recognized by Vogue Eyewear through a collaborative eyewear line released in the summer of 2022. The collection featured four sunglasses and four optical styles, characterized by a mix of Hailey’s personal style and fashion inspiration while still maintaining the classic shapes and silhouettes Vogue Eyewear is known for.
Son Heung Min x Gentle Monster
Gentle Monster has quickly risen to fame for its disruptive take on sunglasses and optical glasses, moving away from Western-oriented designs to better cater to Asian face shapes and features. So, it was only appropriate that the South Korean eyewear brand partnered with South Korean professional footballer Son Heung Min for the 2023 BOLD campaign, which embodied the message of overcoming limits to reach for the stars. The BOLD collection featured frames with sleek and structured lines, complemented by the brand’s signature star symbol on the temples.