Sunglasses Were The Unexpected Accessory On The Paris Olympics Starting Line
You might think that a gold medal would prove to be the Paris Olympics’ most-covetable accessory, followed in quick succession by a silver and bronze. Yet, as the Games enters its final few days, an alternative story is unfolding as sunglasses — largely Oakley sunglasses — are finishing in first place instead.
Outside of Le Stade de France, styles like the classic cat-eye or yellow-lensed might be trending, but at the Games its unsurprising that sporting styles are the order of the day, worn both in and out of competitions, by athletes and spectators alike.
The Olympics are timely in the resurgence of this sort of style of eyewear, where brands like Balenciaga and Stella McCartney (the designer of Team GB's 2012 Olympic wardrobe) have put them back in the spotlight. Seeing these sunglasses at an athletic meet is nothing surprising but it's their off-track appeal they're currently imbued with that makes them more interesting than ever. Where once we might have shuddered at the thought of wearing sporty sunglasses with tailoring or floor-grazing gowns, designers have rephrased them to give even the most static of fashion fans a reason to get involved.
But, it's worth looking to the athletes at the Games who admittedly wear them best. Those such as Team GB’s Amber Rutter, Pfeiffer Georgi and Ellie Aldridge have used them to aid their game, adding a style note to their performance. Some, like Britain's Josh Kerr, even use a seemingly innocuous pair of glasses to offset the competition. 'When the glasses go on… It’s game time,' he recently told the BBC.
The viral moment of the Olympics when it comes to eyewear belongs to South Korea's 10-metre air pistol shooter Kim Yeji, who was awarded the silver medal and the unofficial title of the Games' breakout style star. Sure, her glasses are necessary for her performance, but her stone-cold focus was also worthy of supermodel status.
The crossover appeal of these functional frames has best been evidenced in the stands by none other than Princess Anne, the Princess Royal. A former Olympian herself, the King’s sister has been swiftly emerging as a style star in recent years, with the 2024 Olympics the perfect time for this to reach fever-pitch with her long-standing sunglasses finding fresh appeal.
As we head into the close of summer 2024, there's only one sunglass style to add to your carry-on no matter how active your August plans. You might not be able to get a medal, but you can easily get involved on this takeaway trend. On y Va!
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