We love it when a classic brand makes a comeback so we give a big old ‘Bonjour!’ to Vuarnet for coming back on the scene.
The Vuarnet story began in the late 1950s when visionary optician Roger Pouilloux gave French ski champion Jean Vuarnet a pair of his exceptional mineral lens sunglasses. A few months later, Jean Vuarnet went on to win the Gold Medal in downhill skiing at the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley. Following this victory, the two men, who shared a common passion and vision, forged a friendship and joined forces to create a brand that reflected their character: innovative, high-performance and elegant.
The specs quickly became a fashion accessory popularized by musicians such as Miles Davis and Mick Jagger, and the sunglasses continue to make Hollywood appearances, including Jake Gyllenhaal, Daniel Craig in the latest Bond film, Jeff Bridges, Luke Wilson and others.
For the Spring/Summer collection, Vuarnet has teamed up with French actor Vincent Cassel for the relaunch of the brand that is rolling out now as the brand accelerates its reintroduction to the U.S market.
The campaign featuring Cassel, is shot by renowned photographer Marcel Hartmann and captures Cassel in Rio de Janeiro where he currently resides – in the heart of the vibrant city, at the beach where he surfs, in a restaurant that he frequents, and more. Cassel, best known in the U.S. for his roles in Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Twelve and Ocean’s Thirteen as well as in Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan, will appear in the latest Bourne sequel scheduled for release this summer.
“Our decision to choose Vincent Cassel as the new face of Vuarnet was extremely easy,” explains Lionel Giraud, CEO of Vuarnet. “He is a French actor with an international reputation. He is a talented, generous, charismatic and instinctive person. He never sits still, and is known for his boundless energy and his love of the great outdoors and surfing. He perfectly encapsulates the very essence of Vuarnet: elegance and movement.”
Inspired by the iconic tram systems of legendary cities such as San Francisco, Lisbon, and Hong Kong, the Cable Collection features a double bridge, metal wire frame and is designed for wearers who love travel and urban adventure. The Cable Car Collection will debut in the United States at Vision Expo East in April.
The Cable Car collection is made from a meticulously worked sheet of Italian acetate, delivering subtle and balanced curves. The collection is both hardwearing and extremely comfortable, thanks to the fixed, five barrel hinges and the anatomical fit. The collection is available in round, rectangular and pilot shapes, and each model is a triumph of elegance and design. Each style is available in four to six colors, featuring both matte and glossy acetate surface finishes as well as a subtle tone-on-tone combination of classic and mottled shades.
For the first time, the famous “V on a Ski” – the mark of authenticity etched on each and every Vuarnet glass lens since the brand was founded in 1957 – will be subtly engraved in metal on the temples of the frame.
Like all Vuarnet sunglasses, the new Cable Car collection will feature Vuarnet mineral glass lenses. Vuarnet designs and manufactures its own mineral glass lenses at its production facility in Meaux, near Paris, France. All of Vuarnet’s mineral glass lenses are developed to the same exacting standards, for daily use or for intense lighting conditions. Vuarnet mineral lenses offer the very best optical clarity and maximum protection, are extremely durable and deliver the ultimate in visual comfort.
Now for the exciting part, Vuarnet is giving away one pair of the Cable Car collection (the ones shown here in tortoise, retail $320) to a Manual reader. Simply enter below and pour yourself a glass of Pernod. Vive la France!
Giveaway ends April 26th.
