You’ve more than likely seen old pictures of Paul Newman rocking these sunglasses, and the model you’re looking for: Carrera Champion.
Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Newman was a huge fan of aviator-style shades. And while he eventually wore Carrera, the iconic frames most associated with his wardrobe weren’t actually from the brand.
The ones he wore relaxing on movie sets, climbing the Swiss Alps, or navigating the moonlit track at the 24 Hours of Le Mans were actually Revue Optics, a lesser-known Italian eyewear brand who were prominent in the 1950s.
Though not the Champion model, which wasn’t created until 2008, his model was very similar and likely inspired it. They were an interesting cross between a Wayfarer and an Aviator, featuring a straight top, large lenses and curved arms. They had thicker plastic frames modified to a teardrop shape and most commonly tortoise brown in colour.
The distinctive oversized aviator sunglasses quickly became synonymous with Newman, which carried on his habit of turning accessories into icons. We all know his Rolex Daytona, which was nicknamed after him and sold for over $17 million in one of the most expensive watch sales in history.
Through the years he maintained an intimate relationship with the aviators, which was highlighted during an interview with The New York Times, when they began their piece by noting how his famous blue eyes could just about be more important than his acting career.
If you are meeting Paul Newman for the first time, he will have on his sunglasses. As he gets to know you, he will peek over the rims occasionally. As he gets to trust you, he will let the glasses hang from his left year. The next time you meet, he will take them off.
He used them as a layer of privacy, respectable for a man of that status.
To work as hard as I've worked to accomplish anything and then have some yo-yo come up and say, 'Take off those dark glasses and let's have a look at those blue eyes' is really discouraging.
By the 70s he was finally wearing the iconic Carrera branded sunglasses (though not yet called Champions), which was no surprise due to his keen interest in motorsport, aligning with the brands’ racing roots. He would wear them every chance he had, notably sporting them during events like the 1979 24 Hour of Le Mans.
There was hardly a place Newman went without his beloved aviator-style sunglasses.