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Marie Antoinette Inspired Sunglasses and 18th Century Eyewear: Fit for a Queen


Modern take on Marie Antoinette's style, a Wildfox model wears 18th century inspired sunglasses with hair piled high in a pouf and lays on a blue velvet couch

I recently saw a post on My Elle blog about an eye-wear ad campaign inspired by Marie Antoinette. While I am pleased that Marie Antoinette continues to influence the fashion world this year, and a new twist - eye wear, in this case I would say the interpretation is all about the styling!

This time my beloved Wildfox Couture has released their new AW2014 line of eye-wear, The Fit for A Queen collection shows (some) inspiration from the 18th century.
Several of the designs feature a super round frames that we can certainly say is reminiscent of 18th century spectacles and their predecessors. The designers push this style with over-sized frames, more inspired by eye-wear of the 1960's.

The Bel Air sunglasses in Tokyo Tortoise, for example, have some 18th century inspiration to be sure. They are super-round frames with "Wildfox" and "Bel Air" etched in gold lettering on the front. In the 18th century, tortoise shell glasses would sometimes have Chinese characters carved into the bridges. Some characters included money, freedom and joy.¹ So these frames are very in tune to 18th century spectacle aesthetic.

a collage of past Wildfox photoshoots that look back to 18th century fashion for inspiration. Girls with powdered hair, pink hair and fabulous jewelry and clothes
Wildfox did a Spring 2011 campaign, inspired by Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette
I have collected a couple of excellent examples of 18th century eye-wear below. Wildfox has long been inspired by the 18th century and what they love is to create luxe photo shoots that extend scenes, colors and style of Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette (2006). So even if the glasses aren't for you, enjoy the lovely photography, fashion and art!

This painting shows a group of women, possibly family, playing a piano, cello, violin and flute.
Philippe Mercier, The Sense of Hearing, The Sense of Sound. 1744 to 1747, oil on canvas. Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection.

a detail of the painting "The Sense of Sound" shows an older woman wearing glasses as she reads sheet music
Mercier, detail.

Wildfox Sunglasses from the 2014 fashion line.

Jean-Siméon Chardin, Self Portrait. 1775, pastel on paper. Musée du Louvre.

Chardin, detail.

Wildfox Sunglasses from the 2014 fashion line.
Winona Sunglasses by Wildfox in Gold and Mint Green

Wildfox model poses as Marie Antoinette with fruit tarts, cakes, princess cake and wears her hair piled high with feathers and sunglasses.
Wildfox AW2014 eyewear ad campaign.


Allan Ramsay, Mary Adam. 1754, oil on canvas. Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection. 

Detail of super round frames.
Wildfox Sunglasses from the 2014 fashion line.
Bianca Sunglasses by Wildfox in Tortoise
an 18th century portrait of Admiral Peter Rainier, he wears a very round pair of glasses
Arthur William Devis, Admiral Peter Rainier (1741–1808. 1805, oil on canvas. College of Optometrists.
The Bel Air and Twiggy frames look familiar...
Wildfox model poses as Marie Antoinette with powdered hair in a pouf style, with Bel Air sunglasses and sits on a blue velvet couch
Wildfox AW2014 eyewear ad campaign. These are the Bel Air glasses.

Wildfox Sunglasses from the 2014 fashion line.
Bel Air sunglasses by Wildfox in Tokyo Tortoise 


a pair of glasses from the 18th century with a case
Possibly Schneider, One Pair of Spectacles. 18th century. Brass, wire, glass. Brooklyn Museum.

models dressed up with 18th century modern style. Flowers in hair, hair piled high in poufs, and glasses from Wildfox.
Wildfox AW2014 eyewear ad campaign
Wildfox Sunglasses from the 2014 fashion line.
Twiggy Deluxe Sunglasses in Mint Green


Model in 18th century has hair piled high in a pouf, wears sunglasses and sits in an 18th century styled room with blue velvet couches and arm chairs.

Model has hair styled in an 18th century pouf, wears wildfox sunglasses and toile pajamas




a purse dumped out on the ground, beauty products, false lashes, perfume, glasses and gum are scattered on the floor

¹Stewart, C. (2005, Mar 19). Spectacles bear closer scrutiny. The Times.

2 comments:

  1. Dizzy Dame10:36 PM

    Love the mint green round glasses!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Carol8:32 AM

    I am browsing 18th century eyeglasses for reenactment and am so glad to find your blog post! I think so often of the need for glasses in the past that I made a blog called Specs on Pics, photoshopping glasses on old portraits.

    ReplyDelete