The twentieth century marked a turning point in eyewear design, fueled by a rapidlychanging social and cultural landscape, new manufacturing techniques, the developmentof innovative materials, and the entertainment industry. Spectacles, which had previouslybeen classed as purely functional, were transformed into an ultra-chic fashion accessory.This engaging book is based on Simon Murray’s amazing collection, built up overdecades of avid collecting. An introduction explores the history of glasses and revealshow premodern features and materials remain a rich source of inspiration in contemporarydesign, from Andre Courrèges’s “Lunettes Eskimo,” a twentieth-century take onInuit goggles, to Gucci’s “Leather Aviators.” Examples of pre-twentieth-century glassesand contextual shots of film and style icons sporting spectacles illustrate not only thefinest inventions and innovations of the past but also their evolution into the diverse,eclectic range of styles available today.Illustrated with specially commissioned photographs by Drew Gardner, this indispensableguide to eyewear will appeal to fashion designers, stylists, costume designers, andlovers of vintage.