Sure, you know Ray Ban and Gucci and Dior – and chances are, you’ve got at least one pair of sunglasses from each of these brands stashed away somewhere until your next beach vacation or pool party. But why go with the same-old-same-old when there are so many cool under-the-radar designer luxury sunglasses for men out there right now? This season, be bold and check out these 15 cool elite sunglasses for 2023 from soon-to-be top brands for men this season, including like Barton Perreira and Jacques Marie Mage.
The 15 Coolest Under-the-Radar Sunglasses Brands for Men
Everyone looks cooler in sunglasses. It’s just a fact. Of course, the best ones block out harmful UV rays and actually help you see better when the sun is blazing above, but when it comes to a stylish pair, the chief criterion is coolness. They are both a layer of protection from the stimuli of your immediate environment and a signal of casual detachment—your own world within a world. You can channel the spirit of almost anyone with a change of shades. Think Steve McQueen in The Thomas Crown Affair or Elton John at the piano. No other accessories boast such range with a few ounces of acetate.
Insider expert shares his edit of the cool elite sunglasses from top fashion brands for men, like Barton Perreira and Jacques Marie Mage.
There will always be the heavy-hitting classic eyewear brands. Your Ray-Bans, your Persols, your Oakleys. High-fashion designers also purvey their own licensed sunnies taking cues and hues from their ready-to-wear collections. But we set out to find the best under-the-radar, (mostly) independent sunglasses brands out there making high-quality frames bringing new light (er, shade) to the market. Whether you’re looking for wayfarers, aviators, clubmasters, or novel silhouettes and lens gradients, the options are nearly endless with new indie players.
Insider expert shares his edit of the cool elite sunglasses from top fashion brands for men, like Barton Perreira and Jacques Marie Mage.
Maybe you’re ducking from the paparazzi, maybe you’re out walking your dog as the weather warms up or maybe you just want to see the world in a different tint. Whatever your reasons for needing Hollywood-royalty-level shades, these are the 15 coolest sunglasses brands out there right now and a few choice frames that will take you through summer.
The 15 Coolest Under-the-Radar Sunglasses Brands for Men
1. AHLEM x Mobolaji Sunglasses
AHLEM was launched in 2014 by Ahlem Manai-Platt with a mission to preserve a rarefied Made-In-France artisanship. They’ve teamed up with renowned fashion editor Mobolaji Dawodu on an extremely limited collection of sunglasses that bring his irreverent, but sophisticated color sense to the elegantly flared frames.
BUY NOW – $615.00.
2. GLCO x Officine Générale Sun
Blending California cool and effortless Parisian style (arguably the two places most famous for wearing sunglasses), Garrett Leight and Officine Générale may have created the perfect, substantial yet understated shades.
BUY NOW – $485.00.
3. Camel Acetate Square Sunglasses by Jacques Marie Mage
Jacques Marie Mage has been slowly expanding from a rarefied L.A. outpost to an IYKYK luxury sunglass empire, seen on celebrities, musicians and those fashion editors bopping around Milan and Paris. These caramel-colored frames exemplify his signature bold aesthetic rooted in the classics.
BUY NOW – $750.00.
4. Gradient Lens Round Frame Sunglasses by Chimi
Have you always wanted to be an A-list actor at a movie premiere in the ‘90s? These Chimi wire-frame sunglasses will get you one step closer.
BUY NOW – $209.00.
5. Brown Flexxxy Square-Frame Acetate Sunglasses
Thierry Lasry often looks to retro styles for inspiration and these vintage-brown frames look simultaneously plucked from the past and primed for the future.
BUY NOW – $450.00.
6. Brown Hexagonal Titanium Sunglasses by Matsuda
Six sides is the new four sides. Matsuda meticulously crafts their frames in Japan from engraved titanium and tortoiseshell acetate—an extremely luxe take on ye olde wire frames.
BUY NOW – $510.00.
7. Zogan Sun Frames by Moscot
Moscot isn’t exactly new on the scene (they’ve been a New York eyewear institution for five generations), but its new crop of styles for spring have finally scratched that unapologetically chunky, Buddy-Holly-era frame itch.
BUY NOW – $350.00.
8. E-0951-SG Sunglasses by Eyevan
You know how Northampton is the nexus for goodyear-welted shoes or Naples is famous for producing silk ties? “Made in Sabae” carries the same weight for Japanese handmade eyewear and Eyevan’s frames are prime examples.
BUY NOW – $439.00.
9. 60MM Square Aeronaut Sunglasses by Barton Perreira
These sunglasses make you seem like you were you in American Hustle?
BUY NOW – $400.00.
10. 1391 Square-Frame Acetate Sunglasses by Cutler and Gross
These particular frames are inspired by the electric music scene of New York City in the ‘60s and ‘70s with corewire mimicking the look of fret boards on guitars. Feel like jammin’ out?
BUY NOW – $625.00.
11. Sempre Clay Sunglasses by Retrosuperfuture
Browse through Retrosuperfuture’s collections and you can find some pretty trippy offerings, but we dig the timelessness of the Sempre frames with a hit of soft orange and turquoise lenses.
BUY NOW – $219.00.
12. Gray Ares Sunglasses by Akila
Hefty black shades give off airs of mystery or Blues Brothers vibes. These boxy gray translucent ones let the people in… just enough.
BUY NOW – $160.00.
13. Junya Racer in Black by District Vision
District Vision takes the same artful, exacting approach to its performance eyewear as it does to its running gear. These luxury sunglasses for men have a super lightweight frame and maximum sun protection with ideal light transmission. They’ll look as good with a big fit as they do on a running trail, too.
BUY NOW – $295.00.
14. Knoxville Sunglasses by Illesteva
A tortoiseshell aviator that doesn’t go full ‘70s, but has plenty of swagger with these sunglasses.
BUY NOW – $240.00.
15. Ramon Rectangular Sunglasses in Tortoiseshell by Linda Farrow
These luxury sunglasses for men have all the right angles with subtle glimmers of gold details fit for driving down Sunset.
BUY NOW – $615.00.
Luxury Sunglasses from 15 relatively new Brands for Men
That’s our insider expert’s edit of the cool elite sunglasses from top emerging luxury fashion brands for men, like Barton Perreira and Jacques Marie Mage. What do you think, dear reader? Seems like the perfect pair is likely to be out there waiting for you right now.
