When did the Space Age begin? In terms of astronomy, you can nail it down to 1957, when the Russians hurled a 183-pound polished sphere about the size of a beach ball away from Earth and into its orbit. Sputnik 1, the earth’s first artificial satellite, sparked a race to the cosmos between the United States and its Cold War adversary. NASA was established a year later, and in 1969 the US secured the crowning achievement by putting the first man on the moon. This period was a boon for technology and pushing the limits of humanity. But if you look at design, you’ll see America’s obsession with space predates these remarkable achievements. 

Established in 1936, Ray-Ban had made its name by designing sunglasses specifically for the Army.

In 1952, designer Raymond Stegeman shifted the companies eyes to the future with the Wayfarer. They were the first sunglasses to be made of plastic, and its lines were a reference to the iconic Cadillac tailfins. Another point of reference was the Eames Chair, another classic design born of the era. According to design critic Stephen Bayley, the “distinctive trapezoidal frame spoke a non-verbal language that hinted at unstable dangerousness, but one nicely tempered by the sturdy arms which, according to the advertising, gave the frames a ‘masculine look.’”

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