Ray-Ban
531861
225995148
2008-07-16T10:58:39Z
221.127.202.234
/* Entertainment */
{{Infobox Company
| company_name = Ray-Ban
| company_logo = [[Image:Logo ray ban.jpg|250px]]
| company_type = Subsidiary of [[Luxottica]] Group S.p.a.
| foundation = 1937
| founder = [[Bausch & Lomb]]
| location_city = Agordo, Veneto
| location_country = Italy
| key_people =
| products = High End Eyewear and Sunglasses
| revenue =
| operating_income =
| net_income =
| num_employees =
| divisions =
| subsid =
| company_slogan = Genuine since 1937
| homepage =[http://www.ray-ban.com www.ray-ban.com]
| footnotes =
}}
'''Ray-Ban''' is a [[manufacturer]] of [[sunglasses]], founded in 1937<ref>[http://www.ray-ban.com/Welcome.html Ray-Ban company website]</ref> by [[Bausch & Lomb]]. They were introduced for the [[United States Air Force]]<ref>[http://www.historyofbranding.com/rayban.html History of Ray-Ban]</ref>. In 1999, Bausch & Lomb sold the brand to the Italian [[Luxottica]] Group for a reported 1.2 billion dollars<ref>[http://dellamoda.it/fashion_dictionary/r/rayban.php Fashion Dictionary Ray-Ban]</ref>.
==History==
[[Image:RayBanAviator.jpg|thumb|right|[[Ray-Ban Aviator|Aviator Large Metal]] sunglasses<br>(RB3025 004/58)]]
[[Image:Newwayfarer.jpg|thumb|New [[Ray-Ban Wayfarer|Wayfarer]] sunglasses<br>(RB2132 901L)]]
Ray-Bans were initially created in 1937 after lieutenant John MacCready had returned from a [[balloon]] flying adventure in 1920. He complained that the sun had done permanent damage to his eyes. He contacted Bausch & Lomb asking them to create a type of sunglasses that would not only provide superb protection, but also look elegant. On May 7, 1937, Bausch & Lomb officially took out the patent<ref>[http://dellamoda.it/fashion_dictionary/r/rayban.php Fashion Dictionary Ray-Ban]</ref>. The prototype, known as Anti-Glare, consisted of an extremely light frame weighing 150 grams. They were made of gold-plated metal with two green lenses made of mineral glass to filter out [[infrared]] and [[ultraviolet]] rays. Pilots in the United States Air Force immediately adopted the sunglasses<ref>[http://dellamoda.it/fashion_dictionary/r/rayban.php Fashion Dictionary Ray-Ban]</ref>.
The [[Ray-Ban Aviator]] became a well-known style of sunglasses when [[General Douglas MacArthur]] landed on the beach in the [[Philippines]] in [[World War II]], and photographers snapped several pictures of him wearing them.<ref>[http://dellamoda.it/fashion_dictionary/r/rayban.php Fashion Dictionary Ray-Ban]</ref>
==Entertainment==
Hundreds of Ray-Ban Sunglasses have made appearances in Hollywood films; the first dates back to the 1961 movie [[Breakfast at Tiffany’s]], starring [[Audrey Hepburn]] as [[Holly Golightly]]<ref>[http://www.ray-ban.com/USA/home.asp Ray-Ban company website]</ref>. Later, the popularity of Ray-Ban sunglasses was confirmed in the Hollywood hit [[Blues Brothers]] starring [[Dan Aykroyd]] and [[John Belushi]] [http://www.ray-ban.com/USA/home.asp]. Later, [[Tom Cruise]] added his own contribution in the 1983 hit [[Risky Business]]<ref>[http://www.ray-ban.com/USA/home.asp Ray-Ban company website]</ref>. In the 1997 box office hit [[Men in Black (film)|Men in Black]], [[Will Smith]] also made Ray-Ban appeal to even more people with a reference to the [[sunglasses]]. Along with the movie, Smith also made Ray Bans more appealing to young people in his rap song [[Men in Black (song)|Men in Black]].
==Honda F1 Racing Team==
In July 2004, Ray-Ban officially became partners with the [[Honda Racing F1 Team]]. For 2006 and years to follow, the distinctive Ray-Ban signature will continue to appear on the cockpit sides of the Honda Racing F1 Team’s RA106 [[race car]] throughout the season, along with a new prominent position on the helmet visors of race drivers [[Jenson Button]] and [[Rubens Barrichello]], and third driver [[Anthony Davidson]] [http://www.f1technical.net/news/1990 Honda Racing News]. Honda Racing F1 Team members wore the Ray-Ban 4075 sunglasses model from its spring and summer 2006 sun collection<ref>[http://www.f1technical.net/news/1990 F1 Technical Ray-Ban extends partnership with Honda]</ref>.
==Sundance Film Festival==
Ray-Ban is partners in the annual [[Sundance Film Festival]] for independent filmmakers. Ray-Ban has been partners with the film festival since 2003. Every year at the festival the Ray-Ban visionary award is given to an individual whose active worth in the film industry showcases vision, imagination and originality<ref>[http://www.ray-ban.com/USA/home.asp Ray-Ban company website]</ref>. People who receive the award are dedicated individuals who possess extraordinary passion, creativity, and leadership. Previous award winners include [[Quentin Tarantino]], Matt Dillon, [[Kevin Bacon]], [[Colin Callender]] and [[Mark Ordesky]]<ref>[http://www.ray-ban.com/USA/home.asp Ray-Ban company website]</ref>.
==See also==
*[[Ray-Ban Aviator]]
*[[Ray-Ban Wayfarer]]
*[[Sunglass Hut International|Sunglass Hut]] - also owned by Luxottica and features Ray-Ban
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://www.ray-ban.com/ Ray-Ban] global site
* [http://www.historyofbranding.com/rayban.html History of Branding]
* [http://dellamoda.it/fashion_dictionary/r/rayban.php History of Fashion]
* [http://www.f1technical.net/news/1990 Honda Racing News]
[[Category:Eyewear brands]]
[[Category:Companies of Italy]]
[[Category:Companies established in 1937]]
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