Sunglasses have long been the place for people to lose their inhibitions. Their sculptural nature makes them a great place to experiment with big proportions and structural variations. Take the cat-eye staples of the glamorous ‘60s or the huge lenses of the ‘70s. Recent seasons have seen no slowing down in experimentation with names like JW Anderson, Balenciaga, and more returning every year with a new, viral design. But while many look to the wild, we think there’s still something to be said for good old black sunglasses.
We don’t mean that you need to swap out big self-expression for boring, classic black frames. Actually, the world of black sunglasses is booming right now, with the likes of Oakley, Kuboraum, and more pushing the limits of the category. There are, however, a bunch of options for those who do like to dial things back. Pairs from RETROSUPERFUTURE, Off-White™, and Ahlem take after retro styles for a less show-stopping finish.
With the help of Farfetch, we’ve rounded up 10 pairs that prove that black sunglasses are the way to go for spring and summer.
Scroll down to shop the best black sunglasses to wear in 2022.
Prada Linea Rossa
Prada Linea Rossa's Impavid Sunglasses are ready for anything. The one-piece visor lens and lightweight frame make for a sporty, futuristic final touch.
Balenciaga
Balenciaga offers a novel look at the cat-eye shape. Usually associated with the past, Balenciaga brings it right up to date (and perhaps even beyond) with a sleek, Matrix-style design.
Kuboraum
Kuboraum never does anything by the book, even black sunglasses. This pair of slim frames doesn't quite match up in the middle; it's a nice way to add a punch of personality to a pair that wouldn't catch eyes otherwise.
RETROSUPERFUTURE
These RETROSUPERFUTURE frames pass on any fun detailing for a straight-up clinic in clean design.
Gentle Monster
Linda 01 embodies the Gentle Monster name. They've definitely got a bit of bite but soft edges and an all-black finish veil the lurking attitude.
Off-White™
Virgil was a man you rarely saw without a pair of sunglasses on. That's always a good sign if you're buying sunglasses from his label.
Gucci
When you imagine Gucci sunglasses, you probably picture something with huge square lenses and a slight brown tint that seems to have been transplanted directly from the '70s. Wrong. This pair of flat-top, cat-eye sunglasses feels oddly contemporary from Alessandro Michele's Gucci.
Oakley
Oakley's performance-first approach hit it big in the world of fashion a couple of years back. The bold frames kicked off a love affair with technical shades that Oakley is still leading at the head of the pack.
Jacques Marie Mage
Simple frames made exceptional with a slight variation — we love it. These bold purple lenses might be as close to La Vie En Rose that you get this summer.
FLATLIST
At the height of summer, you'll want some darker tints to your lenses, but until then, if you haven't already tried out cool blue lenses, you're seriously missing out.
Ahlem
Clean, purposeful lines define Ahlem's Villette Sunglasses which aren't a million miles from iconic shapes like the Wayfarer.
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