Ray-Ban is a manufacturer of high-end sunglasses, founded in 1937[1] by Bausch & Lomb. They were introduced for the United States Army Air Corps[2]. In 1999, Bausch & Lomb sold the brand to the Italian Luxottica Group for a reported $1.2billion[3].
Ray-Bans were created in 1937. Some years earlier, Lieutenant John MacCready returned from a balloon flying adventure and complained that the sun had permanently damaged his eyes. He contacted Bausch & Lomb asking them to create sunglasses that would provide protection and also look elegant. On May 7, 1937, Bausch & Lomb took out the patent[3]. The prototype, known as Anti-Glare, had an extremely light frame weighing 150 grams. They were made of gold-plated metal with green lenses made of mineral glass to filter out infrared and ultraviolet rays. Pilots in the United States Army Air Corps immediately adopted the sunglasses[3]. 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.[3]
- copy from wikipedia :)-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray-Ban
