The Legendary Steve McQueen’s Persol Sunnies Presented in 5 New Colors

Being a famous icon of men’s style, Steve McQueen was an avid aviator and motorcyclist whose pals were Bruce Lee and Frank Sinatra. This King of Cool knew exactly how to dress stylishly. Each detail of McQueen’s wardrobe, from sweaters to suits, reflects excellent men’s looks. His favorite sunglasses, the Persol 714s got the legendary status of iconic glasses. Launched in 1957 in Italy, Persol company specialized in producing eyewear for race car drivers and pilots, which led McQueen to become interested in this brand. The well-known actor appreciated the 649 model of glasses with a mechanism that allows the frame to fold up and fit in the chest pocket. 

Apart from his stunts, Steve McQueen did his own costuming in the movie. Following the legend, the actor appeared on the first filming day in his personal 714s sunnies and producers decided the accessory should stay on Steve because he looked incredibly cool. That was a famous pair of Persol Havana Tortoiseshell spectacles with icy blue lenses McQueen was wearing in his personal life, and also in The Getaway and Bullitt. Over the years, these iconic sunglasses were revived periodically.

The 714s model became a fixture of Persol’s permanent collection from April 12, 2021. The manufacturer included five new colors inspired by McQueen, including the Havana, Honey, Terra de Siena and Black. Each frame from the new collection is a real masterpiece, a result of patient craftsmanship and unique features. 

Introduced in the 1960s as a folding version of the 649, the 714 was the first-ever folding glasses model. The iconic pilot shape, keyhole bridge, timeless acetates and foldable system make it a masterpiece of Italian craftsmanship, requiring ten additional manufacturing steps compared to standard models. 

Each Steve McQueen sunglass model has a number of unique features, including the patented in the ‘30s Meflecto System, which was the first flexible stem system designed for maximum comfort by eliminating pressure on the head from glasses. This system allows glasses to adapt to any face shape and still today represents a technologically unsurpassed solution. 

Also, the new Persol range includes an exclusive limited-edition design available with platinum-plated high-quality lenses. The strong and masculine silhouette of these glasses perfectly reflects Steve McQueen’s commanding look. Even without stolen cash in bags and a bike, these sunglasses feature rebellion, being the king of cool of the iconic brand. 

We, at EuroOptica, are very proud to be an authorized distributor for authentic Persol glasses in Manhattan, New York. Visit our eyewear store to discover more head-turning frames from the latest Persol eyewear collections.