When Emmanuel Macron donned mirrored blue aviators at Davos, it’s safe to assume no one on his team anticipated quite how viral they would go. Yet, a world leader arriving at high-level talks in statement sunglasses was always going to stand out with the sober uniform of dark suits and hushed diplomacy.
Aviators may have enjoyed cinematic glory – Top Gun always comes to mind – but they are also the eyewear of choice for former US president Joe Biden and former French president Nicolas Sarkozy.
We've picked out some sunglasses that would have suited Macron better and have the added advantage of telling a story about his presidency and France at large.
Parisian cool by Jimmy Fairly
If the aim was to appear young and stylish, Macron would have been better served by a pair from French eyewear label Jimmy Fairly, a brand that resonates far more with younger voters. With its knowingly off-kilter name and insider appeal, something such as the Lars frame – oversized, double-bridged and available in soft brown or black with a choice of 14 lens colours – would have been a far slicker way to conceal an injured eye. There's the added benefit of being associated with a famously transparent brand: their manufacturing process and materials used are listed in plain sight on their website.
Tactical shades by Bolle
If the intention was to signal military resolve ahead of Donald Trump’s arrival in Davos, there was a smarter French option. Aviators may be indelibly linked to the US Air Force, but Macron could have made a nationalist point by wearing Bolle. Founded in 1888, the French brand is best known for performance sports eyewear and, through its Bolle Safety division, produces tactical frames for military and first responders. Its narrow Swat models would have delivered the message more clearly: nothing says “military” quite like wraparound dark glasses.
French heritage by Lesca Lunetier
Lesca Lunetier has been trading in French elegance since 1964. Known for its hand-polished frames, the house has genuine provenance, worn on screen by Al Pacino in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Its thick Corbs frames nod to Le Corbusier, while its Saxo style draws inspiration from jazz greats Miles Davis and John Coltrane.
Macron could have tapped into that lineage with Lesca’s Dino frames – small, round tortoiseshell spectacles that project intellectual authority rather than bravado.
Statesman-like in Saint Laurent
With more than 60 heads of state meeting in Davos, the French President would have been keen to project statesman-like authority. Saint Laurent’s Sulpice Thin frames are perfect the job: slimline, jet black. It's chic without fuss and channels a kind of knowing Parisian nonchalance.
Affordable Afflelou
Every politician wants to be seen as a man of the people. If that was Macron’s aim, he could hardly have done better than Alain Afflelou. The French high-street chain is synonymous with value, famed for its buy-one-get-one-free deals and entry prices from only €29 ($34). A pair like the metallic, lightweight Castillo frames, which look far pricier than they are, would have signalled awareness of the cost-of-living pressures facing ordinary French voters, casting Macron as a champion of shoestring style rather than elite optics.
Lean into it with Jean Paul Gaultier
Given the brouhaha his mirrored aviators provoked, Macron could have gone all out with a deliberate statement from the outset. The gold-rimmed Jean Paul Gaultier x Karim Benzema round sunglasses would have done just that. A collaboration between French fashion’s enfant terrible and the star striker now playing for Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad, the design features tortoiseshell temple tips and a gold spiral running down each arm. These would definitely have gotten everyone talking in Davos.
