Why We're Nostalgic for 90s-Style Sunglasses

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Sunglasses by Louis Vuitton

This season's eyewear pays homage to the style legacy of Neo and Trinity

When Lana and Lilly Wachowski directed The Matrix in 1999, they could scarcely have imagined the impact their film would have: not only did they introduce the theory of hyperreality to the masses, but nearly 20 years later the eyewear of the season owes a debt to Neo and Trinity. Whether through the illusion of reflected coding that appears on Chanel’s wraparound shields, or the thoroughly millennial appearance of Courrèges’ tinted, clip-on lenses, the angular translucency of Céline’s styles or the strange sculpturalism of Hood by Air’s, it is clear that a need to pay homage to that era’s shades has taken hold. And it’s an era we’re longing for in other ways: while the internet no longer has an exotic allure, we feel nostalgic for the sound of dial-up and the Wild West web. That simpler time, with far fewer feeds to scroll through, now feels (and looks) rather appealing.

Hair by Alexander Soltermann using Phyto; Make-up by Celia Burton using Jurlique Skincare

This piece originally appeared in AnOther Magazine S/S17.