The first people to wear sunglasses could have hardly imagined that, centuries later, they would be a glamour accessory whose function often bore no relation to the presence of harsh sunlight. To cut the relentless glare of light on white in the arctic region of North America, the Inuit people carved slits in pieces of wood or bone to create snow goggles. To more opulent effect, legend has it that while watching gladiatorial events, Roman Emperor Nero shaded his eyes from the sun through an emerald. In 15th-century China, lenses were made from flat pieces of smoky quartz. Emerald-tinted Goldoni glasses were worn by gondoliers on the sunny canals of This story is from Kinfolk Issue Forty-Four Buy Now Related Stories Fashion Issue 44 Drip Drop A splash of color for summer showers. Fashion Issue 44 Under the Sun Far niente, on the faraway island of Alicudi. Design Fashion Issue 44 Michelle Elie An audience with an audacious dresser. Fashion Films Issue 44 Wardrobe Malfunction Why does the fashion in films so often disappoint? Fashion Issue 43 Spring Trance Hypnotic looks for a new state of mind. Fashion Issue 43 Fresh Stems An improbable explosion of Brazilian blooms.
