Optician India

How to transform simple sports glasses into an iconic and glamorous eyewear brand ? 

Carrera teaches us this , the sunglasses brand with an urban and dynamic design that brings together adventurers, fitness enthusiasts and fashion addicts . 

The Carreras are a must-have for those who love a pinch of adrenaline in everything they do, whether it's a mountain bike excursion, a business meeting or a happy hour in the city centre. 

But what is the history of this eclectic brand with an unmistakable style? Let's discover it  together! 

Carrera: glasses in pole position

To discover the history of Carrera glasses we must go to Mexico, at the beginning of the 1950s. 

We are in Ciudad Juarez, a small city just over the Texas border, where every year a reckless road rally took place that attracted motorists and onlookers from all over the world: the Carrera Panamericano . 

Wilhelm Anger , a young Austrian entrepreneur and owner of a company specialized in the production of sports glasses,  was never missing among the spectators of this crazy 2000-mile race.

The recklessness and recklessness of this competition fascinate Anger, who decides to bring the same adrenaline-filled tension into his eyewear models. 

Returning to Europe, in 1956 he launched a roaring and brand new brand onto the market. But that's not all: to pay homage to the beloved rally , he changed the name of his company, renaming it Carrera .   

Lightweight frames for “tough” sports 

Wilhelm Anger has very clear ideas when it comes to sports glasses : they must be light, simple and functional . 

This is why his first models were made of plastic, a material little used in the eyewear industry of the time. 

However, these frames chip easily, so Anger admits that they are not the best accessory to wear during sports competitions. 

Then began the search for a new material that is both light and robust, capable of withstanding the most extreme performances without weighing on the athletes' noses. 

In 1964 Anger finally patented Optyl , an innovative material obtained from resin which proved to be hypoallergenic , extraordinarily durable and approximately 20 times lighter than classic metal and acetate frames. 

The new Carrera glasses made with Optyl also have exceptional elasticity , which makes them able to adapt perfectly to the wearer's face, reducing the risk of slipping down . 

Anger's proves to be a winning formula, which in just 10 years transforms its brand into the leading brand of sports frames . 

Porsche x Carrera: the partnership of fame

Thanks to their perfect fitting , Carrera glasses conquered the most important arenas of winter sports in 1970. 

Masks and helmets appear on the ski slopes topped with the brand 's flaming red lettering . And so, within a few months, the greatest national and international athletes triumphed on the podium wearing Carrera eyewear . 

But the real consecration came thanks to the partnership with the legendary Porsche car brand. 

In 1976 Carrera launched a new line of glasses inspired by the futuristic and luxurious design of Porsche, which immediately became a status symbol for rock stars and celebrities . 

The Porsche Design models that will make the history of Carrera and eyewear fashion are mainly two: on the one hand the Carrera Porsche Design 5620 , a full face mask with studded edges with a strong charm ; on the other, the Carrera Porsche Design 5621/23 , the first glasses in the world with an interchangeable lens system.

C, the birth of the icon 

The world of the eyewear industry has its rules, some of which are decidedly strict. Like not inserting any logo on the front of the frames, to leave them clean and elegant. 

But no diktat could stop the indomitable Carrera, who in 1979 decided to place the iconic C logo clearly visible between the two lenses. 

The Carrera logo is a clear and nice reference to the origins of the brand : the C is in fact surmounted by two parallel stripes that recall a rally track , the same as the unforgettable Carrera Panamerican.

In the 1980s Carrera launched the Endurance , Safari and Champion models , characterized by a design that combines the traditional teardrop shape with the bold volumes typical of ski goggles. 

These collections gained stratospheric success and Carrera welcomed sports heroes of the caliber of Gilles Villeneuve, Niki Lauda, ??Gerhard Berger and Jenson Button  among its ambassadors .

In 1989 Carrera signed a record-breaking collaboration with Boeing , the most famous aircraft manufacturer in the world, and presented an eyewear line tailor-made for airline pilots. 

The Boeing x Carrera frames are the ultimate in comfort, thanks to a shock absorber integrated into the body of the temple which ensures maximum flexibility and gives the design a delightful chromatic touch with its bright red colour. 

Between celebrity and tech: Carrera today

Not just drivers, skiers, sports car drivers or simple adrenaline seekers: Carrera glasses are also loved by the biggest celebrities in music and entertainment! 

The unmistakable style of Carrera frames has appeared in memorable video clips such as Lady Gaga's Bad Romance , Rihanna's Rude Boy , Christina Aguilera's Not Myself Tonight and Usher's  Hey Daddy .

And among the stars who never miss an opportunity to show off their Carreras we have Brad Pitt, Leonardo di Caprio, Jessica Alba and even the very famous Kanye West.

The success of this brand lies in its ability to combine essential shapes and cutting-edge designs , but a strong talent for intercepting future  trends also plays in its favour.

Proof of this is the new smart glasses by Carrera by Safilo and Amazon , with integrated Alexa assistant and open-air audio technology that directs sounds to the wearer's ear. 

Previewed in September 2023 , these smart glasses retain the features that have transformed Carrera into an iconic brand . All the tech components are in fact hidden inside the temples, leaving the frame perfectly compact and light. 

The top glasses by Carrera 

Confident , unique and unstoppable : if these are the characteristics you are looking for in your eyewear , then all you have to do is put some Carrera glasses  on your wishlist !

Among the proposals for women, the unmistakable designs of the most iconic models stand out, but there is no shortage of frames with futuristic charm such as the Flag Lab or Hyper Fit model . 

For those who love retro aesthetics , however, Carrera offers a vast selection of 70s style pantos and maxi models . 

And if you miss the Y2K spirit , get ready to fall in love with the rimless masks and super tiny ones by Carrera! 

The men 's collection instead favors a sporty and functional look, as demonstrated by the glasses created in collaboration with Ducati and the light frames of the Gran Prix line .

But we find the experimentalism of the brand in the bold design of rimless glasses with maxi mask lenses and in the vintage appeal of navigator models with the iconic logo engraved on the temples. 

Carrera's trendiest models also pair perfectly with genderless looks , thanks to their impeccable and essential style.