There are very few sunglasses styles that have remained relevant for nearly a century. Trends come and go, shapes evolve, entire categories disappear - but aviators continue to endure.
Part of that longevity comes from the fact that aviators were never purely fashion accessories. They were designed with purpose in mind: wide visibility, lightweight comfort, and protection from harsh light. Over time, they became inseparable from popular culture. Pilots wore them first, but eventually so did skiers, surfers, climbers, racers, riders, and rock stars. By the 1970s and 80s, aviators had become the unofficial eyewear of not only adventure, but also pop culture.
Today, aviator sunglasses persist as a top style, but the best modern aviator no longer stops at aesthetics alone. The new generation combines timeless silhouettes with genuinely technical performance - better optics, lighter materials, impact resistance and all-day comfort designed for life outdoors: That’s exactly the philosophy behind VALLON’s aviator collection.
Rather than recreating vintage eyewear as nostalgia pieces, we have rebuilt iconic designs for modern use - preserving the soul of classic adventure sunglasses while upgrading with technical details that matter. The latest additions to the collection, Ella and Elmore, take one of the most recognisable aviator styles ever created - the brow-bar aviator - and rebuild it with handcrafted acetate, premium optics and outdoor-ready functionality.
What makes a great pair of aviators?
The best pairs of aviator sunglasses strike a rare balance: they feel timeless, look technical without appearing overly sporty - and perform across activities and conditions. Lens clarity becomes increasingly important during long days outdoors, particularly in alpine environments, on the road, or near water. Weight distribution matters during movement, and so does durability. A pair of sunglasses that only works in a café or city street misses the point of what aviators originally represented.
The strongest modern aviators are the ones that can move naturally between environments - from mountains to coastlines to everyday life - without ever feeling out of place.
The modern brow-bar aviator: Ella & Elmore
Few aviator designs are as instantly recognisable as the brow-bar. Originally developed as a functional reinforcement across the top of the frame, it quickly became one of eyewear's defining silhouettes—worn by everyone from pilots to musicians and adventurers.
Ella and Elmore are VALLON's modern interpretation of that icon. Rather than using a traditional metal brow bar, both frames are crafted entirely from premium handcrafted acetate, giving them a bolder profile, improved durability and a more contemporary feel.
Designed separately for women (Ella) and men (Elmore), they feature polarized V52® optics, full UV400 protection and a detachable sports headstrap that keeps them secure when hiking, cycling, sailing or travelling. They feel equally at home exploring a new city as they do on a mountain trail.
It's a reminder that even one of eyewear's oldest silhouettes still has room to evolve.
The everyday adventure aviator: Howlin’
If one pair best captures the idea of the modern adventure aviator, it’s the Howlin’.
At first glance, the Howlin’ from VALLON feel familiar: rounded aviator proportions, handcrafted acetate frames and understated classic character. But there is also a strong technical side: V52® lenses offer exceptional clarity and impact resistance, while adjustable temple ends and a detachable sports retainer make them the perfect companion for sportier days.
This versatility is what makes Howlin’ so compelling. They work equally well on mountain trails, coastal roads, alpine hikes or simply worn every day. Most performance sunglasses sacrifice character in pursuit of function. Most fashion aviators sacrifice function entirely. Howlin’ balance both worlds.
“These are like if Tom Cruise’s Maverick flunked out of Top Gun because he was too busy tripping down from San Diego to Mexico to smoke some grass and have a few Coronas.” - Spy Magazine
Available in Tortoise, Dark Tortoise, Sage, Black and Green, they’ve quietly become one of the most versatile sunglasses in VALLON’s collection.
Ski Aviators: Reviving an alpine icon
Long before modern wraparound ski eyewear dominated the mountains, there was another silhouette associated with alpine culture: acetate aviators with mirrored lenses, and unmistakable slope style.
The original versions were worn by legends of 70s skiing, including Wayne Wong, alongside film icons like Robert Redford and Paul Newman. They embodied a period when skiing felt equal parts athleticism, rebellion and effortless style. Then they disappeared, almost entirely.
VALLON’s Ski Aviators bring that era back to life - not as a retro novelty, but as functional mountain eyewear, built for modern conditions. The silhouette remains faithful to the originals, but the experience is completely updated. V52® lenses provide exceptional optical clarity and impact resistance, while the refined fit feels lighter and more wearable than most true vintage frames ever did. We even worked directly with the freestyle ski legend, Wayne Wong to bring back his own signature white pair of ski aviators.
There’s something about the VALLON Ski Aviators that are deeply connected to mountain culture itself: They don’t just look retro - they evoke a different era of skiing and bring it into the 21st century.
Moto Aviators: Built for the road
Motorcycle culture has always had a natural relationship with aviator sunglasses. There’s a reason the silhouette became associated with riders, racers, and road trips throughout the 60s and 70s. It looks damn cool.
VALLON’s Moto Aviators take that heritage and adapt it specifically for modern motorcycle riding. The proportions of these aviators feel unmistakably vintage, but beneath the styling is a highly technical frame built with a lightweight TR90® construction, and ANSI Z87.1 safety-rated lenses.
What makes these shades particularly effective for riders is the balance between protection and wearability. They’re light enough for long rides, durable enough for demanding conditions; and available in both green G-15 lenses for bright daytime use, and yellow NR-76 lenses for lower-light visibility. No matter the light conditions, Moto Aviators have got your eyes covered for the open road.
Surf Aviators and the return of coastal style
In the late 70s and early 80s, beach culture developed its own distinct version of the aviator. Larger acetate frames, sun-faded colors and green-tinted lenses became synonymous with surf towns and coastal living. (Think Arnold Schwarzenegger working out at Venice Beach, CA).
Our Surf Aviators channel that atmosphere and character, carrying the relaxed proportions and effortless vintage beach eyewear style. Built with polarized V52® lenses they intercept glare from reflective water and harsh sunlight. The result is a pair of performance sunglasses that feels nostalgic, without being overly stylized.
For travel, beach days, sailing or simply everyday summer wear, VALLON Surf Aviators feel timeless in the best possible way.
Hazlewood and the spirit of the 80s
Where Ski Aviators capture 70s alpine culture, Hazlewood lean unapologetically into the slope style of the 1980s: Oversized and expressive, they reflect a period when mountain style became more fashion-driven, and more playful. The teardrop shape and mirrored lenses immediately recall vintage slope photography, and après-ski culture at its most iconic moment.
Yet despite the retro character, VALLON’s Hazlewood don’t feel gimmicky. The gently curved frame improves protection from glare and reflected light, while the V52® lenses maintain the same high optical clarity found across the rest of the collection. They’re statement sunglasses, certainly - but still grounded in genuine mountain and ski functionality.
Why do aviator sunglasses continue to endure?
Part of what makes aviators so enduring is their ability to move between biomes and cultural worlds. Very few other sunglasses have their acclaim, and timeless style. Decade after decade, these sunglasses belong, and make you feel like you belong too.
At VALLON, we want to design eyewear that combines authenticity, craftsmanship and longevity, rather than disposable fashion cycles. Our aviator collection meets that balance by preserving the heritage of classic aviator design while continuing to reinterpret iconic silhouettes for modern explorers. From heritage-inspired Ski Aviators to the contemporary brow-bar styling of Ella and Elmore, every frame combines timeless design with technical performance.
And perhaps that’s why aviators continue to resonate generation after generation. They were never simply sunglasses. They were always part of a larger idea: movement, exploration and the freedom of life outdoors.
