Five Pairs Of Sunglasses You Wont See On Every Face

Creative Boom: Resources The Edit Five pairs of sunglasses you won't see on every face Bored with the same old shades? These five eyewear brands offer serious style beyond the usual suspects. Written By: Katy Cowan 13 May 2026 Akila, from the Spring Lookbook The sun has finally made an appearance here in the UK. Even if it's still a tad chilly. Annoyingly, my trusty sunglasses are looking battered after years of happy wear. But instead of reaching for the same old brand – the one that has pretty much dominated the market over the last decade – I wanted something fresh and unusual.

Partly to avoid looking like everyone else, yes… but mostly because it's nice to support independent businesses competing in the same space. I'm not necessarily talking about under-the-radar brands. The names I've pulled out are established and doing really well. It's just that sunglasses tend to keep loyal customers – we don't often consider leaving our beloved pairs for something new. We're creatures of habit. We know what works and we know what we like. But look around any beer garden right now, and the whole "playing it safe" vibe is very much alive. It's time to break free, wouldn't you agree?

The following recommendations come from brands doing some brilliant things with eyewear right now. From different coloured lenses to frames that break every mould, I've picked out five of the best. Which will you choose now that the (seemingly) better weather has arrived? 1. Gower Sunglasses by Cubitts Powerful and architectural, Gower is a quadra, angular-lens shape that reimagines a classic. Featuring graphic lines and a sculptural keyhole bridge, balanced with tapered temples, it's available in a range of hues to suit different skin tones. Personally, I'm leaning towards these green frames.

But they also come in light brown, lilac, purple, light blue, and black – to name a few. More recent collections include Raw Edge, a "celebration of process by revealing, not concealing, the marks of making". The Randell is an interesting option, especially the models with a two-tone design. The problem now, of course, is which pair to choose? 2. Deboer by Kaleos Thank goodness for Kaleos, the sunglass brand launched in 2013, blessed with creative director Claudia Brotons at its creative helm.

Every six months, Kaleos graces us with a new eyewear collection, almost certainly setting trends across the fashion industry and breaking all the style rules. It's become a bit of a respected icon of late, and you just know you'll feel unique, no matter what product you wear. For this article, I've chosen these cat-eye sunglasses because they are lightweight, modern, and striking. Each pair has front and temples in silver stainless steel. And the temples have transparent crystal acetate tips. The gradient-coloured lens offers 100% UV protection and an anti-reflective coating. There are integrated nose pads, too. All handmade. 01/04 3.

Apollo by Akila For those of you who still reach for a timeless silhouette, the Apollo by Akila might be a good fit. Just go for a quirky lens colour, like yellow. Or maybe blue or pink. This is a chunky frame with flat "zero base" lenses that bring this classic style into the 2020s. Also available in optical, you can choose from various frames, including tortoise, cement, and amber. Not heard of Akila? It's an independent eyewear brand based in Los Angeles, focused on handmade, limited-run eyewear. All of its lenses are now made with 50% certified recycled content, and its frames are biodegradable and extracted from cotton and wood pulp.

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The article promotes differentiation in branding and supports independent businesses, which is significant for brand strategy, but the concept of unique eyewear is not entirely new.