A-Z of Eyewear: PQR

P: Persol

Founded in 1917 in the northern Italian city of Turin by photographer and optician Giuseppe Ratti, eyewear company Persol is sometimes described as one of the world’s oldest eyewear companies.

Now part of the Luxottica Group, the brand’s name derives from the Italian words ‘per il sole’, meaning ‘for the sun’ in English. The first eyewear Ratti designed in his courtyard in Via Caboto aimed at providing high-quality protection to the eyes of sports drivers and pilots.

The company’s first truly iconic frames were released in 1957: the Model 649’s large keyhole-bridged frames were designed for tram drivers and were immortalised in the Italian film Divorce, Italian Style, by actor Marcelli Mastroianni. Featuring Persol’s recognisable arrow shaped hinge, or ‘Freccia’, the Model 649 became a cult classic and has been referred to as an example of Italian creative genius.